washingtontimes--2020-12-13--The Latest: All EU nations to start vaccinations on same day

ROME - Italy ‘ s special commissioner for the pandemic says the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 will begin in all 27 European Union countries on the same “ symbolic ” day , to be followed with individual countries ’ rollouts of larger inoculation programs .
“ The idea that one European country could begin before another is far ” from what will occur , the official , Domenico Arcuri , told reporters on Sunday .
“ The campaign will begin in all countries on a symbolic day ” before the start of the actual campaign of mass vaccinations .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was or how many people would be vaccinated that day .
Italy ’ s first phase of vaccinations , targeting 1.8 million health care personnel and residents and staff of nursing homes , should be underway in mid-January , Arcuri said .
Some 300 pavilions will be set up in town squares and other public places , where people can receive the shots .
- Trucks with the first COVID-19 vaccine containers in the US roll out to vaccination sites - Barcelona concert tests use of same-day COVID-19 screening to protect crowds - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s San Joaquin Valley and filling its hospitals .
It has the fewest available intensive care unit beds of any region in California - Italy is reclaiming a record that nobody wants : The most coronavirus deaths in Europe .
Italy is still trying to figure out how to protect its vulnerable elderly .
- The French government i s giving nursing home residents more holiday freedom , allowing them out to spend time with their families and receive visits even if they are positive for COVID-19 .
HERE ’ S WHAT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stores shut , tight limits on social contacts , no singing in church and a ban on fireworks sales : Germany is ratcheting up its pandemic restrictions to cut the stubbornly high rate of coronavirus infections .
Chancellor Angela Merkel said she and the governors of Germany ’ s 16 states agreed Sunday to step up the country ’ s lockdown measures from Dec. 16 to Jan. 10 to stop the exponential rise of COVID-19 cases .
“ We are forced to act and we ’ re acting , ” Merkel told reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposed in November failed to significantly reduce the number of new infections .
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Germany has risen over the past two weeks from 21.23 new cases per 100,000 people on Nov. 28 to 26 new cases per 100,000 people on Dec. 12 .
Starting Wednesday , schools nationwide will be closed or switch to home schooling ; most non-food stores will be closed , as will businesses such as hairdressers ; restaurant takeout will remain permitted , but consumption on-site - including alcohol- will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the number of people allowed to meet indoors will remain restricted to five , not including children under 14 .
PARIS : Authorities on the Mediterranean island of Corsica are making COVID-19 tests obligatory for any visitors traveling from the French mainland for the Christmas-New Year period .
The measure is extraordinary in that it sets Corsica apart from all of mainland France ’ s other regions , which do not require tests for travel between them .
Under the measures announced this weekend by the French government ’ s top administrator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travelers aged 12 and over will need to undergo a virus test in the 72 hours before taking a plane or boat to the island .
The rules will apply from Dec. 19 to Jan. 8 , 2021 .
Travelers will need to fill out a form confirming that they tested negative .
A fine of 135 euros ( $ 164 ) can be levied from travelers who don ’ t get tested .
Lelarge also warned of possible legal action against people who infect others .
Police at airports and ports in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travelers will need to be able to produce paperwork from labs or pharmacists proving that they got tested .
The measures are aimed at keeping down Corsica ’ s infection rates , which are far lower than the national average , and to shield the island ’ s hospitals .
LONDON - Elderly residents of Scottish nursing homes will start receiving the coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech on Monday .
The residents , along with nursing home staff , will be the next to get the innoculations after 5,000 health service workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Scottish officials said Sunday .
It ’ s part of the first phase of Britain ’ s mass vaccination program , which launched earlier this month and involves giving out 800,000 doses .
Authorities in the U.K. , which has reported more than 64,000 COVID-19 related deaths , gave emergency authorization to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine earlier this month , making it the first country to approve its widespread use .
Officials said they were able to extend the rollout to nursing homes after solving some logistical challenges with the vaccine , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Celsius ( minus-94 degrees Fahrenheit ) .
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has increased its funds allocation for purchasing COVID-19 vaccines amid a surge in the coronavirus .
Dr. Nausheen Hamid , parliamentary secretary for National Health Services , says the budget for the vaccines has been enhanced to $ 250 million .
Earlier , the government had set aside $ 150 million .
Pakistan recorded 3,369 new cases of the virus and 72 new deaths on Saturday .
A surge in the virus comes amid massive disregard by people for precautionary measures despite constant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - A global alliance of more than 1,000 organizations has announced $ 20.6 billion in pledges to help women , newborns , young children and adolescents deal with the COVID-19 pandemic as well as longstanding issues .
The Partnership for Maternal , Newborn and Child Health , which is hosted by the World Health Organization , says $ 16.1 billion are new commitments to address COVID-19 , $ 2.2 billion is new money not linked to the coronavirus , and $ 2.3 billion is new funding for existing programs .
Low and middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenya , Liberia and Nigeria pledged a total of $ 6.6 billion while $ 14 billion came from international aid and grants from Germany , Canada , Sweden , United Kingdom , United States and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , the partnership said .
The pledges were announced Thursday and Friday .
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark , who chairs the partnership , says : “ Our concern is that resources — insufficient to begin with — are being diverted away to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
” Clark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency from 2009 to 2017 , said the $ 20.6 billion will ensure women , children and adolescents can access health services and priority social protections throughout the COVID-19 crisis and recovery periods .
SAN DIEGO — California ’ s attorney general has told the owners of two strip clubs to follow orders because he said they are violating the state ’ s new stay-at-home policy , which bars social gatherings in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus .
In a letter sent Friday to Midway Ventures LLC and F-12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Showgirls International and Cheetahs Gentlemen ’ s Club , respectively , Xavier Becerra said the clubs must change their policies because they are in violation of the order , issued Dec. 6 , that covers Southern California .
Becerra said the state will pursue legal action if the companies don ’ t comply .
The clubs could not immediately be reached for comment .
TOKYO - Japan ’ s daily coronavirus cases have exceeded 3,000 for the first time while the government delays stricter measures for fear of hurting the economy ahead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , including 621 in Tokyo , took Japan ’ s national tally to 177,287 with 2,562 deaths , the Health Ministry said Sunday .
Experts say serious cases are on the rise around the country , putting burden on hospitals and affecting the daily medical treatment for other patients .
They urged authorities to take measures such as suspending out-of-town trips and requesting stores to close early .
Recent media surveys show support ratings for the government of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga have dropped about 20 points from around 70 % amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Japan issued a non-binding state of emergency in the spring and has survived earlier infection peaks without a lockdown .
SEOUL , South Korea - South Korea has set another record for its daily coronavirus tally with 1,030 , as authorities struggle to suppress the viral spread .
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Sunday the additional cases including two deaths raised the national caseload to 42,766 with 580 fatalities .
About 80 % of the new cases were found in the densely populated Seoul area , where authorities have shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late-night dining and taken other steps to slow the spread .
But such measures have shown little effect .
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Saturday his government may have to enforce its highest-level social distancing rules if the virus doesn ’ t slow down .
Such restrictions would ban a gathering of more than 10 people , shut down schools , theaters and department stores and suspend professional sports leagues .
BALTIMORE - The U.S. has recorded more than 16 million cases of COVID-19 , by far the most of any country in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Johns Hopkins University .
Cases of the virus have been rising across much of the U.S. , causing record death totals in recent days .
India and Brazil are the only two other countries that have reported more than 3 million cases of COVID-19 .
Globally , more than 71 million cases have been confirmed .
The actual number of cases is believed to be far higher because many people haven ’ t been tested and some who get the disease don ’ t show symptoms .
The U.S. also leads the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at more than 297,600 , including a record 3,309 recorded on Friday .
The increases come as millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer start rolling into U.S. hospitals on Monday .
The first vaccines will go to hospital staff and other health care professionals .
The coronavirus has caused more than 1.6 million global deaths .
FRESNO , Calif. - California public health officials say the number of available intensive care unit beds in the vast San Joaquin Valley has dropped to zero for the first time Saturday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in region comprised of 12 counties was at 4.5 % .
The news comes as ICU units fill up across California amid spiking COVID-19 cases .
Last week , San Joaquin Valley and the enormous Southern California region were ordered to follow the strictest anti-COVID-19 rules under a new stay-at-home order .
Overflowing ICUs was a major factor in Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s decision to implement the new order .
SPRINGFIELD , Ill. - The U.S. has reached a record 3,309 daily coronavirus deaths , according to data compiled by Johns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exceeded by 6 % the previous high of 3,124 deaths reported Wednesday .
The U.S. also reached a record daily confirmed infections at 231,775 , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
That ’ s nearly 4,000 more than the previous high on Dec. 4 .
The increases come as millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer start rolling into hospitals on Monday .
The first vaccines will go to hospital staff and other health care professionals .
The U.S. leads the world in confirmed cases at 15.9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The coronavirus has caused more than 1.6 million global deaths .
WASHINGTON - The Federal Aviation Administration says pilots may receive the COVID-19 vaccine but may not fly for 48 hours .
The FAA says it is requiring the observation period “ to maintain the highest level of safety ” in the airspace it regulates .
The 48-hour observation also applies to air traffic controllers .
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved emergency use of a vaccine developed by Pfizer and shipments are expected in various states on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken three weeks apart .
The 48-hour period applies after both doses .
The FAA says it will monitor reaction to the vaccine .
It requires similar waiting periods after aviation employees receive other vaccines , such tuberculosis and typhoid .
ROME - Italy added another 649 coronavirus deaths Saturday , bringing its official total to 64,036 and just shy of Britain ’ s Europe-leading 64,123 dead .
Italy could overtake Britain despite having 6 million people fewer than the U.K. ’ s 66 million , and trails only the much larger U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
Italy has the most deaths per 100,000 population among the most affected countries .
Italy has added nearly 29,000 dead since Sept. 1 .
More than 1.8 million Italians have contracted the virus since the start of the pandemic .
Health experts say the numbers reflect an underfunded health care system with few ICU beds , government delays in imposing restrictions and an elderly population .
Global cases and death tolls are believed to greatly underestimated because of missed infections , limited testing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported 8,076 confirmed coronavirus cases , one of the state ’ s largest daily total .
The Department of Health Services reported 77 more deaths on Saturday , increasing the state ’ s confirmed totals to 402,589 cases and 7,322 deaths .
The cases eclipsed Friday ’ s 6,983 as the third-largest daily case report , behind 12,314 on Tuesday and 10,322 on Dec. 1 .
The coronavirus hospitalizations on Friday reached 3,534 , up 52 from Thursday and topping the summer surge high of 3,517 on July 13 .
There were 799 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - U.S. officials say the nation ’ s first COVID-19 vaccine will begin arriving in states Monday morning .
Army Gen. Gustave Perna says trucks will roll out Sunday morning as shipping companies UPS and FedEx begin delivering Pfizer ’ s vaccine to nearly 150 distribution centers across the states .
An additional 450 sites will get the vaccine between Tuesday and Wednesday .
Perna is with Operation Warp Speed , the Trump administration ’ s vaccine development program .
He says the vaccine was timed to arrive Monday morning so health workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and begin giving them .
BOISE , Idaho - Idaho Gov .
Brad Little has authorized another 150 Idaho National Guard soldiers to help medical facilities battle the coronavirus .
The Republican governor added the soldiers to the 100 he activated last month to help the state deal with surging infections and deaths .
The 250 soldiers will help with mobile testing support , facility decontamination and coronavirus screenings .
They are also helping at food banks .
State officials say nearly 120,000 Idaho residents have been infected .
There have been 1,151 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 % , well above the 5 % or less state officials recommend .

