mercurynews--2020-12-15--Bay Area tech firm Pinterest agrees to $22.5 million gender-discrimination settlement

Bay Area technology firm Pinterest has agreed to pay its former chief operating officer and her lawyers $ 20 million to settle a gender-discrimination lawsuit .
Under the agreement with Françoise Brougher , the San Francisco digital-pinboard company , valued at $ 43 billion , will also spend $ 2.5 million to advance women and underrepresented communities in the tech industry , according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Monday by Pinterest .
The company in settling the case did not admit wrongdoing .
Brougher ’ s lawsuit , filed in August in San Francisco County Superior Court , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women looking for inspiration.
” The suit claimed the firm “ brazenly ” fired Brougher for pointing out gender bias .
In a September court filing , Pinterest denied all of Brougher ’ s claims , and said it had conducted itself in keeping with proper managerial discretion and business judgment .
According to the suit ’ s allegations , male Pinterest executives were rewarded for strong leadership styles but Brougher was criticized “ for not being compliant or collaborative enough.
” She was offered poorer compensation than her male peers and had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the suit claimed .
• Pinterest hires law firm to examine its workplace culture after accusations of racism • Pinterest hires its first COO ahead of possible IPO • Wells Fargo to pay millions in back wages after hiring discrimination against Black applicants When she complained about “ demeaning sexist comments ” from a senior executive and asked for help to fix the hostile work environment , she was fired in a video call “ to protect the comfort of her male peers , ” the suit alleged .
“ Ms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s unwelcoming environment for women and minorities by imposing a high cost to challenging the men at the top , ” the suit claimed .
Brougher , a former executive at Google and Charles Schwab , worked for Pinterest as chief operating officer from March 2018 until her termination in April 2020 , according to the suit , which also accused Pinterest of wrongful termination and retaliation .
She was the company ’ s first chief operating officer .
At the time of her hiring , Pinterest said in a statement that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company through its next phase of growth as it continues to expand its user base internationally and scale its global advertising program.
” Pinterest said in June it was hiring an outside legal team to probe its workplace culture after two female Black managers who quit said they had endured abuse and discrimination .

Bay Area technology firm Pinterest has agreed to pay its former chief operating officer and her lawyers $20 million to settle a gender-discrimination lawsuit.
Under the agreement with Françoise Brougher, the San Francisco digital-pinboard company, valued at $43 billion, will also spend $2.5 million to advance women and underrepresented communities in the tech industry, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Monday by Pinterest. The company in settling the case did not admit wrongdoing.
Brougher’s lawsuit, filed in August in San Francisco County Superior Court, noted that Pinterest “markets itself to women looking for inspiration.” The suit claimed the firm “brazenly” fired Brougher for pointing out gender bias.
In a September court filing, Pinterest denied all of Brougher’s claims, and said it had conducted itself in keeping with proper managerial discretion and business judgment.
According to the suit’s allegations, male Pinterest executives were rewarded for strong leadership styles but Brougher was criticized “for not being compliant or collaborative enough.” She was offered poorer compensation than her male peers and had to “fight for equal treatment,” the suit claimed.
Related Articles Technology | Pinterest hires law firm to examine its workplace culture after accusations of racism
Pinterest hires law firm to examine its workplace culture after accusations of racism Technology | Pinterest hires its first COO ahead of possible IPO
Pinterest hires its first COO ahead of possible IPO Technology | Wells Fargo to pay millions in back wages after hiring discrimination against Black applicants When she complained about “demeaning sexist comments” from a senior executive and asked for help to fix the hostile work environment, she was fired in a video call “to protect the comfort of her male peers,” the suit alleged. “Ms. Brougher’s termination solidified Pinterest’s unwelcoming environment for women and minorities by imposing a high cost to challenging the men at the top,” the suit claimed.
Brougher, a former executive at Google and Charles Schwab, worked for Pinterest as chief operating officer from March 2018 until her termination in April 2020, according to the suit, which also accused Pinterest of wrongful termination and retaliation.
She was the company’s first chief operating officer. At the time of her hiring, Pinterest said in a statement that she would be “instrumental in bringing the company through its next phase of growth as it continues to expand its user base internationally and scale its global advertising program.”
Pinterest said in June it was hiring an outside legal team to probe its workplace culture after two female Black managers who quit said they had endured abuse and discrimination.