TORONTO - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the first of many freezer-packed COVID-19 vaccine vials have arrived in Canada.
Trudeau tweeted a picture of them being taken off a plane. Canada’s health regulator approved the vaccine made by U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech last Wednesday.
The Canadian government recently amended its contract with Pfizer so that it would deliver up to 249,000 doses this month. Trudeau says it is good news but he is urging Canadians to continue to wear masks, avoid gatherings and to download a government app that lets users know if they’ve come in contact with those who have tested positive.
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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:
- Trucks with the first COVID-19 vaccine containers in the US are rolling out to vaccination sites, and all states are expected to have some by Monday. About 3 million doses were expected to be sent out in the first shipments, which are staggered through Wednesday. Germany is stepping up its lockdown measures through the Christmas holiday - from Dec. 16 to Jan. 10. Chancellor Angela Merkel says existing restrictions imposed in November failed to significantly reduce the number of new infections. New cases are lower but still rising in parts of Asia, with both Japan and South Korea hitting record numbers in daily new infections.
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Follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County has again broken a record for coronavirus hospitalizations, fulfilling the county public health director’s dire predictions in just days.
Figures released Sunday afternoon show that more than 4,000 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 in the nation’s most populous county.
That breaks the previous record set only the day before, with 3,850 patients in a hospital, and follows the trend of hospitalizations increasing nearly every day since Nov. 1.
The LA County health director warned on Monday, when hospitalizations were near 3,000, that the county could see the statistic to climb to 4,000 within two weeks.
Statewide coronavirus figures were not immediately available Sunday.
More than 325,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine are on their way to California.
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ROME - Italy on Sunday registered 484 confirmed COVID-19 deaths, one of its lowest daily death tolls in about a month. But those latest deaths were enough to eclipse Britain’s toll as having Europe’s highest toll in the pandemic, according to tracking done by Johns Hopkins University.
Counting criteria differ in the two countries, and many deaths, especially early in the pandemic in Italy, are believed to have gone undetected.
According to the Italian Health Ministry on Sunday, Italy’s known death toll stood at 64,520. Britain’s toll, according to Johns Hopkins data, stood at 64,267 as of Sunday evening.
Italy added nearly 18,000 coronavirus infections from the previous day, raising the nation’s official tally over 1.84 million. By far, the region registering the highest number of new infections in the last 24 hours was the northern region of Veneto, which in the first surge last spring had fared better than its neighbor Lombardy.
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ALGIERS, Algeria - Still recovering from COVID-19, Algeria’s president has suddenly reappeared after nearly two months out of the public eye.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said in a video message Sunday that it may still be several more weeks before he is fit enough to return to the North African country. He fell ill and then left for treatment in Germany in late October. Before his 4-minute, 54-second video message, his last public appearance had been in mid-October, in a meeting with France’s foreign minister.
The 75-year-old Tebboune spoke clearly in the video and did not seem short of breath. He has, however, clearly lost weight.
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SEATTLE — The American spirit of generosity this holiday season may be no match for nonprofits dealing with the coronavirus.
Despite record amounts of charitable donations this year, nonprofits across the country are being suffocated by the effects of the pandemic as organizations face soaring costs and demands for help, yet are largely without their own support systems, including volunteers and in-person fundraising events.
December is generally the most important month for nonprofit revenues, as Christmas and end-of-year tax deductions typically drive a flood of charitable giving. All that might not be enough.
There have been efforts to encourage more giving since the coronavirus took hold of modern life in March.
The IRS is urging the public to utilize a special $300 tax deduction that can be claimed next year for cash donations in 2020 to tax-exempted nonprofits. The initiative allows non-itemized filers to get the tax break only for 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act passed by Congress last spring.
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WASHINGTON - Moncef Slaoui, the chief scientist leading the White House’s Operation Warp Speed, said President Donald Trump’s public pressuring of the Food and Drug Administration commissioner last week to quickly approve the coronavirus vaccine was not helpful for building public confidence in the inoculation campaign.
Trump on Twitter and his chief of staff Mark Meadows privately lambasted FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn last week for moving too slowly before the FDA issued an emergency authorization on Friday for an authorization for the vaccine produced by Pfizer Inc.
Asked about the pressuring of Hahn, Slaoui said on Fox News Sunday that “if that phone call happened, I think it was useless and unfortunate, so are some of the tweets.”
An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research published last week found only about half of Americans are ready to take the vaccine.
Slaoui also urged Americans to keep an open mind about the vaccine and warned that the virus will continue to plague the nation beyond the spring if too few people take it.
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WASHINGTON - The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says he’s hopeful that the agency’s outside advisers will clear a second coronavirus vaccine for emergency use later this week.
But FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn says he won’t “prejudge” the outcome of Thursday’s meeting.
That’s when FDA advisers will review the agency’s independent assessment of data supplied by Moderna about its coronavirus vaccine.
Hahn tells CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that it is his “sincere hope” that his agency can move forward “expeditiously” on the Moderna vaccine.
The same FDA panel last Thursday endorsed the first coronavirus vaccine, made by Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech. The FDA approved that vaccine for emergency use on Friday.
Pfizer began shipping out its vaccine on Sunday.
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WASHINGTON - The director of the National Institutes of Health is that stressing the first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine being distributed this week are safe and effective and is urging Americans to put aside any skepticism so that as many people can be vaccinated as possible.
Dr. Francis Collins tells NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he hopes people will get past the “noise” and “conspiracy theories” about the Pfizer vaccine’s safety because approval was based on “scientific decision-making of the most vigorous sort.”
He says face masks are still going to be “a part of our life” in the coming months because it remains unknown whether a vaccinated person could spread COVID-19 to others.
But he believes the virus could be significantly stunted by June if 70% to 80% of Americans are vaccinated, the level most experts believe is needed to reach “herd immunity.”
Collins says masks could be all but gone in the latter half of next year. If only half of Americans are willing to take the vaccine, he says, “this could go on and on and on.”
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ROME - Italy’s special commissioner for the pandemic says the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 will begin in all 27 European Union countries on the same “symbolic” day, to be followed with individual countries’ rollouts of larger inoculation programs.
“The idea that one European country could begin before another is far” from what will occur, the official, Domenico Arcuri, told reporters on Sunday. “The campaign will begin in all countries on a symbolic day” before the start of the actual campaign of mass vaccinations.
He did not say when the first day was or how many people would be vaccinated that day.
Italy’s first phase of vaccinations, targeting 1.8 million health care personnel and residents and staff of nursing homes, should be underway in mid-January, Arcuri said. Some 300 pavilions will be set up in town squares and other public places, where people can receive the shots.
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BERLIN - Most stores shut, tight limits on social contacts, no singing in church and a ban on fireworks sales: Germany is ratcheting up its pandemic restrictions to cut the stubbornly high rate of coronavirus infections.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said she and the governors of Germany’s 16 states agreed Sunday to step up the country’s lockdown measures from Dec. 16 to Jan. 10 to stop the exponential rise of COVID-19 cases.
“We are forced to act and we’re acting,” Merkel told reporters in Berlin, noting that existing restrictions imposed in November failed to significantly reduce the number of new infections.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Germany has risen over the past two weeks from 21.23 new cases per 100,000 people on Nov. 28 to 26 new cases per 100,000 people on Dec. 12.
Starting Wednesday, schools nationwide will be closed or switch to home schooling; most non-food stores will be closed, as will businesses such as hairdressers; restaurant takeout will remain permitted, but consumption on-site - including alcohol- will be banned.
With the exception of Christmas, the number of people allowed to meet indoors will remain restricted to five, not including children under 14.
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PARIS: Authorities on the Mediterranean island of Corsica are making COVID-19 tests obligatory for any visitors traveling from the French mainland for the Christmas-New Year period.
The measure is extraordinary in that it sets Corsica apart from all of mainland France’s other regions, which do not require tests for travel between them.
Under the measures announced this weekend by the French government’s top administrator for Corsica, Pascal Lelarge, all travelers aged 12 and over will need to undergo a virus test in the 72 hours before taking a plane or boat to the island. The rules will apply from Dec. 19 to Jan. 8, 2021.
Travelers will need to fill out a form confirming that they tested negative. A fine of 135 euros ($164) can be levied from travelers who don’t get tested. Lelarge also warned of possible legal action against people who infect others. Police at airports and ports in Corsica will carry out checks, and travelers will need to be able to produce paperwork from labs or pharmacists proving that they got tested.
The measures are aimed at keeping down Corsica’s infection rates, which are far lower than the national average, and to shield the island’s hospitals.
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LONDON - Elderly residents of Scottish nursing homes will start receiving the coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech on Monday.
The residents, along with nursing home staff, will be the next to get the innoculations after 5,000 health service workers and vaccinators in Britain received the shots, Scottish officials said Sunday.
It’s part of the first phase of Britain’s mass vaccination program, which launched earlier this month and involves giving out 800,000 doses.
Authorities in the U.K., which has reported more than 64,000 COVID-19 related deaths, gave emergency authorization to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine earlier this month, making it the first country to approve its widespread use.
Officials said they were able to extend the rollout to nursing homes after solving some logistical challenges with the vaccine, which has to be stored at minus-70 degrees Celsius (minus-94 degrees Fahrenheit).
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ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has increased its funds allocation for purchasing COVID-19 vaccines amid a surge in the coronavirus.
Dr. Nausheen Hamid, parliamentary secretary for National Health Services, says the budget for the vaccines has been enhanced to $250 million. Earlier, the government had set aside $150 million.
Pakistan recorded 3,369 new cases of the virus and 72 new deaths on Saturday.
A surge in the virus comes amid massive disregard by people for precautionary measures despite constant warnings by the authorities.
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UNITED NATIONS - A global alliance of more than 1,000 organizations has announced $20.6 billion in pledges to help women, newborns, young children and adolescents deal with the COVID-19 pandemic as well as longstanding issues.
The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, which is hosted by the World Health Organization, says $16.1 billion are new commitments to address COVID-19, $2.2 billion is new money not linked to the coronavirus, and $2.3 billion is new funding for existing programs.
Low and middle income countries including Afghanistan, India, Kenya, Liberia and Nigeria pledged a total of $6.6 billion while $14 billion came from international aid and grants from Germany, Canada, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the partnership said. The pledges were announced Thursday and Friday.
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who chairs the partnership, says: “Our concern is that resources — insufficient to begin with — are being diverted away to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Clark, who also led the U.N. development agency from 2009 to 2017, said the $20.6 billion will ensure women, children and adolescents can access health services and priority social protections throughout the COVID-19 crisis and recovery periods.
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SAN DIEGO — California’s attorney general has told the owners of two strip clubs to follow orders because he said they are violating the state’s new stay-at-home policy, which bars social gatherings in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
In a letter sent Friday to Midway Ventures LLC and F-12 Entertainment Group, the owners of Pacers Showgirls International and Cheetahs Gentlemen’s Club, respectively, Xavier Becerra said the clubs must change their policies because they are in violation of the order, issued Dec. 6, that covers Southern California.
Becerra said the state will pursue legal action if the companies don’t comply.
The clubs could not immediately be reached for comment.
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TOKYO - Japan’s daily coronavirus cases have exceeded 3,000 for the first time while the government delays stricter measures for fear of hurting the economy ahead of the holiday season.
The 3,030 new cases, including 621 in Tokyo, took Japan’s national tally to 177,287 with 2,562 deaths, the Health Ministry said Sunday.
Experts say serious cases are on the rise around the country, putting burden on hospitals and affecting the daily medical treatment for other patients. They urged authorities to take measures such as suspending out-of-town trips and requesting stores to close early.
Recent media surveys show support ratings for the government of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga have dropped about 20 points from around 70% amid public discontent over his coronavirus handling.
Japan issued a non-binding state of emergency in the spring and has survived earlier infection peaks without a lockdown.
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SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea has set another record for its daily coronavirus tally with 1,030, as authorities struggle to suppress the viral spread.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Sunday the additional cases including two deaths raised the national caseload to 42,766 with 580 fatalities.
About 80% of the new cases were found in the densely populated Seoul area, where authorities have shut nightclubs and other high-risk venues, banned late-night dining and taken other steps to slow the spread. But such measures have shown little effect.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Saturday his government may have to enforce its highest-level social distancing rules if the virus doesn’t slow down. Such restrictions would ban a gathering of more than 10 people, shut down schools, theaters and department stores and suspend professional sports leagues.
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BALTIMORE - The U.S. has recorded more than 16 million cases of COVID-19, by far the most of any country in the world, according to data kept by Johns Hopkins University.
Cases of the virus have been rising across much of the U.S., causing record death totals in recent days.
India and Brazil are the only two other countries that have reported more than 3 million cases of COVID-19. Globally, more than 71 million cases have been confirmed. The actual number of cases is believed to be far higher because many people haven’t been tested and some who get the disease don’t show symptoms.
The U.S. also leads the world in deaths related to the coronavirus at more than 297,600, including a record 3,309 recorded on Friday.
The increases come as millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer start rolling into U.S. hospitals on Monday. The first vaccines will go to hospital staff and other health care professionals.
The coronavirus has caused more than 1.6 million global deaths.
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FRESNO, Calif. - California public health officials say the number of available intensive care unit beds in the vast San Joaquin Valley has dropped to zero for the first time Saturday. Just a day earlier, ICU capacity in region comprised of 12 counties was at 4.5%.
The news comes as ICU units fill up across California amid spiking COVID-19 cases. Last week, San Joaquin Valley and the enormous Southern California region were ordered to follow the strictest anti-COVID-19 rules under a new stay-at-home order.
Overflowing ICUs was a major factor in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision to implement the new order.
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The U.S. has reached a record 3,309 daily coronavirus deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
The deaths reported Friday exceeded by 6% the previous high of 3,124 deaths reported Wednesday.
The U.S. also reached a record daily confirmed infections at 231,775, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. That’s nearly 4,000 more than the previous high on Dec. 4.
The increases come as millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer start rolling into hospitals on Monday. The first vaccines will go to hospital staff and other health care professionals.
The U.S. leads the world in confirmed cases at 15.9 million and deaths at more than 296,000. The coronavirus has caused more than 1.6 million global deaths.
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WASHINGTON - The Federal Aviation Administration says pilots may receive the COVID-19 vaccine but may not fly for 48 hours.
The FAA says it is requiring the observation period “to maintain the highest level of safety” in the airspace it regulates. The 48-hour observation also applies to air traffic controllers.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved emergency use of a vaccine developed by Pfizer and shipments are expected in various states on Monday. The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses taken three weeks apart. The 48-hour period applies after both doses.
The FAA says it will monitor reaction to the vaccine. It requires similar waiting periods after aviation employees receive other vaccines, such tuberculosis and typhoid.
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ROME - Italy added another 649 coronavirus deaths Saturday, bringing its official total to 64,036 and just shy of Britain’s Europe-leading 64,123 dead.
Italy could overtake Britain despite having 6 million people fewer than the U.K.’s 66 million, and trails only the much larger U.S., Brazil, India and Mexico, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Italy has the most deaths per 100,000 population among the most affected countries. Italy has added nearly 29,000 dead since Sept. 1.
More than 1.8 million Italians have contracted the virus since the start of the pandemic. Health experts say the numbers reflect an underfunded health care system with few ICU beds, government delays in imposing restrictions and an elderly population.
Global cases and death tolls are believed to greatly underestimated because of missed infections, limited testing and different counting criteria.
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PHOENIX - Arizona reported 8,076 confirmed coronavirus cases, one of the state’s largest daily total.
The Department of Health Services reported 77 more deaths on Saturday, increasing the state’s confirmed totals to 402,589 cases and 7,322 deaths.
The cases eclipsed Friday’s 6,983 as the third-largest daily case report, behind 12,314 on Tuesday and 10,322 on Dec. 1.
The coronavirus hospitalizations on Friday reached 3,534, up 52 from Thursday and topping the summer surge high of 3,517 on July 13. There were 799 patients in intensive care units.
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WASHINGTON - U.S. officials say the nation’s first COVID-19 vaccine will begin arriving in states Monday morning.
Army Gen. Gustave Perna says trucks will roll out Sunday morning as shipping companies UPS and FedEx begin delivering Pfizer’s vaccine to nearly 150 distribution centers across the states. An additional 450 sites will get the vaccine between Tuesday and Wednesday.
Perna is with Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s vaccine development program. He says the vaccine was timed to arrive Monday morning so health workers would be available to receive the shots and begin giving them.
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BOISE, Idaho - Idaho Gov. Brad Little has authorized another 150 Idaho National Guard soldiers to help medical facilities battle the coronavirus.
The Republican governor added the soldiers to the 100 he activated last month to help the state deal with surging infections and deaths. The 250 soldiers will help with mobile testing support, facility decontamination and coronavirus screenings. They are also helping at food banks.
State officials say nearly 120,000 Idaho residents have been infected. There have been 1,151 confirmed deaths.
The positivity rate is 20%, well above the 5% or less state officials recommend.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Ship explosion in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia port on Red Sea reported