mercurynews--2020-12-15--The Latest: Biden says election workers showed courage

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The Latest on the Electoral College meeting ( all times local ) : Electors gathered in 50 states and the District of Columbia on Monday to formally affirm President-elect Joe Biden ’ s victory in the Nov. 3 election .
It takes 270 Electoral College votes to win the presidency .
President-elect Joe Biden says local election officials and workers endured threats of violence and verbal abuse while ensuring that democracy prevailed in the November election .
In a speech Monday after the Electoral College affirmed his victory , Biden said that the threats were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers showed courage and commitment to free and fair elections in the face of the coronavirus pandemic .
He said President Donald Trump ’ s lawyers brought “ dozens and dozens and dozens ” of legal challenges of the election results , but each time they were found to be without merit .
Biden says Trump ’ s team repeatedly made arguments to state legislatures , officials and even the U.S. Supreme Court , “ and in every case no cause or evidence was found to reverse or question or dispute the results.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ College victory of the same magnitude as President Donald Trump ’ s in 2016 is a signal that the current president should finally accept his own defeat in this year ’ s election .
Biden noted during a speech Monday in Wilmington , Delaware , that Trump called his 2016 tally of 306 electoral votes a “ landslide.
” Biden says if that constituted a clear victory then , he wanted to “ respectfully suggest ” that Trump now accept Biden ’ s victory this year .
Trump has refused to concede defeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and unfounded allegations of widespread fraud .
The Electoral College has finished voting to solidify Joe Biden ’ s victory in the 2020 presidential election .
With Hawaii reporting their electoral vote Monday , Biden has 306 to President Donald Trump ’ s 232 votes .
The threshold to win is 270 .
It ’ s normally a procedural step , but its importance was heightened this year because Trump has refused to concede his loss .
He and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits and most have been dropped or dismissed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Supreme Court .
The Electoral College results will be sent to Washington and tallied in a Jan. 6 joint session of Congress over which Vice President Mike Pence will preside .
One of President Donald Trump ’ s closest congressional allies says he ’ s talked with President-elect Joe Biden and will “ be helpful where I can.
” Sen. Lindsey Graham said Monday that he recently had a “ pleasant ” 10-minute conversation with Biden and has spoken to some of the Democrat ’ s picks to lead his administration .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump to let continuing legal challenges over the presidential election results “ play out , ” saying he saw a “ very , very narrow path ” for Trump to achieve a second term .
Graham also said that he would support a waiver for retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to serve as defense secretary and that Janet Yellen “ would be fine ” to lead the Treasury Department .
Asked about Sally Yates , mentioned for a possible attorney general pick , Graham , chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee , said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He responded favorably when asked about two other possible nominees , outgoing Alabama Sen. Doug Jones and one-time U.S. Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland .
Two more top Republican senators are acknowledging that Democrat Joe Biden won the presidential election .
South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said “ yeah ” on Monday when reporters at the Capitol asked if Biden was now president-elect .
And Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt flatly says , “ Vice President Biden is the president-elect.
” Blunt is a member of the Senate GOP leadership .
Graham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of President Donald Trump .
Both men spoke the day the Electoral College formally awarded Biden the electoral votes needed to become president .
The day marked a turning point for many GOP senators , who until now have declined to contest Trump ’ s fallacious claims that he won the election and was cheated out of a victory by fraud .
Trump has produced no evidence of that , and federal and state courts around the country have tossed cases his legal team has put forward .
Graham says , “ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ path for the president .
I don ’ t see how he gets there from here.
” Hawaii is the last state to cast their Electoral College ballots .
Once it does , Democrat Joe Biden will reach his final total of 306 electoral votes .
Hawaii ’ s electors are meeting at 2 p.m. Hawaii time , which is 7 p.m. on the East Coast .
The state has four electoral votes .
Hawaii favored the Biden ticket by wide margins in the Nov. 3 election .
President Donald Trump won 232 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threshold to win the Electoral College and the White House .
A Republican senator from Indiana is acknowledging that Democrat Joe Biden is president-elect , now that the Electoral College has formally affirmed his victory .
Nearly five weeks after Election Day , Sen. Mike Braun is among several GOP lawmakers who are now conceding that Biden is the incoming president .
Until now , many Republican lawmakers have refused to contest President Donald Trump ’ s false insistence that voter fraud is the reason he didn ’ t win the election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and his arguments have been rejected by state and federal courts and by state officials of both parties .
Braun says in a written statement that the Electoral College vote marks “ a watershed moment where we must put aside politics and respect the constitutional process.
” California has cast the state ’ s 55 electoral votes for President-elect Joe Biden , formally cementing the Democrat ’ s victory over President Donald Trump .
Biden carried the heavily Democratic state in a landslide last month , defeating Trump by over 5 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s most populous state with 40 million people — is the largest prize in the presidential election and offers the most electoral votes .
Its votes put Biden over the 270-vote threshold on Monday to win the Electoral College and the White House .
The California vote was taken in a subdued ceremony in the ornate state Assembly chamber in Sacramento , where electors wore face masks and were socially distanced at separate desks for safety because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Small but noisy pro-Trump protests have been staged in Sacramento since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grounds were quiet Monday .
Police vehicles were parked outside several entrances .
The Electoral College has formally validated Joe Biden ’ s victory in the 2020 presidential election .
Biden cleared the 270-vote threshold on Monday after California ’ s electors cast their votes for the Democrat .
When all of the states finish voting , Biden is expected to lead President Donald Trump 306-232 .
The Electoral College vote is normally a procedural step in the presidential election , but its importance is heightened this year because Trump is refusing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits , and most have been dropped or dismissed by judges , including twice by the U.S. Supreme Court .
The Electoral College results will be sent to Washington and tallied in a Jan. 6 joint session of Congress over which Vice President Mike Pence will preside .
The Senate ’ s No .
2 Republican leader says it ’ s time to declare Democrat Joe Biden the president-elect .
South Dakota Sen. John Thune spoke to reporters in the Capitol on Monday shortly before the Electoral College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 270 electoral votes needed to become president .
Thune says , “ That ’ s how in this country we decide presidential elections .
That ’ s our Constitution .
And I believe we follow the Constitution.
” President Donald Trump has refused to concede the election , falsely claiming widespread voter fraud .
He has offered no evidence backing that up , and he ’ s lost numerous attempts to invalidate the voting in state and federal courts , including twice in the U.S. Supreme Court .
Even so , many GOP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ignore the voters ’ verdict .
Thune also says a last-ditch attempt by a few Republicans to challenge Biden ’ s electoral win in the House next month is “ going nowhere.
” U.S. Rep. Paul Mitchell , a retiring Republican from Michigan , says he is disaffiliating from the GOP and becoming an independent for the rest of his term .
His decision was announced on Monday as members of the Electoral College were meeting around the country to formally verify the results of the Nov. 3 presidential election .
Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to winning the White House , but President Donald Trump and his Republican allies are fighting the results as they try to subvert the will of the voters .
In a letter to Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel and House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy , Mitchell wrote , “ It is unacceptable for political candidates to treat our election system as though we are a third-world nation and incite distrust of something so basic as the sanctity of our vote.
” He also said it was unacceptable for Trump to have attacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s lawsuit and for party leaders and the House Republican Conference to participate in Trump ’ s efforts to get the election results overturned based on conspiracy theories .
Mitchell says he voted for Trump .
Republican Sen. John Cornyn says Joe Biden seems on his way to becoming the next president .
The Texas senator told reporters at the Capitol on Monday that he considers the Democrat “ the president-elect , subject to whatever additional litigation is ongoing ” by President Donald Trump to try overturning the election .
Cornyn says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ page on Jan. 20 , when you ’ ll have a peaceful transition.
” And he says , “ There comes a time when you have to realize that despite your best efforts , you ’ ve been unsuccessful.
” Cornyn ’ s comments put him in the camp of a small but growing number of Republican lawmakers who are acknowledging — or coming close to it — that Biden was elected president .
Trump has refused to concede and is falsely alleging widespread voter fraud , though he ’ s provided no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court cases .
Cornyn spoke as members of the Electoral College were meeting around the country to formally verify the election results .
Based on the voting , Biden beat Trump in the Electoral College by 306-232 and won by 7 million votes .
In a prime-time speech after the Electoral College vote , President-elect Joe Biden is set to declare that “ not even … an abuse of power ” can stop a peaceful transition of power in the U.S. after last month ’ s election .
That ’ s an overt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refusal to accept defeat and the top Republicans who have continued to stand by him .
Biden is set to speak Monday night after the Electoral College formally votes to declare him president .
According to excerpts released ahead of time by his campaign , Biden plans to call for unity and again express his intentions to be a president for everyone , regardless of whether they voted for him .
But he also will say that “ In America , politicians don ’ t take power — the people grant it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was lit in this nation a long time ago , ” Biden is set to say .
“ And we now know that nothing — not even a pandemic —or an abuse of power — can extinguish that flame.
” Michigan ’ s electors have cast their 16 votes for President-elect Joe Biden , who reclaimed the battleground state for Democrats on his way to winning the White House .
The vote was announced by Democratic Lt. Gov .
Garlin Gilchrist II , who presided over a scaled-back , socially distanced Electoral College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capitol was closed to the public because of coronavirus restrictions .
Lawmakers also closed their offices because of threats of violence .
Electors and some top Democrats were escorted into the statehouse by state police .
Citing baseless allegations of widespread fraud , President Donald Trump and his allies had urged the U.S. Supreme Court to invalidate Biden ’ s 154,000 vote , or 2.8 percentage point , victory and pushed the Republican-led Legislature to choose electors .
But the legally suspect , long-shot bid was rejected by the court and by Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in saying that the electoral votes go to the popular vote winner .
Florida ’ s 29 Electoral College votes have been cast for President Donald Trump .
Secretary of State Laurel Lee conducted the vote Monday after three electors were named to replace three who couldn ’ t attend the ceremony , including Senate President Wilton Simpson .
Simpson announced hours before the vote that he had tested positive for COVID-19 .
Trump won Florida with 51.2 % of the vote in last month ’ s election .
He also carried Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are submitted to the governor by each political party .
Electors take an oath to support the candidate that wins the state ’ s popular vote .
Despite losing Florida , Democrat Joe Biden managed to flip three Rust Belt states and carry Arizona and Georgia on his way to winning the election .
Wisconsin has cast its 10 Electoral College votes for Democrat Joe Biden .
It came about an hour after the Wisconsin Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit from President Donald Trump seeking to overturn the election results .
For Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of a long fight to win back the state Trump carried in 2016 .
“ We made it , ” said Democratic Gov .
Tony Evers , one of the state ’ s electors , after the vote was announced .
Some Republicans who refuse to acknowledge the reality of President-elect Joe Biden ’ s win are meeting to cast ceremonial votes for President Donald Trump .
On the day the Electoral College is set to formally confirm Biden ’ s victory , Trump loyalists in Pennsylvania met in Harrisburg and cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote ” for Trump .
The state Republican Party says the Trump electors met at the request of the campaign .
In Georgia , another battleground state Trump lost , an alternate Republican slate cast ceremonial votes for Trump at the same time Georgia ’ s 16 Electoral College votes were cast for Biden .
The opposition to Biden has no practical effect on the electoral process , with the Democrat set to be sworn in on Jan. 20 .
The Electoral College vote is normally a fairly procedural step in the presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year because Trump is refusing to concede his loss .
He and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits and most have been dropped or dismissed by judges , including twice by the U.S. Supreme Court .
Ohio ’ s electors have cast their 18 votes for President Donald Trump .
Trump won the state ’ s vote in November by more than 8 percentage points .
It was the first time in 60 years that the state ’ s voters did not side with the ultimate winner .
The result was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at an in-person Electoral College session at the Ohio Statehouse on Monday .
Republican delegates all wore masks , socially distanced and used specially provided pens due to the coronavirus .
Among the Ohio electors was Ken Blackwell , a Trump loyalist and former Ohio secretary of state who presided over the contentious Bush-Kerry contest of 2004 ; Bob Paduchik , an Ohioan who served as senior adviser to Trump ’ s reeelection campaign ; and Lucas County GOP Chair Mark Wagoner , whose father was the first to die of COVID-19 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 electoral votes for Democrat Joe Biden , the native son whose win in the state last month cemented his overall victory against President Donald Trump .
The 20 electors were socially distanced in a cavernous auditorium near the Capitol , meeting there instead of the floor of the state House because of the pandemic .
One by one , each elector walked up to the auditorium stage and dropped his or her ballot into a box designed by Benjamin Franklin .
The electors gave the vote tally a standing ovation .
Nancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Electoral College , noted it was Pennsylvania that put Biden over the 270-vote threshold needed to claim the White House .
She says , “ We are the state that returned the dignity and honor to the United States of America.
” New York has awarded its 29 Electoral College votes to Democrat Joe Biden .
The ceremony took place in the state Capitol despite the coronavirus pandemic .
Electors included former President Bill Clinton and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton .
The vote took about half an hour and finished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separate rows behind invisible plastic dividers , and all wore masks as they cast their votes one by one .
Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo says the pandemic serves as a “ stark reminder to the nation that government matters and leadership matters.
” He says good government ” can literally save people ’ s lives.
” Hillary Clinton says the Biden-Harris administration is “ going to be great for the country.
” She says , “ We ’ re going to have a president and a vice president who are going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a real difference for everybody.
” North Carolina has awarded its 15 electoral votes to President Donald Trump .
An energized base of supporters , vigorous in-person campaign schedule and appeal to rural voters fueled Trump ’ s 1.3 percentage point win over Democratic President-elect Joe Biden in the state .
In response to the coronavirus pandemic , Biden largely stayed off the physical campaign trail , instead choosing to do virtual events or smaller in-person gatherings with mask wearing and physical distancing .
He did not personally visit the state in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden benefited from a surge in mail-in voting but fell short of a plurality of the more than 5.5 million ballots cast .
Trump defeated then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the state in 2016 by 3.7 percentage points .
Former President Barack Obama is the most recent Democratic presidential candidate to win North Carolina , which he did in 2008 .
Arizona ’ s 11 Electoral College members have cast their votes for Democrat Joe Biden for president .
Biden won the Nov. 3 in Arizona by nearly 10,500 votes , becoming the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1996 to carry the traditionally Republican state .
Fueled by President Donald Trump , some Arizona Republicans continue to question Biden ’ s victory in the state .
Trump backers have filed multiple lawsuits trying to have the Arizona results set aside , but state and federal courts have rejected all but one of them .
Some are being appealed , and the remaining case has a hearing Monday .
Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs presided over the ceremony where the electors signed the certificates confirming Biden ’ s win .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year ’ s process , saying it had “ an artificial shadow ” hanging over it because of baseless accusations of voter fraud .
Georgia ’ s 16 Electoral College votes have been cast for Democrat Joe Biden for president .
The state ’ s Democratic electors convened in the Senate chamber of the state Capitol on Monday .
The electors included former candidate for governor Stacey Abrams , congresswoman-elect Nikema Williams , several state lawmakers , local politicians and Democratic activists .
The group limited themselves to sitting in every other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each person .
They all wore a face mask to protect against the coronavirus , and the audience was limited to a few members of the press and some support staff .
The electors each marked a paper ballot that was then collected , counted and confirmed by a voice roll call .
Abrams then read out the results , saying , “ I ’ m pleased to announce that Joseph R. Biden has received 16 votes for president of the United States , ” to applause .
The vote formally seals Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where he beat President Donald Trump by about 12,000 votes .
The result of the November election was confirmed by two recounts , including an audit that triggered a full hand tally of ballots .
A Republican lawmaker from Michigan has been disciplined for not denouncing potential violence at the state Capitol before Democratic presidential electors are to meet to vote for Joe Biden , who won the state over President Donald Trump .
State Rep. Gary Eisen of St. Clair Township told WPHM-AM on Monday that he planned to help with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to challenge the election , conceding the “ uncharted ” action likely would not change the result .
Asked if he could guarantee people ’ s safety , he said “ no.
” House Speaker Lee Chatfield and Speaker-elect Jason Wentworth , both Republicans , removed Eisen from committees in the closing days of the two-year session .
In a statement , they said threats or suggestions of violence in politics are never acceptable , including “ when the public officials open the door to violent behavior and refuse to condemn it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16 electors and top Democratic state officials such as Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer are scheduled to gather in the Senate chamber Monday afternoon .
Legislative offices are closed because of threats of violence .
The Capitol is closed to the public because of coronavirus restrictions .
Nevada ’ s six Democratic presidential electors have awarded their votes for Joe Biden , becoming the first slate of electors from a battleground state to cast their votes .
The ceremony on Monday took place over Zoom due to the coronavirus pandemic .
It took less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprises .
Biden defeated Trump by 33,596 votes , or 2.4 percentage points , in Nevada .
Although Democrats ’ margin of victory was similar to the 2016 election , the state ’ s slow vote-counting pace and a result that appeared tight on Election Night vaulted the western battleground into the national spotlight .
Trump eyed the state as a pick-up opportunity , visiting three times in the lead-up to the election .
Biden visited once for an event with Latino groups and a drive-in rally .
Electors from the first states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s three representatives to the Electoral College on Monday cast the state ’ s presidential ballots for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris .
In Tennessee , 11 representatives to the Electoral College cast their votes for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence .
Four Electoral College votes from New Hampshire went to Biden , and 11 from Indiana went to Trump .
Electors in other states also have begun voting .
Electors are gathering in 50 states and the District of Columbia on Monday to formally vote for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws binding their electors to the winner of the popular vote in their state .
The results will be sent to Washington and tallied in a Jan. 6 joint session of Congress over which Pence will preside .
The electors ’ votes have drawn more attention than usual this year because Trump has refused to concede the election and continues to make unsupported allegations of fraud .
There was no widespread fraud .
This has been confirmed by election officials across the country and by Attorney General William Barr .
Michigan legislative offices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as presidential electors prepare to gather in the state Capitol to cast their votes for Democrat Joe Biden .
The 16 electors will meet Monday afternoon in the Senate chamber , at a ceremony chaired by Democratic Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer .
Biden won the state by 154,000 votes , or 2.8 percentage points , over President Donald Trump .
The Capitol building is closed to the public due to coronavirus restrictions except when lawmakers meet for a legislative session .
A spokesperson for Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey says legislators ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also are closed based on recommendations from law enforcement .
Spokeswoman Amber McCann says , “ The decision was not made because of anticipated protests but was made based on credible threats of violence.
” Lawmakers from both parties have reported receiving threats amid Trump ’ s futile bid to overturn the election results with baseless allegations of widespread fraud .
There was no widespread fraud in the election .
This has been confirmed by election officials across the country and by Attorney General William Barr .
Earlier this year , law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitmer .
The ringleader is alleged to have also discussed attacking the Michigan Capitol during session and executing “ tyrants .
”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the Electoral College meeting (all times local):
Electors gathered in 50 states and the District of Columbia on Monday to formally affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the Nov. 3 election. It takes 270 Electoral College votes to win the presidency.
FINAL TALLY OF ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES:
Democrat Joe Biden: 306
Republican Donald Trump: 232
___
7:55 p.m.
President-elect Joe Biden says local election officials and workers endured threats of violence and verbal abuse while ensuring that democracy prevailed in the November election.
In a speech Monday after the Electoral College affirmed his victory, Biden said that the threats were “simply unconscionable” but that the workers showed courage and commitment to free and fair elections in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
He said President Donald Trump’s lawyers brought “dozens and dozens and dozens” of legal challenges of the election results, but each time they were found to be without merit.
Biden says Trump’s team repeatedly made arguments to state legislatures, officials and even the U.S. Supreme Court, “and in every case no cause or evidence was found to reverse or question or dispute the results.”
___
7:45 p.m.
President-elect Joe Biden says his Electoral College victory of the same magnitude as President Donald Trump’s in 2016 is a signal that the current president should finally accept his own defeat in this year’s election.
Biden noted during a speech Monday in Wilmington, Delaware, that Trump called his 2016 tally of 306 electoral votes a “landslide.”
Biden says if that constituted a clear victory then, he wanted to “respectfully suggest” that Trump now accept Biden’s victory this year.
Trump has refused to concede defeat in the presidential vote, making repeated and unfounded allegations of widespread fraud.
___
7:10 p.m.
The Electoral College has finished voting to solidify Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election.
With Hawaii reporting their electoral vote Monday, Biden has 306 to President Donald Trump’s 232 votes. The threshold to win is 270.
It’s normally a procedural step, but its importance was heightened this year because Trump has refused to concede his loss. He and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits and most have been dropped or dismissed by judges, including twice by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Electoral College results will be sent to Washington and tallied in a Jan. 6 joint session of Congress over which Vice President Mike Pence will preside.
___
6:50 p.m.
One of President Donald Trump’s closest congressional allies says he’s talked with President-elect Joe Biden and will “be helpful where I can.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham said Monday that he recently had a “pleasant” 10-minute conversation with Biden and has spoken to some of the Democrat’s picks to lead his administration.
The South Carolina Republican says he expects Trump to let continuing legal challenges over the presidential election results “play out,” saying he saw a “very, very narrow path” for Trump to achieve a second term.
Graham also said that he would support a waiver for retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to serve as defense secretary and that Janet Yellen “would be fine” to lead the Treasury Department.
Asked about Sally Yates, mentioned for a possible attorney general pick, Graham, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said, “I don’t think so.” He responded favorably when asked about two other possible nominees, outgoing Alabama Sen. Doug Jones and one-time U.S. Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland.
___
6:30 p.m.
Two more top Republican senators are acknowledging that Democrat Joe Biden won the presidential election.
South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said “yeah” on Monday when reporters at the Capitol asked if Biden was now president-elect. And Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt flatly says, “Vice President Biden is the president-elect.”
Blunt is a member of the Senate GOP leadership. Graham is a close friend and strong supporter of President Donald Trump.
Both men spoke the day the Electoral College formally awarded Biden the electoral votes needed to become president. The day marked a turning point for many GOP senators, who until now have declined to contest Trump’s fallacious claims that he won the election and was cheated out of a victory by fraud.
Trump has produced no evidence of that, and federal and state courts around the country have tossed cases his legal team has put forward.
Graham says, “It’s a very, very narrow path for the president. I don’t see how he gets there from here.”
___
6:15 p.m.
Hawaii is the last state to cast their Electoral College ballots. Once it does, Democrat Joe Biden will reach his final total of 306 electoral votes.
Hawaii’s electors are meeting at 2 p.m. Hawaii time, which is 7 p.m. on the East Coast. The state has four electoral votes.
Hawaii favored the Biden ticket by wide margins in the Nov. 3 election.
President Donald Trump won 232 electoral votes. short of the 270-vote threshold to win the Electoral College and the White House.
___
6 p.m.
A Republican senator from Indiana is acknowledging that Democrat Joe Biden is president-elect, now that the Electoral College has formally affirmed his victory.
Nearly five weeks after Election Day, Sen. Mike Braun is among several GOP lawmakers who are now conceding that Biden is the incoming president.
Until now, many Republican lawmakers have refused to contest President Donald Trump’s false insistence that voter fraud is the reason he didn’t win the election. Trump has presented no evidence of that, and his arguments have been rejected by state and federal courts and by state officials of both parties.
Braun says in a written statement that the Electoral College vote marks “a watershed moment where we must put aside politics and respect the constitutional process.”
___
5:45 p.m.
California has cast the state’s 55 electoral votes for President-elect Joe Biden, formally cementing the Democrat’s victory over President Donald Trump.
Biden carried the heavily Democratic state in a landslide last month, defeating Trump by over 5 million votes.
California — the nation’s most populous state with 40 million people — is the largest prize in the presidential election and offers the most electoral votes. Its votes put Biden over the 270-vote threshold on Monday to win the Electoral College and the White House.
The California vote was taken in a subdued ceremony in the ornate state Assembly chamber in Sacramento, where electors wore face masks and were socially distanced at separate desks for safety because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Small but noisy pro-Trump protests have been staged in Sacramento since the election, but the fenced statehouse grounds were quiet Monday. Police vehicles were parked outside several entrances.
___
5:25 p.m.
The Electoral College has formally validated Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election.
Biden cleared the 270-vote threshold on Monday after California’s electors cast their votes for the Democrat. When all of the states finish voting, Biden is expected to lead President Donald Trump 306-232.
The Electoral College vote is normally a procedural step in the presidential election, but its importance is heightened this year because Trump is refusing to concede his loss. He and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits, and most have been dropped or dismissed by judges, including twice by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Electoral College results will be sent to Washington and tallied in a Jan. 6 joint session of Congress over which Vice President Mike Pence will preside.
___
5:20 p.m.
The Senate’s No. 2 Republican leader says it’s time to declare Democrat Joe Biden the president-elect.
South Dakota Sen. John Thune spoke to reporters in the Capitol on Monday shortly before the Electoral College formally affirmed that Biden had won the 270 electoral votes needed to become president.
Thune says, “That’s how in this country we decide presidential elections. That’s our Constitution. And I believe we follow the Constitution.”