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates — A maritime group says an explosion has struck a ship off the Red Sea @ @ @ @ @ Saudi Arabia .
The United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations , an organization under Britain ’ @ @ @ @ @ the blast happened Sunday , without elaborating .
It urged ships in the area to @ @ @ @ @ , a maritime intelligence firm , also reported the blast .
Saudi Arabia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ the explosion .
There was no immediate word on what caused the blast However , @ @ @ @ @ exploded and damaged a ship off Saudi Arabia last month .
Yemen ’ s Iranian-backed @ @ @ @ @ mines before in their long war against a Saudi-led coalition .
However , the Houthis @ @ @ @

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — An oil tanker off Saudi Arabia’s port city of Jiddah suffered an explosion early Monday after being hit by “an external source,” a shipping company said, suggesting another vessel has come under attack off the kingdom amid its yearslong war in Yemen.
The Singapore-flagged BW Rhine saw all 22 sailors on board escape without injury, the BW Group said in a statement. The company warned it was possible some oil leaked out from the site of the blast.
Saudi Arabia did not immediately acknowledge the blast, which struck off a crucial port and distribution center for its oil trade. However, it comes after a mine attack last month that damaged a tanker off Saudi Arabia that authorities blamed on Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
The United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations, an organization under Britain’s royal navy, urged ships in the area to exercise caution and said investigations were ongoing.
Dryad Global, a maritime intelligence firm, also reported the blast. No one immediately offered a cause.
The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, which patrols the Mideast, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The explosion comes after a mine exploded and damaged a ship off Saudi Arabia last month. Another mysterious attack targeted a cargo ship off the small port city of Nishtun in Yemen’s far east earlier this month.
Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have used sea mines before in their long war against a Saudi-led coalition. However, the Houthis have not commented last month’s attack.
Dryad Global said if it was the Houthis behind Sunday’s blast, it “would represent a fundamental shift in both targeting capabilities and intent.”
The Red Sea is a vital shipping lane for both cargo and global energy supplies, making any mining of the area a danger not only to Saudi Arabia but to the rest of the world. Mines can enter the water and then be carried away by the currents that change by the season in the Red Sea.
The Red Sea has been mined previously. In 1984, some 19 ships reported striking mines there, with only one ever being recovered and disarmed, according to a U.N. panel of experts investigating Yemen’s war.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Explosion reportedly strikes ship off Jiddah, Saudi Arabia

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates ( AP ) - A maritime group says an explosion has struck a ship off @ @ @ @ @ of Jiddah , Saudi Arabia .
The United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations , an organization @ @ @ @ @ navy , said the blast happened Sunday , without elaborating .
It urged ships in @ @ @ @ @ .
Dryad Global , a maritime intelligence firm , also reported the blast .
Saudi @ @ @ @ @ did not acknowledge the explosion .
There was no immediate word on what caused the @ @ @ @ @ after a mine exploded and damaged a ship off Saudi Arabia last month .
Yemen @ @ @ @ @ have used sea mines before in their long war against a Saudi-led coalition .
However @ @ @ @ @ commented .