President Donald Trump has refused to concede the election, falsely claiming widespread voter fraud. He has offered no evidence backing that up, and he’s lost numerous attempts to invalidate the voting in state and federal courts, including twice in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Even so, many GOP lawmakers have backed Trump’s attempts to ignore the voters’ verdict.
Thune also says a last-ditch attempt by a few Republicans to challenge Biden’s electoral win in the House next month is “going nowhere.”
___
5:10 p.m.
U.S. Rep. Paul Mitchell, a retiring Republican from Michigan, says he is disaffiliating from the GOP and becoming an independent for the rest of his term.
His decision was announced on Monday as members of the Electoral College were meeting around the country to formally verify the results of the Nov. 3 presidential election. Democrat Joe Biden flipped Michigan on his way to winning the White House, but President Donald Trump and his Republican allies are fighting the results as they try to subvert the will of the voters.
In a letter to Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel and House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, Mitchell wrote, “It is unacceptable for political candidates to treat our election system as though we are a third-world nation and incite distrust of something so basic as the sanctity of our vote.”
He also said it was unacceptable for Trump to have attacked the Supreme Court for rejecting his team’s lawsuit and for party leaders and the House Republican Conference to participate in Trump’s efforts to get the election results overturned based on conspiracy theories.
Mitchell says he voted for Trump.
___
4:55 p.m.
Republican Sen. John Cornyn says Joe Biden seems on his way to becoming the next president.
The Texas senator told reporters at the Capitol on Monday that he considers the Democrat “the president-elect, subject to whatever additional litigation is ongoing” by President Donald Trump to try overturning the election.
Cornyn says he expects “a turning of the page on Jan. 20, when you’ll have a peaceful transition.” And he says, “There comes a time when you have to realize that despite your best efforts, you’ve been unsuccessful.”
Cornyn’s comments put him in the camp of a small but growing number of Republican lawmakers who are acknowledging — or coming close to it — that Biden was elected president. Trump has refused to concede and is falsely alleging widespread voter fraud, though he’s provided no evidence of that and lost dozens of court cases.
Cornyn spoke as members of the Electoral College were meeting around the country to formally verify the election results. Based on the voting, Biden beat Trump in the Electoral College by 306-232 and won by 7 million votes.
___
4:05 p.m.
In a prime-time speech after the Electoral College vote, President-elect Joe Biden is set to declare that “not even … an abuse of power” can stop a peaceful transition of power in the U.S. after last month’s election.
That’s an overt swipe at President Donald Trump’s refusal to accept defeat and the top Republicans who have continued to stand by him.
Biden is set to speak Monday night after the Electoral College formally votes to declare him president.
According to excerpts released ahead of time by his campaign, Biden plans to call for unity and again express his intentions to be a president for everyone, regardless of whether they voted for him. But he also will say that “In America, politicians don’t take power — the people grant it to them.”
“The flame of democracy was lit in this nation a long time ago,” Biden is set to say. “And we now know that nothing — not even a pandemic —or an abuse of power — can extinguish that flame.”
___
3 p.m.
Michigan’s electors have cast their 16 votes for President-elect Joe Biden, who reclaimed the battleground state for Democrats on his way to winning the White House.
The vote was announced by Democratic Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, who presided over a scaled-back, socially distanced Electoral College ceremony inside the Michigan Senate.
The Capitol was closed to the public because of coronavirus restrictions. Lawmakers also closed their offices because of threats of violence. Electors and some top Democrats were escorted into the statehouse by state police.
Citing baseless allegations of widespread fraud, President Donald Trump and his allies had urged the U.S. Supreme Court to invalidate Biden’s 154,000 vote, or 2.8 percentage point, victory and pushed the Republican-led Legislature to choose electors. But the legally suspect, long-shot bid was rejected by the court and by Republican legislative leaders who pointed to state law in saying that the electoral votes go to the popular vote winner.
Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says, “The people have spoken.”
___
2:55 p.m.
Florida’s 29 Electoral College votes have been cast for President Donald Trump.
Secretary of State Laurel Lee conducted the vote Monday after three electors were named to replace three who couldn’t attend the ceremony, including Senate President Wilton Simpson. Simpson announced hours before the vote that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
Trump won Florida with 51.2% of the vote in last month’s election. He also carried Florida in 2016.
Florida’s electors are submitted to the governor by each political party. Electors take an oath to support the candidate that wins the state’s popular vote.
Despite losing Florida, Democrat Joe Biden managed to flip three Rust Belt states and carry Arizona and Georgia on his way to winning the election.
___
1:45 p.m.
Wisconsin has cast its 10 Electoral College votes for Democrat Joe Biden.
It came about an hour after the Wisconsin Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit from President Donald Trump seeking to overturn the election results.
For Democrats, the Electoral College vote signaled the end of a long fight to win back the state Trump carried in 2016.
“We made it,” said Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, one of the state’s electors, after the vote was announced.
___
1:15 p.m.
Some Republicans who refuse to acknowledge the reality of President-elect Joe Biden’s win are meeting to cast ceremonial votes for President Donald Trump.
On the day the Electoral College is set to formally confirm Biden’s victory, Trump loyalists in Pennsylvania met in Harrisburg and cast what they described as a “conditional vote” for Trump. The state Republican Party says the Trump electors met at the request of the campaign.
In Georgia, another battleground state Trump lost, an alternate Republican slate cast ceremonial votes for Trump at the same time Georgia’s 16 Electoral College votes were cast for Biden.
The opposition to Biden has no practical effect on the electoral process, with the Democrat set to be sworn in on Jan. 20.
The Electoral College vote is normally a fairly procedural step in the presidential election, but its importance is heightened this year because Trump is refusing to concede his loss. He and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits and most have been dropped or dismissed by judges, including twice by the U.S. Supreme Court.
___
1:10 p.m.
Ohio’s electors have cast their 18 votes for President Donald Trump.
Trump won the state’s vote in November by more than 8 percentage points. It was the first time in 60 years that the state’s voters did not side with the ultimate winner.
The result was announced shortly after roll call was taken at an in-person Electoral College session at the Ohio Statehouse on Monday.
Republican delegates all wore masks, socially distanced and used specially provided pens due to the coronavirus.
Among the Ohio electors was Ken Blackwell, a Trump loyalist and former Ohio secretary of state who presided over the contentious Bush-Kerry contest of 2004; Bob Paduchik, an Ohioan who served as senior adviser to Trump’s reeelection campaign; and Lucas County GOP Chair Mark Wagoner, whose father was the first to die of COVID-19 in the state.
___
12:50 p.m.
Pennsylvania has cast its 20 electoral votes for Democrat Joe Biden, the native son whose win in the state last month cemented his overall victory against President Donald Trump.
The 20 electors were socially distanced in a cavernous auditorium near the Capitol, meeting there instead of the floor of the state House because of the pandemic.
One by one, each elector walked up to the auditorium stage and dropped his or her ballot into a box designed by Benjamin Franklin. The electors gave the vote tally a standing ovation.
Nancy Mills, president of the state’s Electoral College, noted it was Pennsylvania that put Biden over the 270-vote threshold needed to claim the White House.
She says, “We are the state that returned the dignity and honor to the United States of America.”
___
New York has awarded its 29 Electoral College votes to Democrat Joe Biden.
The ceremony took place in the state Capitol despite the coronavirus pandemic. Electors included former President Bill Clinton and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
The vote took about half an hour and finished without any surprises. Electors sat in separate rows behind invisible plastic dividers, and all wore masks as they cast their votes one by one.
Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the pandemic serves as a “stark reminder to the nation that government matters and leadership matters.” He says good government ”can literally save people’s lives.”
Hillary Clinton says the Biden-Harris administration is “going to be great for the country.” She says, “We’re going to have a president and a vice president who are going to work for all the people and make a real difference for everybody.”
___
12:45 p.m.
North Carolina has awarded its 15 electoral votes to President Donald Trump.
An energized base of supporters, vigorous in-person campaign schedule and appeal to rural voters fueled Trump’s 1.3 percentage point win over Democratic President-elect Joe Biden in the state.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Biden largely stayed off the physical campaign trail, instead choosing to do virtual events or smaller in-person gatherings with mask wearing and physical distancing. He did not personally visit the state in the last 16 days of the election.
Biden benefited from a surge in mail-in voting but fell short of a plurality of the more than 5.5 million ballots cast.
Trump defeated then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the state in 2016 by 3.7 percentage points. Former President Barack Obama is the most recent Democratic presidential candidate to win North Carolina, which he did in 2008.
___
12:40 p.m.
Arizona’s 11 Electoral College members have cast their votes for Democrat Joe Biden for president.
Biden won the Nov. 3 in Arizona by nearly 10,500 votes, becoming the first Democratic since President Bill Clinton in 1996 to carry the traditionally Republican state.
Fueled by President Donald Trump, some Arizona Republicans continue to question Biden’s victory in the state. Trump backers have filed multiple lawsuits trying to have the Arizona results set aside, but state and federal courts have rejected all but one of them.
Some are being appealed, and the remaining case has a hearing Monday.
Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs presided over the ceremony where the electors signed the certificates confirming Biden’s win. She had harsh words for the politicization of this year’s process, saying it had “an artificial shadow” hanging over it because of baseless accusations of voter fraud.
___
12:35 p.m.
Georgia’s 16 Electoral College votes have been cast for Democrat Joe Biden for president.
The state’s Democratic electors convened in the Senate chamber of the state Capitol on Monday.
The electors included former candidate for governor Stacey Abrams, congresswoman-elect Nikema Williams, several state lawmakers, local politicians and Democratic activists.
The group limited themselves to sitting in every other row, with an empty desk between each person. They all wore a face mask to protect against the coronavirus, and the audience was limited to a few members of the press and some support staff.
The electors each marked a paper ballot that was then collected, counted and confirmed by a voice roll call. Abrams then read out the results, saying, “I’m pleased to announce that Joseph R. Biden has received 16 votes for president of the United States,” to applause.
The vote formally seals Biden’s win in the battleground state, where he beat President Donald Trump by about 12,000 votes. The result of the November election was confirmed by two recounts, including an audit that triggered a full hand tally of ballots.
___
12:15 p.m.
A Republican lawmaker from Michigan has been disciplined for not denouncing potential violence at the state Capitol before Democratic presidential electors are to meet to vote for Joe Biden, who won the state over President Donald Trump.
State Rep. Gary Eisen of St. Clair Township told WPHM-AM on Monday that he planned to help with an unspecified “Hail Mary” GOP plan to challenge the election, conceding the “uncharted” action likely would not change the result. Asked if he could guarantee people’s safety, he said “no.”
House Speaker Lee Chatfield and Speaker-elect Jason Wentworth, both Republicans, removed Eisen from committees in the closing days of the two-year session. In a statement, they said threats or suggestions of violence in politics are never acceptable, including “when the public officials open the door to violent behavior and refuse to condemn it. We must do better.”
The 16 electors and top Democratic state officials such as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are scheduled to gather in the Senate chamber Monday afternoon. Legislative offices are closed because of threats of violence. The Capitol is closed to the public because of coronavirus restrictions.
___
11:55 a.m.
Nevada’s six Democratic presidential electors have awarded their votes for Joe Biden, becoming the first slate of electors from a battleground state to cast their votes.
The ceremony on Monday took place over Zoom due to the coronavirus pandemic. It took less than 20 minutes and finished without any surprises.
Biden defeated Trump by 33,596 votes, or 2.4 percentage points, in Nevada. Although Democrats’ margin of victory was similar to the 2016 election, the state’s slow vote-counting pace and a result that appeared tight on Election Night vaulted the western battleground into the national spotlight.
Trump eyed the state as a pick-up opportunity, visiting three times in the lead-up to the election. Biden visited once for an event with Latino groups and a drive-in rally.
___
11 a.m.
Electors from the first states have cast their votes.
Vermont’s three representatives to the Electoral College on Monday cast the state’s presidential ballots for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. In Tennessee, 11 representatives to the Electoral College cast their votes for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.
Four Electoral College votes from New Hampshire went to Biden, and 11 from Indiana went to Trump. Electors in other states also have begun voting.
Biden won the Nov. 3 election.
Electors are gathering in 50 states and the District of Columbia on Monday to formally vote for the next president. Most states have laws binding their electors to the winner of the popular vote in their state.
The results will be sent to Washington and tallied in a Jan. 6 joint session of Congress over which Pence will preside.
The electors’ votes have drawn more attention than usual this year because Trump has refused to concede the election and continues to make unsupported allegations of fraud. There was no widespread fraud. This has been confirmed by election officials across the country and by Attorney General William Barr.
___
9:40 a.m.
Michigan legislative offices are closed because of threats of violence as presidential electors prepare to gather in the state Capitol to cast their votes for Democrat Joe Biden.
The 16 electors will meet Monday afternoon in the Senate chamber, at a ceremony chaired by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Biden won the state by 154,000 votes, or 2.8 percentage points, over President Donald Trump.
The Capitol building is closed to the public due to coronavirus restrictions except when lawmakers meet for a legislative session. A spokesperson for Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey says legislators’ offices in the statehouse and nearby buildings also are closed based on recommendations from law enforcement.
Spokeswoman Amber McCann says, “The decision was not made because of anticipated protests but was made based on credible threats of violence.”
Lawmakers from both parties have reported receiving threats amid Trump’s futile bid to overturn the election results with baseless allegations of widespread fraud.
There was no widespread fraud in the election. This has been confirmed by election officials across the country and by Attorney General William Barr.
Earlier this year, law enforcement said it uncovered a plot to kidnap Whitmer. The ringleader is alleged to have also discussed attacking the Michigan Capitol during session and executing “tyrants.”


mercurynews--2020-12-15--Protesting farmers in India call for another strike

NEW DELHI — Tens of thousands of protesting Indian farmers called for a national farmers ’ strike on Monday , the second in a week , to press for the quashing of three new laws on agricultural reform that they say will drive down crop prices and devastate their earnings .
The farmers are camping along at least five major highways on the outskirts of New Delhi and have said they won ’ t leave until the government rolls back what they call the “ black laws.
” They have blockaded highways leading to the capital for three weeks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government have failed to produce any breakthroughs .
Scores of farmer leaders also conducted a token hunger strike on Monday at the protest sites .
Heavy contingents of police in riot gear patrolled the areas where the farmers have been camping .
Protest leaders have rejected the government ’ s offer to amend some contentious provisions of the new farm laws , which deregulate crop pricing , and have stuck to their demand for total repeal .
At Singhu , a protest site on the outskirts of New Delhi , hundreds of farmers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chanted anti-government slogans .
Some of them carried banners reading “ No farmers , no food.
” About two dozen leaders held a daylong hunger strike at the site , while a huge communal kitchen served food for the other protesters .
“ It ’ s the government ’ s responsibility to provide social benefits ( to people . )
And if they don ’ t give those , then people will have to come together ” to protest , said Harvinder Kaur , a government employee who came from her home in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Another protester , Rajdeep Singh , a 20-year-old student who helps his farming family back home in Punjab , said the protest would continue until their demands are met .
“ Now it ’ s their ( government ’ s ) ego and the question of our pride , ” he said .
Farmer leaders have threatened to intensify their actions and have threatened to block trains in the coming days if the government doesn ’ t abolish the laws .
The farmers filed a petition with the Supreme Court on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which were passed in September .
The petition was filed by the Bharatiya Kisan Union , or Indian Farmers ’ Union , and its leader , Bhanu Pratap Singh , who argued that the laws were arbitrary because the government enacted them without proper consultations with stakeholders .
The farmers fear the government will stop buying grain at minimum guaranteed prices and corporations will then push prices down .
The government says it is willing to pledge that guaranteed prices will continue .
• Monterey County company FarmWise has weeder on Time ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Farmers rise up in opposition to India ’ s Modi With nearly 60 % of the Indian population depending on agriculture for their livelihoods , the growing farmer rebellion has rattled Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’ s administration and its allies .
Modi ’ s government insists the reforms will benefit farmers .
It says they will allow farmers to market their produce and boost production through private investment .
Farmers have been protesting the laws for nearly two months in Punjab and Haryana states .
The situation escalated three weeks ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Delhi , where they clashed with police .

By Shonal Ganguly | Associated Press
NEW DELHI — Tens of thousands of protesting Indian farmers called for a national farmers’ strike on Monday, the second in a week, to press for the quashing of three new laws on agricultural reform that they say will drive down crop prices and devastate their earnings.
The farmers are camping along at least five major highways on the outskirts of New Delhi and have said they won’t leave until the government rolls back what they call the “black laws.” They have blockaded highways leading to the capital for three weeks, and several rounds of talks with the government have failed to produce any breakthroughs.
Scores of farmer leaders also conducted a token hunger strike on Monday at the protest sites. Heavy contingents of police in riot gear patrolled the areas where the farmers have been camping.
Protest leaders have rejected the government’s offer to amend some contentious provisions of the new farm laws, which deregulate crop pricing, and have stuck to their demand for total repeal.
At Singhu, a protest site on the outskirts of New Delhi, hundreds of farmers blocked all entry and exit routes and chanted anti-government slogans. Some of them carried banners reading “No farmers, no food.”
About two dozen leaders held a daylong hunger strike at the site, while a huge communal kitchen served food for the other protesters.
“It’s the government’s responsibility to provide social benefits (to people.) And if they don’t give those, then people will have to come together” to protest, said Harvinder Kaur, a government employee who came from her home in Punjab state to help at the kitchen.
Another protester, Rajdeep Singh, a 20-year-old student who helps his farming family back home in Punjab, said the protest would continue until their demands are met.
“Now it’s their (government’s) ego and the question of our pride,” he said.
Farmer leaders have threatened to intensify their actions and have threatened to block trains in the coming days if the government doesn’t abolish the laws.
The farmers filed a petition with the Supreme Court on Friday seeking the quashing of the laws, which were passed in September. The petition was filed by the Bharatiya Kisan Union, or Indian Farmers’ Union, and its leader, Bhanu Pratap Singh, who argued that the laws were arbitrary because the government enacted them without proper consultations with stakeholders.
The farmers fear the government will stop buying grain at minimum guaranteed prices and corporations will then push prices down. The government says it is willing to pledge that guaranteed prices will continue.
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The hidden cost of California’s hot workplaces: 20,000 job injuries a year World News | Storms, flooding deal farmers in Northeast a devastating blow With nearly 60% of the Indian population depending on agriculture for their livelihoods, the growing farmer rebellion has rattled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration and its allies.
Modi’s government insists the reforms will benefit farmers. It says they will allow farmers to market their produce and boost production through private investment.
Farmers have been protesting the laws for nearly two months in Punjab and Haryana states. The situation escalated three weeks ago when tens of thousands marched to New Delhi, where they clashed with police.