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - An oil tanker off Saudi Arabia’s port city of Jiddah suffered an explosion early Monday after being hit by “an external source,” a shipping company said, suggesting another vessel has come under attack off the kingdom amid its yearslong war in Yemen.
The attack on the Singapore-flagged BW Rhine, which had been contracted by the trading arm of the kingdom’s massive Saudi Arabian Oil Co., marks the fourth assault targeting Saudi energy infrastructure in a month.
It also briefly shut down Jiddah port, the most important shipping point for the kingdom, which later said a bomb-laden boat like the remote-controlled ones used by Yemen’s Houthi rebels caused the explosion.
The explosion renews concerns about ship safety in the Red Sea, a crucial transit zone for global shipping and energy supplies that largely had avoided the chaos of regional tensions involving the U.S. and Iran last year.
The BW Rhine had berthed at Jiddah on Saturday, carrying over 60,000 metric tons of unleaded gasoline from an Aramco refinery at Yanbu for consumption in the kingdom, according to the data-analysis firm Refinitiv. It was there that the incident appears to have occured.
The ship was “been hit from an external source whilst discharging,” said Haifna, a tanker company under the BW Group that owns and operates the ship.
The strike caused an explosion and fire onboard the ship, damaging its hull. All 22 sailors on board escaped without injury and firefighters later extinguished the blaze, Haifna said. Some oil may have polluted the water alongside the ship, though the company said it was still assessing the damage.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack.
Some 12 hours after the attack became public, the state-run Saudi Press Agency ran a statement quoting an anonymous Energy Ministry official blaming the explosion on a bomb-laden boat. It did not blame anyone for the attack, despite the Houthis having used drone boats in the past.
“These acts of terrorism and vandalism, directed against vital installations, go beyond the kingdom and its vital facilities, to the security and stability of energy supplies to the world and the global economy,” the statement said.
The United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations, an organization under Britain’s royal navy, urged ships in the area to exercise caution and said investigations were ongoing. It later said Jiddah port had been shut down and later reopened.
Dryad Global, a maritime intelligence firm, also reported the blast. The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, which patrols the Mideast, did not respond to a request for comment.
The explosion comes after a mine exploded and damaged a ship off Saudi Arabia last month. Another mysterious attack targeted a cargo ship off the small port city of Nishtun in Yemen’s far east earlier this month.
Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have used sea mines and drone boats before in their long war against a Saudi-led coalition. However, the Houthis have not commented on last month’s attack.
Dryad Global said if it was the Houthis behind Monday’s blast, it “would represent a fundamental shift in both targeting capabilities and intent.”
Since mid-November, there’s also been what Saudi Arabia described as a bomb-laden drone boat attempted attack at Jazan, as well as a cruise missile attack claimed by the Houthis that struck an Aramco oil facility in Jiddah.
The incidents come after tensions between the U.S. and Iran last year saw a series of escalating incidents in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the nearby Gulf of Oman. While the U.S. has put together a new coalition to monitor shipping there after those incidents, it doesn’t operate in the Red Sea.
The U.S. Maritime Administration issued a warning early Tuesday urging American-flagged vessels to “exercise increased caution if entering Yemen’s territorial waters or Saudi territorial waters north of Yemen on the Red Sea.”
It warned ships in the region could face “missiles, rockets, projectiles, mines, small arms, unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned surface vessels or waterborne improvised explosive devices.”
In recent weeks, an attack in Iran killed a prominent scientist who founded Tehran’s military nuclear program two decades ago, an assault suspected to have been carried out by Israel.
The attack nudged up oil prices, which already had been rising in recent days as Western countries begin distributing coronavirus vaccines. Benchmark Brent crude stood above $50 a barrel in trading Monday.
The Red Sea, with the Suez Canal to the north and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to the south, is a vital shipping lane for both cargo and global energy supplies. Its currents change seasonally and now run north. Saudi Arabia recently accused the Houthis of dumping mines into the southern Red Sea, which could be carried toward Jiddah.
The Red Sea has been mined previously. In 1984, some 19 ships reported striking mines there, with only one ever being recovered and disarmed, according to a U.N. panel of experts investigating Yemen’s war.
Any new mining could endanger global shipping and be difficult to find for any minesweeping operation - raising the risks and potentially the cost of insurance for those sailing in the region. A stepped-up campaign of drone-boat attacks deeper into the Red Sea likely would do the same.
“The series of escalations in the Red Sea will certainly raise the risk profile of the region,” said Ranjith Raja, the head of Middle East and North Africa oil and shipping research at Refinitiv. “This could in turn also increase the insurance premiums for added protection on vessels operating in the region, which would have an impact on the cost of shipment.”
___
Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Virus casts shadow over AP's pictures of the year in Asia

TOKYO ( AP ) - The year of the virus .
From sports to festivals , natural disasters to protests , hardly a moment of 2020 captured by the photojournalists of The Associated Press in Asia was free of the specter of the disease that rampaged first across the region , and then the world .
Take , for instance , a picture from mid-January , before the pandemic gained regional traction , of a Hindu pilgrim in the water near where the Ganges empties into the Bay of Bengal .
There is a peaceful timelessness as the man stretches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that hovers like a suspended orange ball just above the watery horizon ; this could be from a century ago , a millennium , even .
Looking back at it 11 months later , however , after the widespread misery and death that followed , it ’ s hard to shake a lingering feeling of foreboding .
Many of these images capture not only what those experiencing an extraordinary moment must have felt ; they also carry a sense of the universal , of a shared flash of understanding in an otherwise bewildering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specific or individual the circumstances of each picture might be .
Japanese cheerleaders are caught mid-dance , frozen in a kinetic burst of choreography and energy , pompoms flashing , hair streaming - before empty baseball stands .
A little Nepalese girl is the focus of intense attention as she stands masked , her hands raised above her head , her eyes closed in a grimace , and is sprayed with disinfectant by men in head-to-toe protective gear .
An Indonesian bride ’ s latex-gloved finger receives a ring from her latex-gloved groom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unifying unease : the visceral fear of illness ; the sometimes futile , sometimes surreal measures taken to keep an invisible foe at bay ; the prevalence of objects that divide people from each other - masks , gloves , protective clothing and barriers of all sorts .
It would be a mistake , however , to assume that amid so much turmoil , there was no beauty .
AP photographers found poignant episodes of daily life that may illuminate as much about the people living in this massive , diverse region as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dozens of homes in a Mumbai slum are lit up in the black of night with bursts of glaring electricity during celebrations for Diwali , the Hindu festival of lights , each sparkling scene etching a slice of life as compelling as an old still-life painting .
A man in the Philippines lounges in a hammock strung in the trees over the tops of tombs in a deserted cemetery .
Even that most humdrum of activities - the selfie - operated under the shadow of the virus .
In a picture of two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in front of some Olympic rings in Tokyo , it is impossible not to remember that the world ’ s premier sporting event was canceled by the virus - and , as we enter a new year , the games still hang , along with much of what we once considered normal , in the balance for next summer , too .

TOKYO (AP) - The year of the virus.
From sports to festivals, natural disasters to protests, hardly a moment of 2020 captured by the photojournalists of The Associated Press in Asia was free of the specter of the disease that rampaged first across the region, and then the world.
Take, for instance, a picture from mid-January, before the pandemic gained regional traction, of a Hindu pilgrim in the water near where the Ganges empties into the Bay of Bengal. There is a peaceful timelessness as the man stretches out a hand toward a glowing sun that hovers like a suspended orange ball just above the watery horizon; this could be from a century ago, a millennium, even. Looking back at it 11 months later, however, after the widespread misery and death that followed, it’s hard to shake a lingering feeling of foreboding.
Many of these images capture not only what those experiencing an extraordinary moment must have felt; they also carry a sense of the universal, of a shared flash of understanding in an otherwise bewildering and brutal year, regardless of how specific or individual the circumstances of each picture might be.
Japanese cheerleaders are caught mid-dance, frozen in a kinetic burst of choreography and energy, pompoms flashing, hair streaming - before empty baseball stands. A little Nepalese girl is the focus of intense attention as she stands masked, her hands raised above her head, her eyes closed in a grimace, and is sprayed with disinfectant by men in head-to-toe protective gear. An Indonesian bride’s latex-gloved finger receives a ring from her latex-gloved groom.
Throughout, there’s a unifying unease: the visceral fear of illness; the sometimes futile, sometimes surreal measures taken to keep an invisible foe at bay; the prevalence of objects that divide people from each other - masks, gloves, protective clothing and barriers of all sorts.
It would be a mistake, however, to assume that amid so much turmoil, there was no beauty. AP photographers found poignant episodes of daily life that may illuminate as much about the people living in this massive, diverse region as any pictures of misery or discord.
Dozens of homes in a Mumbai slum are lit up in the black of night with bursts of glaring electricity during celebrations for Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, each sparkling scene etching a slice of life as compelling as an old still-life painting. A man in the Philippines lounges in a hammock strung in the trees over the tops of tombs in a deserted cemetery.
Even that most humdrum of activities - the selfie - operated under the shadow of the virus. In a picture of two masked women taking a shot of themselves in front of some Olympic rings in Tokyo, it is impossible not to remember that the world’s premier sporting event was canceled by the virus - and, as we enter a new year, the games still hang, along with much of what we once considered normal, in the balance for next summer, too.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--First COVID 19 vaccine shipments arrive in Canada