mercurynews--2020-12-15--Whicker: The Pac-12 is getting the fiasco it deserves

The Washington Huskies list 20 offensive linemen on their roster .
None can play football right now .
“ Our offensive line is gone , ” said Jimmy Lake , the head coach .
So the show can ’ t go on .
USC will play Oregon , not Washington , for the Pac-12 championship on Friday night at the Coliseum .
The trophy does not depict Moe sticking a thumb in Larry ’ s eye , or John Cleese returning a dead parrot to Michael Palin ’ s store , and it shouldn ’ t .
Farce is funny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and its football , are merely grotesque .
Oregon lost to Oregon State and Cal and is 3-2 , compared to Colorado ’ s 4-1 .
But Oregon is in the Pac-12 North and will play the Trojans , the South winner .
Colorado is in the South and lost at home to Utah on Saturday , but USC didn ’ t play Colorado or , really , anybody in the Pac-12 with a consistent pulse .
Washington and Oregon were supposed to play last Saturday and could not .
Unlike Winston Churchill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pac-12 couldn ’ t even do the right thing when all other possibilities were exhausted .
It announced a Sept. 26 start date , without nonconference games , but then called a halt , as did the Big Ten .
Meanwhile , the other conferences actually mowed their fields and began playing in September .
Under pressure from parents and the networks , the Big Ten doubled back and said it would attempt to squeeze a season into the final two-and-a-half months of 2020 .
The Pac-12 , like lemmings perched next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ditto , ” and started on the first Saturday of November .
So no one in the Pac-12 has played more than six games .
Texas State and Georgia Southern played 12 .
Five Big 12 teams have played 10 times , as have six SEC teams .
Eleven ACC teams have played 11 games .
“ Now that we look back at it , ” Lake said , “ if the schedule had started on Sept. 26 , maybe we would have had more wiggle room to replay games , make up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cal game , played the Apple Cup ( vs. Washington State ) , re-played the Oregon game , and then you ’ d have a better picture of the team that could have played the South champion .
“ But this virus is wicked .
It doesn ’ t cherry-pick .
We ’ re just following the rules awaiting us .
The players were crushed when they couldn ’ t play last week .
They are devastated now.
” But the wiggle room is still there .
There is no constitutional provision that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It could be moved back a week or even two .
It won ’ t interfere with the College Football Playoff because the Pac-12 hardly ever interferes with the College Football Playoff .
Instead , college football has exhausted its desire to remain flexible .
The only good thing about the Pac-12 is that it ’ s not the Big Ten , which had a minimum-games provision that it hastily tabled when it appeared Ohio State would be ineligible .
The theory was that everyone knows Ohio State has the best team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just as we all knew Auburn wouldn ’ t take a missed field-goal attempt into Alabama ’ s end zone , once upon a time .
This is not about the audacious decision to move heaven and earth to stage a football skit instead of a season when the real students can ’ t be on campus , when restaurant owners and theater owners and musicians and playwrights and hair stylists can ’ t go to work , when so many Americans stare at empty mailboxes where a relief check should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for COVID-19 when others can ’ t .
They enjoy on-demand recuperative measures when hospitals are overflowing .
They couldn ’ t get the courts to treat them like essential workers , but now they are .
No need for fans in the seats , but filling up the TV windows is imperative .
But if football players aren ’ t going to play , why do they spend dark mornings in the weight room or late nights in the video room ?
Why are most of them enrolled at all ?
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Lake said .
“ I wouldn ’ t take back any of the four games .
Our comeback win over Utah , we ’ ll always remember that.
” Finishing a full season in pandemic times is not like building the Panama Canal .
Every sport but college basketball and Major League Baseball has done it .
The NFL just rolls right along , and if Denver doesn ’ t have a presentable quarterback on a particular Sunday , that ’ s tough .
Eventually , it ’ s up to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ antiseptic .
Lake deserves credit for not dragging this out or pretending a Friday game was possible .
But make no mistake : The Huskies caught a pie in the face on Monday .
Their conference should leave the improv to those who are funny on purpose .

The Washington Huskies list 20 offensive linemen on their roster. None can play football right now.
“Our offensive line is gone,” said Jimmy Lake, the head coach.
So the show can’t go on. USC will play Oregon, not Washington, for the Pac-12 championship on Friday night at the Coliseum.
The trophy does not depict Moe sticking a thumb in Larry’s eye, or John Cleese returning a dead parrot to Michael Palin’s store, and it shouldn’t.
Farce is funny. The Pac-12’s decision-making, and its football, are merely grotesque.
Oregon lost to Oregon State and Cal and is 3-2, compared to Colorado’s 4-1. But Oregon is in the Pac-12 North and will play the Trojans, the South winner.
Colorado is in the South and lost at home to Utah on Saturday, but USC didn’t play Colorado or, really, anybody in the Pac-12 with a consistent pulse. Washington and Oregon were supposed to play last Saturday and could not.
Unlike Winston Churchill’s characterization of the USA, the Pac-12 couldn’t even do the right thing when all other possibilities were exhausted.
It announced a Sept. 26 start date, without nonconference games, but then called a halt, as did the Big Ten. Meanwhile, the other conferences actually mowed their fields and began playing in September.
Under pressure from parents and the networks, the Big Ten doubled back and said it would attempt to squeeze a season into the final two-and-a-half months of 2020.
The Pac-12, like lemmings perched next to the sea, said, “Ditto,” and started on the first Saturday of November.
So no one in the Pac-12 has played more than six games. Texas State and Georgia Southern played 12. Five Big 12 teams have played 10 times, as have six SEC teams. Eleven ACC teams have played 11 games.
“Now that we look back at it,” Lake said, “if the schedule had started on Sept. 26, maybe we would have had more wiggle room to replay games, make up games. We could have re-done our Cal game, played the Apple Cup (vs. Washington State), re-played the Oregon game, and then you’d have a better picture of the team that could have played the South champion.
“But this virus is wicked. It doesn’t cherry-pick. We’re just following the rules awaiting us. The players were crushed when they couldn’t play last week. They are devastated now.”
But the wiggle room is still there. There is no constitutional provision that requires a Pac-12 title game this weekend. It could be moved back a week or even two. It won’t interfere with the College Football Playoff because the Pac-12 hardly ever interferes with the College Football Playoff. Instead, college football has exhausted its desire to remain flexible.
The only good thing about the Pac-12 is that it’s not the Big Ten, which had a minimum-games provision that it hastily tabled when it appeared Ohio State would be ineligible.
The theory was that everyone knows Ohio State has the best team in the conference, which is true, just as we all knew Auburn wouldn’t take a missed field-goal attempt into Alabama’s end zone, once upon a time.
This is not about the audacious decision to move heaven and earth to stage a football skit instead of a season when the real students can’t be on campus, when restaurant owners and theater owners and musicians and playwrights and hair stylists can’t go to work, when so many Americans stare at empty mailboxes where a relief check should be.
College football players can be tested for COVID-19 when others can’t. They enjoy on-demand recuperative measures when hospitals are overflowing. They couldn’t get the courts to treat them like essential workers, but now they are. No need for fans in the seats, but filling up the TV windows is imperative.
But if football players aren’t going to play, why do they spend dark mornings in the weight room or late nights in the video room? Why are most of them enrolled at all?
“I think this was worth it,” Lake said. “I wouldn’t take back any of the four games. Our comeback win over Utah, we’ll always remember that.”
Finishing a full season in pandemic times is not like building the Panama Canal. Every sport but college basketball and Major League Baseball has done it. The NFL just rolls right along, and if Denver doesn’t have a presentable quarterback on a particular Sunday, that’s tough. Eventually, it’s up to the testers and the athletes to keep it antiseptic.
Lake deserves credit for not dragging this out or pretending a Friday game was possible. But make no mistake: The Huskies caught a pie in the face on Monday. Their conference should leave the improv to those who are funny on purpose.


mercurynews--2020-12-15--Sponsored: This remodeled Alamo estate offers a quiet retreat with a picturesque vineyard

A quintessential Alamo estate showcases all the bells and whistles discerning buyers desire in this exclusive East Bay community .
About 1.18 acres is the exquisite setting for 10 Alamo Lane that features almost 6,000 square feet of living space meticulously remodeled by Pantheon Design and Construction , a premier design and build team , from the refinished wood floors to a new roof .
This fabulous property also celebrates a fantastic outdoor entertaining mecca , picturesque vineyard , and quiet retreats among the beautifully landscaped grounds behind the gated entrance .
You may never want to leave the peaceful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down Livorna Road to shopping and restaurants at Alamo Plaza , downtown Walnut Creek , nearby parks , freeway access , trails to Mount Diablo , and top-rated schools in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District .
The famed Round Hill Country Club is also only about a mile and a half away .
You will find six bedrooms and five-and-a-half fully updated bathrooms ideally designed for multigenerational living with flexible-use space to customize for your unique lifestyle .
This includes a 714-square-foot au pair/in-law suite with one bedroom , one bathroom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kitchen and a private entry , plus a 648-square-foot studio with a full bathroom and private entrance over the three-car garage .
Additionally , about 470 square feet of space is designed as a wine tasting room with custom racks and the capacity for more than 600 bottles plus an adjacent secured safe room with leathered granite counters and custom walnut cabinetry perfect for valuables , an exclusive collection , or other wines .
The home is designed with travertine and hardwood flooring , custom ironwork , decorative crown molding and millwork , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and multiple French doors that offer a seamless flow to outdoor spaces .
Step down into the light-filled living room with a wood-burning fireplace , French doors to the backyard , and an adjacent “ game room ” area anchored by a bar with a kegerator on one side and a built-in window seat on the other .
The formal dining room is designed to accommodate large parties .
This room has a coffered ceiling .
Extend the party out onto the bamboo deck through a set of French doors .
A wet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centrally located .
A vaulted ceiling soars in the family room that also has a fireplace , a wall of built-in cabinetry and French door access to the backyard .
Beautifully updated with Mont Blanc Elen quartzite counters , professionally painted soft-close cabinetry including a built-in hutch and a breakfast nook with a built-in bench , the chef ’ s kitchen is sure to be a popular gathering space .
Appliances include a Wolf six-burner cooktop , Dacor oven and warming drawer , French door Sub-Zero refrigerator , and Miele dishwasher .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of the private bedroom wing .
It features a linear gas fireplace , a soaring vaulted ceiling , two walk-in closets with custom built-ins , a private deck overlooking the pool , and staircase access for a quick swim .
Pamper yourself and enjoy a spa experience in the new master bathroom that features skylights , a sound system , heated flooring , a jetted tub , a curbless steam shower with a rain head showerhead and decorative tile , two separate vanities , custom cabinetry , and makeup vanity .
Three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bedroom/office with a wall of built-in cabinetry and an en suite bathroom and two bedrooms that share a large bathroom .
Outdoor amenities include a fabulous entertaining pavilion near the kitchen with a Fire Magic grill , cooktop and sink .
Entertain along the pool or gather around the fire pit with a view of the 120 zinfandel and petit syrah grapevines .
The vineyard , planted in 2006 , annually yields about a half-ton of premier wine grapes or a barrel of estate wine .
A large expanse of lawn offers an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play .
There is also a play structure , a putting green , a koi pond , raised garden beds , and additional outdoor dining and gathering venues .
Additional features include a three-car finished garage with a workshop , storage cabinets , and epoxy floor , owned solar panels , an expansive front courtyard , chicken coop , and well water for irrigation .

A quintessential Alamo estate showcases all the bells and whistles discerning buyers desire in this exclusive East Bay community.
About 1.18 acres is the exquisite setting for 10 Alamo Lane that features almost 6,000 square feet of living space meticulously remodeled by Pantheon Design and Construction, a premier design and build team, from the refinished wood floors to a new roof.
This fabulous property also celebrates a fantastic outdoor entertaining mecca, picturesque vineyard, and quiet retreats among the beautifully landscaped grounds behind the gated entrance.
You may never want to leave the peaceful country ambience that belies its convenient proximity down Livorna Road to shopping and restaurants at Alamo Plaza, downtown Walnut Creek, nearby parks, freeway access, trails to Mount Diablo, and top-rated schools in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. The famed Round Hill Country Club is also only about a mile and a half away.
You will find six bedrooms and five-and-a-half fully updated bathrooms ideally designed for multigenerational living with flexible-use space to customize for your unique lifestyle. This includes a 714-square-foot au pair/in-law suite with one bedroom, one bathroom, a living room, fireplace, kitchen and a private entry, plus a 648-square-foot studio with a full bathroom and private entrance over the three-car garage.
Additionally, about 470 square feet of space is designed as a wine tasting room with custom racks and the capacity for more than 600 bottles plus an adjacent secured safe room with leathered granite counters and custom walnut cabinetry perfect for valuables, an exclusive collection, or other wines.
The home is designed with travertine and hardwood flooring, custom ironwork, decorative crown molding and millwork, high ceilings, large picture windows, and multiple French doors that offer a seamless flow to outdoor spaces.
Step down into the light-filled living room with a wood-burning fireplace, French doors to the backyard, and an adjacent “game room” area anchored by a bar with a kegerator on one side and a built-in window seat on the other.
The formal dining room is designed to accommodate large parties. This room has a coffered ceiling. Extend the party out onto the bamboo deck through a set of French doors. A wet bar with an under-counter wine refrigerator is centrally located.
A vaulted ceiling soars in the family room that also has a fireplace, a wall of built-in cabinetry and French door access to the backyard.
Beautifully updated with Mont Blanc Elen quartzite counters, professionally painted soft-close cabinetry including a built-in hutch and a breakfast nook with a built-in bench, the chef’s kitchen is sure to be a popular gathering space. Appliances include a Wolf six-burner cooktop, Dacor oven and warming drawer, French door Sub-Zero refrigerator, and Miele dishwasher.
The luxurious master retreat is located at the end of the private bedroom wing. It features a linear gas fireplace, a soaring vaulted ceiling, two walk-in closets with custom built-ins, a private deck overlooking the pool, and staircase access for a quick swim.
Pamper yourself and enjoy a spa experience in the new master bathroom that features skylights, a sound system, heated flooring, a jetted tub, a curbless steam shower with a rain head showerhead and decorative tile, two separate vanities, custom cabinetry, and makeup vanity.
Three additional bedrooms in this wing include a bedroom/office with a wall of built-in cabinetry and an en suite bathroom and two bedrooms that share a large bathroom.
Outdoor amenities include a fabulous entertaining pavilion near the kitchen with a Fire Magic grill, cooktop and sink. Entertain along the pool or gather around the fire pit with a view of the 120 zinfandel and petit syrah grapevines. The vineyard, planted in 2006, annually yields about a half-ton of premier wine grapes or a barrel of estate wine. A large expanse of lawn offers an ideal soccer field and more room to play. There is also a play structure, a putting green, a koi pond, raised garden beds, and additional outdoor dining and gathering venues.
Additional features include a three-car finished garage with a workshop, storage cabinets, and epoxy floor, owned solar panels, an expansive front courtyard, chicken coop, and well water for irrigation.
Price: $3,549,000
Where: 10 Alamo Lane, Alamo
Website: www.TheTerryMooreRealEstate.com
Shown by appointment only.
Listing agent: Coldwell Banker, Terry Moore, DRE#01461006, 925-788-8699, terry.moore@cbnorcal.com


mercurynews--2020-12-15--Walters: Will Newsom have Feinstein’s Senate seat to fill?

Gov .
Gavin Newsom already faces the complicated chore of filling several high-profile political positions .
He ’ ll have a U.S. Senate seat to fill after Kamala Harris is sworn in as vice president .
He ’ ll also name a new state attorney general if Xavier Becerra wins Senate confirmation as President-elect Joe Biden ’ s health and human services secretary .
Thirdly , if he elevates California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to the Senate as Harris ’ successor , as widely expected , he ’ ll appoint someone to fill out Padilla ’ s term .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealing with all of the ambitious politicians seeking promotions into high office .
And then , last week , New Yorker magazine published a lengthy article describing Sen. Dianne Feinstein ’ s “ cognitive decline ” and waning political clout , which raises the possibility that she will not finish out the remaining four years of her current term and give Newsom another big office to fill .
Feinstein , first elected to the Senate in 1992 , clearly was averse to running for a fifth full term in 2018 .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Party leaders , worried that were Feinstein to retire , it would touch off a fierce and expensive scramble among Democrats that would divert resources they wanted for Senate races in other states .
Feinstein reluctantly ran , which angered Democratic activists who had long criticized her centrist , collegial approach .
Kevin de León , a former president pro tem of the state Senate , challenged her and won the state Democratic Party ’ s official endorsement , but lost to Feinstein in a runoff .
Anger from the left boiled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her critics ’ eyes , to vigorously oppose Amy Coney Barrett ’ s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court during Judiciary Committee hearings .
Most galling to those on the left is that she hugged and publicly praised the Republican Judiciary chairman , Lindsey Graham , afterwards .
The outcry was so severe that Feinstein gave up her seat on Judiciary , one of the Senate ’ s most powerful positions .
The New Yorker article advanced the narrative of Feinstein ’ s fading political potency .
It cited one public indication of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senator : a hearing in November when she asked Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey a question and then moments later asked exactly the same question .
Other examples in the article were what journalists call “ blind quotes ” from those who didn ’ t want to reveal their identities .
The New Yorker quoted those saying Feinstein was still sharper than other aged senators .
“ But many others familiar with Feinstein ’ s situation , ” it said , “ describe her as seriously struggling , and say it has been evident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and with respect for her accomplished career , they say her short-term memory has grown so poor that she often forgets she has been briefed on a topic , accusing her staff of failing to do so just after they have .
They describe Feinstein as forgetting what she has said and getting upset when she can ’ t keep up.
” New Yorker reported that Chuck Schumer , the Democratic minority leader , assigned someone to keep an eye on Feinstein during the Barrett hearings .
Afterwards , he publicly but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private meetings , culminating in her exit from the Judiciary Committee .
If , indeed , Feinstein is failing as much as the New Yorker article portrays , it ’ s difficult to see her hanging on until her term is up in 2024 .
The potential of a resignation plays into Newsom ’ s management of the game of musical offices .
Someone passed over this year might be considered for Feinstein ’ s seat and Newsom might even place himself on that contingency list .