TORONTO ( AP ) - The first of many freezer-packed COVID-19 vaccine vials have arrived in Canada .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau late Sunday tweeted a picture of them being taken off a plane .
Canada ’ s health regulator approved the vaccine made by U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and Germany ’ s BioNTech last Wednesday .
The vaccines are bound for 14 distribution sites across the country .
Quebec is expected to be the first province to administer the vaccine , saying it ’ s prepared to start inoculating residents of two long-term care homes as early as Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ doses of the vaccine are expected to cross the border on Monday .
The Canadian government recently amended its contract with Pfizer and BioNTech so that it would deliver up to 249,000 doses this month .
Despite the arrival of the vaccine vials , Trudeau urged Canadians to continue to wear masks , avoid gatherings and to download a government app that lets users know if they ’ ve come in contact with those who have tested positive .
“ This is good news , ″ Trudeau said .
” But our fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than ever , let ’ s keep up our vigilance.″ The encouraging developments come as the coronavirus continues surging across much of the world .
Canada has contracts with six other vaccine makers and is currently reviewing three other vaccines , including one by Moderna that Canadian health officials said could be approved soon .
Canada has ordered more doses than what ’ s needed for Canadians but the government plans to donate excess supply to impoverished countries .

TORONTO (AP) - The first of many freezer-packed COVID-19 vaccine vials have arrived in Canada.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau late Sunday tweeted a picture of them being taken off a plane. Canada’s health regulator approved the vaccine made by U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech last Wednesday.
The vaccines are bound for 14 distribution sites across the country.
Quebec is expected to be the first province to administer the vaccine, saying it’s prepared to start inoculating residents of two long-term care homes as early as Monday.
More of Canada’s initial 30,000 doses of the vaccine are expected to cross the border on Monday.
The Canadian government recently amended its contract with Pfizer and BioNTech so that it would deliver up to 249,000 doses this month.
Despite the arrival of the vaccine vials, Trudeau urged Canadians to continue to wear masks, avoid gatherings and to download a government app that lets users know if they’ve come in contact with those who have tested positive.
“This is good news,″ Trudeau said. ”But our fight against COVID-19 is not over. Now more than ever, let’s keep up our vigilance.″
The encouraging developments come as the coronavirus continues surging across much of the world.
Canada has contracts with six other vaccine makers and is currently reviewing three other vaccines, including one by Moderna that Canadian health officials said could be approved soon.
Canada has ordered more doses than what’s needed for Canadians but the government plans to donate excess supply to impoverished countries.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Trump urged to send Paris climate plan to senate to block Biden

Presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden reiterated his vow Saturday to reenter the Paris climate agreement on the first day of his administration , but that could become a problem if the accord ’ s foes can ferry it to the Senate first .
Conservatives behind the scenes are seeking to foil his plans by persuading President Trump to transmit the 2015 agreement to the Senate for ratification , thus treating the accord as Republicans say it should have been handled all along : as a treaty .
“ This preserves President Trump ’ s legacy , and this also puts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s agenda , ” said Myron Ebell , director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the free-market Competitive Enterprise Institute , which has opposed the accord .
The Paris agreement — or , as Mr. Ebell calls it , the “ Paris climate treaty ” — was accepted by President Obama via executive order in September 2016 over the objections of Republicans , who argued that the agreement was a treaty , which would require a two-thirds Senate vote to ratify , which would not happen .
Mr. Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ document to withdraw from the accord , an exit that became official on Nov. 4 , and the Biden camp has indicated that rejoining the pact would require nothing more than another executive order .
If Mr. Trump transmits the agreement to the Senate after the start of the next Congress on Jan. 3 , however , then foes of the accord suddenly have a potent new legal argument to block a Biden effort to enter the agreement via executive action .
“ It would mark the Paris accord as a treaty that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Steve Milloy , publisher of JunkScience.com and a former member of the Trump transition team at the Environmental Protection Agency .
The maneuvering comes with Mr. Biden doubling down Saturday on his pledge to reenter the agreement , which seeks to limit the increase in global temperatures by well below 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels .
“ The United States will rejoin the Paris agreement on day one of my presidency , ” Mr. Biden said as international leaders gathered virtually to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the accord @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working with my counterparts around the world to do all that we possibly can , including by convening the leaders of major economies for a climate summit within my first 100 days in office.
” Mr. Biden also reemphasized his campaign promise to achieve net-zero U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions by no later than 2050 .
Capturing Mr. Trump ’ s attention as the Republican continues to challenge the November election result will be difficult , but if his avenues to 270 electoral votes dry up , Paris accord opponents are counting on him to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Under the Constitution , a treaty requires a two-third majority vote , which is why President Clinton never submitted the previous climate pact , the 1997 Kyoto Protocol , for ratification .
“ Obama did it [ Paris ] as an executive order to avoid having it defeated in the Senate , ” Mr. Milloy said .
“ That ’ s why Clinton never transmitted the Kyoto Protocol to the Senate , because it would have been defeated.
” Even if Democrats capture both Georgia Senate seats to gain a chamber majority , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans , nobody thinks they could cobble together enough votes to clear the two-thirds hurdle .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell could bring the Paris accord to the floor for a vote — and have it defeated — or simply sit on it .
Either way , a Paris climate treaty would fail to win ratification .
“ If it went over there in January in the next session of Congress , it would just sit there as a treaty , ” Mr. Milloy said .
“ Even if the Democrats won control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still been submitted to the Senate .
No one would bring it up because it would fail .
You need two-thirds of the Senate.
” Paul Driessen , senior policy adviser for the free-market Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow [ CFACT ] , said Mr. McConnell should force senators to go on the record .
“ Mr .
Trump could and should submit the treaty to the Senate for its advice and consent — and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should quickly schedule a debate and vote , ” Mr. Driessen said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senator will have an opportunity to go on record : for or against a treaty that would make the United States , and every individual state and family , subjects of unelected , unaccountable U.N. and foreign powers.
” If the strategy worked , a Biden administration could still seek to work around the lack of ratification by , for example , entering into a separate agreement or making commitments as an unofficial party .
“ There are ways around it , but I don ’ t think any of them are very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think any of them are necessarily going to work very well , ” Mr. Ebell said .
The Center for Biological Diversity and other environmental groups argued in 2016 that the Paris accord could be entered into legally by executive order , saying Senate ratification was “ not necessary for the Obama administration to commit the U.S. to a legally binding form.
” “ In fact , due to the extraordinarily high bar for Senate ratification in the U.S. , about ninety percent of international treaties executed by the U.S. in the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive agreements , ” the center said in a fact sheet .
Supporters have also pointed out that the international agreement is non-binding , but foes worry that the Biden administration and environmental groups would use it as a cudgel to enact sweeping climate-change restrictions through the U.S. court system .
“ The question is , will the Biden administration then use it as the legal justification for another round of very economically and very costly damaging regulations ?
And it seems to me that they will , ” Mr. Ebell said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and say , it ’ s true Congress hasn ’ t passed a law to reduce emissions , but we ’ ve got this international agreement , and we ’ re a party to it and it requires us to keep our commitments , and therefore this is the way we propose to do it.
” Under the agreement , the U.S. agreed to reduce emissions by 26 % to 28 % below 2005 levels by 2025 .
That threshold had not been reached , even though the U.S. leads the world in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requires a more ambitious commitment every five years .
Increasing the U.S. climate goal to , for example , a 50 % emissions reduction by 2035 would require sweeping changes to the energy sector , which could include eliminating coal-fired power plants , replacing natural gas with renewables , and switching out gasoline-powered cars with electronic vehicles .
The Biden energy and climate plan also calls for an ambitious overhaul of the energy grid , but it ’ s one thing to enact such policies through the legislative process .
“ That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll be attempting to do it on the basis of essentially an international agreement that doesn ’ t have the support of the U.S. Senate and consequently doesn ’ t have the support of the U.S. people , ” Mr. Ebell said .
“ They won ’ t have any legislative authority , but they might try to get away with it because they ’ ve got this piece of paper called the Paris accord .
”

Presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden reiterated his vow Saturday to reenter the Paris climate agreement on the first day of his administration, but that could become a problem if the accord’s foes can ferry it to the Senate first.
Conservatives behind the scenes are seeking to foil his plans by persuading President Trump to transmit the 2015 agreement to the Senate for ratification, thus treating the accord as Republicans say it should have been handled all along: as a treaty.
“This preserves President Trump’s legacy, and this also puts a huge obstacle in the way of Biden’s agenda,” said Myron Ebell, director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the free-market Competitive Enterprise Institute, which has opposed the accord.
The Paris agreement — or, as Mr. Ebell calls it, the “Paris climate treaty” — was accepted by President Obama via executive order in September 2016 over the objections of Republicans, who argued that the agreement was a treaty, which would require a two-thirds Senate vote to ratify, which would not happen.
Mr. Trump followed the rules built into the Paris document to withdraw from the accord, an exit that became official on Nov. 4, and the Biden camp has indicated that rejoining the pact would require nothing more than another executive order.
If Mr. Trump transmits the agreement to the Senate after the start of the next Congress on Jan. 3, however, then foes of the accord suddenly have a potent new legal argument to block a Biden effort to enter the agreement via executive action.
“It would mark the Paris accord as a treaty that needs to be ratified by the Senate,” said Steve Milloy, publisher of JunkScience.com and a former member of the Trump transition team at the Environmental Protection Agency.
The maneuvering comes with Mr. Biden doubling down Saturday on his pledge to reenter the agreement, which seeks to limit the increase in global temperatures by well below 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels.
“The United States will rejoin the Paris agreement on day one of my presidency,” Mr. Biden said as international leaders gathered virtually to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the accord. “I’ll immediately start working with my counterparts around the world to do all that we possibly can, including by convening the leaders of major economies for a climate summit within my first 100 days in office.”
Mr. Biden also reemphasized his campaign promise to achieve net-zero U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions by no later than 2050.
Capturing Mr. Trump’s attention as the Republican continues to challenge the November election result will be difficult, but if his avenues to 270 electoral votes dry up, Paris accord opponents are counting on him to turn his attention to his legacy.
Under the Constitution, a treaty requires a two-third majority vote, which is why President Clinton never submitted the previous climate pact, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, for ratification.
“Obama did it [Paris] as an executive order to avoid having it defeated in the Senate,” Mr. Milloy said. “That’s why Clinton never transmitted the Kyoto Protocol to the Senate, because it would have been defeated.”
Even if Democrats capture both Georgia Senate seats to gain a chamber majority, and swing a few votes from moderate Republicans, nobody thinks they could cobble together enough votes to clear the two-thirds hurdle.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell could bring the Paris accord to the floor for a vote — and have it defeated — or simply sit on it. Either way, a Paris climate treaty would fail to win ratification.
“If it went over there in January in the next session of Congress, it would just sit there as a treaty,” Mr. Milloy said. “Even if the Democrats won control of the Senate, it would have still been submitted to the Senate. No one would bring it up because it would fail. You need two-thirds of the Senate.”
Paul Driessen, senior policy adviser for the free-market Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow [CFACT], said Mr. McConnell should force senators to go on the record.
“Mr. Trump could and should submit the treaty to the Senate for its advice and consent — and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should quickly schedule a debate and vote,” Mr. Driessen said in a Dec. 9 op-ed. “Every senator will have an opportunity to go on record: for or against a treaty that would make the United States, and every individual state and family, subjects of unelected, unaccountable U.N. and foreign powers.”
If the strategy worked, a Biden administration could still seek to work around the lack of ratification by, for example, entering into a separate agreement or making commitments as an unofficial party.
“There are ways around it, but I don’t think any of them are very satisfactory, and I don’t think any of them are necessarily going to work very well,” Mr. Ebell said.
The Center for Biological Diversity and other environmental groups argued in 2016 that the Paris accord could be entered into legally by executive order, saying Senate ratification was “not necessary for the Obama administration to commit the U.S. to a legally binding form.”
“In fact, due to the extraordinarily high bar for Senate ratification in the U.S., about ninety percent of international treaties executed by the U.S. in the last sixty years have taken the form of executive agreements,” the center said in a fact sheet.
Supporters have also pointed out that the international agreement is non-binding, but foes worry that the Biden administration and environmental groups would use it as a cudgel to enact sweeping climate-change restrictions through the U.S. court system.
“The question is, will the Biden administration then use it as the legal justification for another round of very economically and very costly damaging regulations? And it seems to me that they will,” Mr. Ebell said. “They’ll go to court and say, it’s true Congress hasn’t passed a law to reduce emissions, but we’ve got this international agreement, and we’re a party to it and it requires us to keep our commitments, and therefore this is the way we propose to do it.”
Under the agreement, the U.S. agreed to reduce emissions by 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by 2025. That threshold had not been reached, even though the U.S. leads the world in reducing carbon-dioxide emissions, and the agreement requires a more ambitious commitment every five years.
Increasing the U.S. climate goal to, for example, a 50% emissions reduction by 2035 would require sweeping changes to the energy sector, which could include eliminating coal-fired power plants, replacing natural gas with renewables, and switching out gasoline-powered cars with electronic vehicles.
The Biden energy and climate plan also calls for an ambitious overhaul of the energy grid, but it’s one thing to enact such policies through the legislative process.
“That’s a huge change, and they’ll be attempting to do it on the basis of essentially an international agreement that doesn’t have the support of the U.S. Senate and consequently doesn’t have the support of the U.S. people,” Mr. Ebell said. “They won’t have any legislative authority, but they might try to get away with it because they’ve got this piece of paper called the Paris accord.”
• This article was based in part on wire service reports.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--2 escaped Tennessee prison inmates found in Florida

MEMPHIS , Tenn. ( AP ) - Two inmates who escaped a northwest Tennessee prison were found Sunday in Florida , authorities said .
Law enforcement officers arrested Robert Brown and Christopher Osteen in Pompano Beach , Florida , more than two days after they escaped from Northwest Correctional Complex in Lake County , Tennessee , the Tennessee Department of Correction said in a news release .
Further details about the arrests were not immediately released Sunday evening .
Authorities announced Brown ’ s arrest about an hour before they said Osteen was found .
Both men had been placed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s most wanted list .
Brown , 36 , is serving an 18-year sentence for aggravated rape and Osteen , 34 , is serving an eight-year sentence for burglary , authorities said .
They face additional charges stemming from their escape from the minimum security annex of the prison in Tiptonville , Tennessee , authorities said .
Tiptonville is about 1,070 miles ( 1,720 kilometers ) northwest of Pompano Beach .
After escaping Friday morning , Brown and Osteen kidnapped an employee of the highway department in Fulton County , Kentucky , from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the sheriff ’ s office in Henry County , Tennessee , reported on its Facebook page .
The employee and his department truck were later found in Henry County , the sheriff ’ s office said .
Early Saturday , deputies found a Henry County resident who had been tied up in his home by the escapees .
The sheriff ’ s office said the pair stole the resident ’ s red 2009 Chevrolet Silverado extended cab pickup truck , which was found Sunday in Florida .