Gov. Gavin Newsom already faces the complicated chore of filling several high-profile political positions.
He’ll have a U.S. Senate seat to fill after Kamala Harris is sworn in as vice president.
He’ll also name a new state attorney general if Xavier Becerra wins Senate confirmation as President-elect Joe Biden’s health and human services secretary.
Thirdly, if he elevates California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to the Senate as Harris’ successor, as widely expected, he’ll appoint someone to fill out Padilla’s term.
Newsom has publicly commiserated with himself about dealing with all of the ambitious politicians seeking promotions into high office.
And then, last week, New Yorker magazine published a lengthy article describing Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s “cognitive decline” and waning political clout, which raises the possibility that she will not finish out the remaining four years of her current term and give Newsom another big office to fill.
Feinstein, first elected to the Senate in 1992, clearly was averse to running for a fifth full term in 2018. However, she was urged to do so by Democratic Party leaders, worried that were Feinstein to retire, it would touch off a fierce and expensive scramble among Democrats that would divert resources they wanted for Senate races in other states.
Feinstein reluctantly ran, which angered Democratic activists who had long criticized her centrist, collegial approach. Kevin de León, a former president pro tem of the state Senate, challenged her and won the state Democratic Party’s official endorsement, but lost to Feinstein in a runoff.
Anger from the left boiled up again when Feinstein failed, in her critics’ eyes, to vigorously oppose Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court during Judiciary Committee hearings. Most galling to those on the left is that she hugged and publicly praised the Republican Judiciary chairman, Lindsey Graham, afterwards.
The outcry was so severe that Feinstein gave up her seat on Judiciary, one of the Senate’s most powerful positions.
The New Yorker article advanced the narrative of Feinstein’s fading political potency.
It cited one public indication of “cognitive decline” in the 87-year-old senator: a hearing in November when she asked Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey a question and then moments later asked exactly the same question.
Other examples in the article were what journalists call “blind quotes” from those who didn’t want to reveal their identities. The New Yorker quoted those saying Feinstein was still sharper than other aged senators.
“But many others familiar with Feinstein’s situation,” it said, “describe her as seriously struggling, and say it has been evident for several years. Speaking on background, and with respect for her accomplished career, they say her short-term memory has grown so poor that she often forgets she has been briefed on a topic, accusing her staff of failing to do so just after they have. They describe Feinstein as forgetting what she has said and getting upset when she can’t keep up.”
New Yorker reported that Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader, assigned someone to keep an eye on Feinstein during the Barrett hearings. Afterwards, he publicly but softly criticized her, and had several private meetings, culminating in her exit from the Judiciary Committee.
If, indeed, Feinstein is failing as much as the New Yorker article portrays, it’s difficult to see her hanging on until her term is up in 2024. The potential of a resignation plays into Newsom’s management of the game of musical offices. Someone passed over this year might be considered for Feinstein’s seat and Newsom might even place himself on that contingency list.
Dan Walters is a CalMatters columnist.


mercurynews--2020-12-15--U.S. FDA staff raises no new concerns with Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine

U.S. Food and Drug Administration staff members did not raise new concerns over data on Moderna Inc ’ s coronavirus vaccine in documents made public on Tuesday , preparing the way for U.S. authorization of a second , easier-to-handle vaccine .
The FDA staff said a two-dose regimen of Moderna ’ s vaccine was highly effective in preventing confirmed cases of COVID-19 .
The comments were made in documents prepared for Thursday ’ s meeting of outside experts , who will discuss whether to endorse a U.S. emergency use authorization ( EUA ) for the Moderna vaccine .
The FDA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues with using the vaccine in adults over the age of 18 .
• Covid-19 now kills more than 1 American every minute They said that serious side effects in the trial of the vaccine represented medical events that occur in the general population at a similar frequency as observed in the study .
The United States has planned to deliver 40 million vaccine doses – enough for 20 million people – this month , which includes both the vaccine from Moderna and the one developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the FDA late on Friday .
Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru ; Editing by Bill Berkrot , Patrick Graham and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty

By MATTHEW PERRONE, LAURAN NEERGAARD and DAVID PORTER | The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Hundreds more hospitals around the country began dispensing COVID-19 shots to their workers in a rapid expansion of the U.S. vaccination drive Tuesday, while a second vaccine moved to the cusp of government authorization.
A day after the rollout of Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus shots, the Food and Drug Administration said its preliminary analysis confirmed the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine developed by Moderna and the National Institutes of Health. A panel of outside experts is expected to recommend the formula on Thursday, with the FDA’s green light coming soon thereafter.
The Moderna vaccine uses the same technology as Pfizer-BioNTech’s and showed similarly strong protection against COVID-19 but is easier to handle because it does not need to be kept in the deep freeze at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 70 Celsius).
Another weapon against the outbreak can’t come soon enough: The number of dead in the U.S. passed a staggering 300,000 on Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University, with about 2,400 people now dying per day on average.
The devastating toll is only expected to grow in the coming weeks, fueled by travel over Christmas and New Year’s, family gatherings and lax adherence to mask-wearing and other precautions.
Packed in dry ice, shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine began arriving Tuesday at more than 400 additional hospitals and other distribution sites.
The first 3 million shots are being strictly rationed to front-line health workers and nursing home patients, with hundreds of millions more shots needed over the coming months to protect most Americans.
The rollout provided a measure of encouragement to exhausted doctors, nurses and other hospital staffers around the country.
Maritza Beniquez has had a front-row seat to the devastation the COVID-19 pandemic has wrought on communities of color in New Jersey, so she jumped at the chance to take the vaccine that is being hailed as a turning point in the long and grueling battle against the virus.
The 56-year-old emergency room nurse at Newark’s University Hospital became the first person in New Jersey to receive the vaccine on Tuesday. All recipients will get a second shot a few weeks later.
“I’m happy that in another month and a half I won’t have to be afraid to go into a room anymore. I won’t have to be afraid to perform chest compressions or be present when they’re intubating a patient,” Beniquez said. “I don’t want to be afraid anymore, and I don’t want to have that risk of taking it home to my own family and my own friends.”
Widespread acceptance of the vaccine is critical to eventually protecting enough of the U.S. population to defeat the outbreak. But just half of Americans say they want to get vaccinated, while about a quarter don’t and the rest are unsure, according to a recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Health Research.
In Manchester, New Hampshire, intensive care unit nurse Heidi Kukla said she volunteered to get the shot first to help dispel fears about the vaccine’s long-term effects and the speed with which it was developed.
“I know a lot of people have reservations about getting the vaccine,” she said after getting vaccinated at Elliot Hospital. “But I can assure you that there is absolutely nothing worse than being a patient on a ventilator in an ICU anywhere in this country right now with COVID.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a childhood polio survivor, urged elected officials to “step up” and get vaccinated.
“We really need to get the country vaccinated,” he said. “It’s the right thing to do for yourself, for your family and for the country.”
Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Christopher Miller received the Pfizer vaccine at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, on Monday. Other high-ranking Pentagon military service leaders are expected to get the vaccine as soon as next week to show that it is safe. Currently, getting the vaccine is voluntary for members of the military.
The federal government is planning hundreds more shipments through the weekend.
Shots for nursing home residents won’t start in most states until next week, when some 1,100 facilities are set to begin vaccinations. Government officials project that 20 million Americans will be able to get their first shots by the end of December, and 30 million more in January.
That projection assumes swift authorization of the Moderna vaccine, which also requires two shots for full protection. The U.S. government has purchased 100 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and orders for 200 million doses of the Moderna serum. Assuming no manufacturing or distribution delays, that would be enough to vaccinate 150 million Americans by mid-2021.
Elsewhere around the world, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is being given in Britain and Canada. And European Union regulators moved up a meeting to assess the vaccine to Dec. 21, more than a week earlier than planned, under pressure from Germany and other countries on the continent.
In scrutinizing early results of a 30,000-person study, the FDA found that Moderna’s vaccine worked just about the same as Pfizer-BioNTech’s.
The Moderna vaccine was more than 94% effective overall at preventing COVID-19 illness, and 86% effective in people 65 and older. The FDA uncovered no major safety problems. Side effects can include fever, fatigue and aches as the vaccine revs up the immune system.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Health | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge Even such a large study can’t detect very rare problems. But the FDA looked carefully for signs of allergic reactions after Britain last week reported some possible reactions among people with a history of severe allergies who received the Pfizer-BioNTech shot.
The FDA found no serious allergic reactions in the Moderna study. About 1.5% of vaccine recipients and 1.1% who got dummy shots reported possible smaller, “hypersensitivity” reactions.
Both Moderna’s and Pfizer-BioNTech’s shots are so-called mRNA vaccines. They aren’t made with the coronavirus itself, meaning there is no chance anyone could catch it from the shots. Instead, the vaccine contains a piece of genetic code that trains the immune system to recognize the spiked protein on the surface of the virus.
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Associated Press writers Tamara Lush, Holly Ramer, Candice Choi and Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report. Porter reported from Newark, New Jersey.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.