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Two inmates who escaped a northwest Tennessee prison were found Sunday in Florida, authorities said.
Law enforcement officers arrested Robert Brown and Christopher Osteen in Pompano Beach, Florida, more than two days after they escaped from Northwest Correctional Complex in Lake County, Tennessee, the Tennessee Department of Correction said in a news release.
Further details about the arrests were not immediately released Sunday evening.
Authorities announced Brown’s arrest about an hour before they said Osteen was found. Both men had been placed on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s most wanted list.
Brown, 36, is serving an 18-year sentence for aggravated rape and Osteen, 34, is serving an eight-year sentence for burglary, authorities said. They face additional charges stemming from their escape from the minimum security annex of the prison in Tiptonville, Tennessee, authorities said.
Tiptonville is about 1,070 miles (1,720 kilometers) northwest of Pompano Beach.
After escaping Friday morning, Brown and Osteen kidnapped an employee of the highway department in Fulton County, Kentucky, from a boat ramp on the Mississippi River, the sheriff’s office in Henry County, Tennessee, reported on its Facebook page.
The employee and his department truck were later found in Henry County, the sheriff’s office said.
Early Saturday, deputies found a Henry County resident who had been tied up in his home by the escapees. The sheriff’s office said the pair stole the resident’s red 2009 Chevrolet Silverado extended cab pickup truck, which was found Sunday in Florida.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Trump voting fraud claims divide Republicans

President Trump ’ s unrelenting claims of election fraud have galvanized his base , cementing both a diehard belief in the illegitimacy of a Biden administration and the gaping fissure between Trump Republicans and the rest of the GOP .
The zeal of the “ Stop the Steal ” movement has not been dampened by a string of courtroom losses , by Mr. Trump castigating Republican governors who don ’ t help overturn their states ’ Nov. 3 results , or by the Electoral College vote set for Monday that will name Joseph R. Biden the next president .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but not all , ” said former Rep. Jim Renacci , Republican Party chairman in Ohio ’ s Medina County , which sits between Cleveland and Akron .
He described Ohio as illustrative of the rift in the GOP .
He said it was a “ Trump state ” rather than a Republican state .
“ Republicans overwhelmingly believe the election was not a free and fair election .
That will continue to be a problem for many in the Republican Party , ” he said .
“ In the end , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of President Trump ’ s policies .
It will also make it very difficult for Biden and the Democrats to get much if anything accomplished.
” In an interview aired Sunday , Mr. Trump said that Mr. Biden serving as an “ illegitimate president ” was a bigger concern than prolonged election challenges dividing Americans .
“ I worry about the country having an illegitimate president , that ’ s what I worry about , ” he said .
“ A president that lost and lost badly .
This wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Georgia .
We won Georgia big .
We won Pennsylvania big .
We won Wisconsin big .
We won it big.
” The results Mr. Trump disputes in those key states show him losing to Mr. Biden .
The margin of Mr. Biden ’ s wins ranged from 0.2 % or 11,770 votes in Georgia to 2.8 % or 154,188 votes in Michigan .
Mr. Trump refused to say whether he would show up for Mr. Biden ’ s inauguration on Jan. 20 .
A recent report in Axios said he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compete with the swearing-in ceremony .
“ I don ’ t want to talk about that .
I want to talk about this : we ’ ve done a great job .
I got more votes than any president in the history of our country … and they say we lost an election .
We didn ’ t lose , ” said Mr. Trump .
Putting a strain on his party , Mr. Trump accused Arizona Gov .
Doug Ducey and Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp , both Republicans , of complicity in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won Georgia by a lot .
We have a governor , Republican governor that ’ s worse than a Democrat .
He ’ s terrible , ” Mr. Trump said in the interview .
He previously called on voters to oust Mr. Kemp and Mr. Ducey , though they latter governor can not run for reelection due to Arizona term limits .
The election fraud charges also risk turning off Republican voters in Georgia ’ s two Senate runoff elections on Jan. 5 , which will determine which party controls the upper chamber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia are loath to pick sides between Mr. Trump and the governors .
The Washington Times asked more than a dozen state party leaders about it .
Just one responded .
“ Our focus is on the Jan. 5 runoff .
Brian Kemp is not up for reelection until 2022 , ” said Jason Shepherd , chairman of the Republican Party in Cobb County , Georgia .
Mr. Trump ’ s quest to overturn the Nov. 3 results suffered a major setback last week when the Supreme Court rejected a Texas lawsuit challenging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The justices rejected the case on procedural grounds , however , and did not address Texas ’ claims of election misconduct in Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin .
“ It ’ s not over .
We keep going , ” Mr. Trump declared .
The Texas suit also underscored Mr. Trump ’ s continued sway over Republican lawmakers .
More than 120 Republican House members signed on to the lawsuit .
The Trump legal team now is shifting focus to lower federal courts and state courts .
The president ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thousands of Trump supporters gathered for “ Stop the Steal ” rallies Saturday in Washington and other cities .
Doubts abound about the legitimacy of the Nov. 3 election .
About 68 % of Republicans and 36 % of voters overall believe the election was stolen by Mr. Biden .
An overwhelming 77 % of Trump supporters think he won , as do 26 % of independents and 10 % of Democrats , a recent Fox News poll found .
The distrust of the 2020 results is more pronounced than the suspicions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and was falsely accused of colluding with Russia to rig the election .
After the 2016 election , 27 % of Mrs. Clinton ’ s voters said they “ strongly ” felt Mr. Trump did not win legitimately , according to an ABC News-Washington Post at the time .
Back then , just 18 % of Americans overall said Mr. Trump ’ s win was illegitimate .
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise , Louisiana Republican , said voters deserve to have their concerns about election fraud answered .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of people who are still very frustrated and angry about what happened , that ’ s why you ’ ve got to have the whole system play out , ” he said on “ Fox News Sunday.
” “ There will be a president sworn in on Jan. 20 , but let ’ s let this legal process play itself out .
”

President Trump’s unrelenting claims of election fraud have galvanized his base, cementing both a diehard belief in the illegitimacy of a Biden administration and the gaping fissure between Trump Republicans and the rest of the GOP.
The zeal of the “Stop the Steal” movement has not been dampened by a string of courtroom losses, by Mr. Trump castigating Republican governors who don’t help overturn their states’ Nov. 3 results, or by the Electoral College vote set for Monday that will name Joseph R. Biden the next president.
“Trump’s fight is uniting many but not all,” said former Rep. Jim Renacci, Republican Party chairman in Ohio’s Medina County, which sits between Cleveland and Akron.
He described Ohio as illustrative of the rift in the GOP. He said it was a “Trump state” rather than a Republican state.
“Republicans overwhelmingly believe the election was not a free and fair election. That will continue to be a problem for many in the Republican Party,” he said. “In the end, the party will be stronger by uniting around many of President Trump’s policies. It will also make it very difficult for Biden and the Democrats to get much if anything accomplished.”
In an interview aired Sunday, Mr. Trump said that Mr. Biden serving as an “illegitimate president” was a bigger concern than prolonged election challenges dividing Americans.
SEE ALSO: Trump labels a Biden presidency ‘illegitimate’
“I worry about the country having an illegitimate president, that’s what I worry about,” he said. “A president that lost and lost badly. This wasn’t like a close election. You look at Georgia. We won Georgia big. We won Pennsylvania big. We won Wisconsin big. We won it big.”
The results Mr. Trump disputes in those key states show him losing to Mr. Biden. The margin of Mr. Biden’s wins ranged from 0.2% or 11,770 votes in Georgia to 2.8% or 154,188 votes in Michigan.
Mr. Trump refused to say whether he would show up for Mr. Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20. A recent report in Axios said he was considering hosting a rally in Florida to compete with the swearing-in ceremony.
“I don’t want to talk about that. I want to talk about this: we’ve done a great job. I got more votes than any president in the history of our country … and they say we lost an election. We didn’t lose,” said Mr. Trump.
Putting a strain on his party, Mr. Trump accused Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, both Republicans, of complicity in the alleged election fixing.
“We won Georgia by a lot. We have a governor, Republican governor that’s worse than a Democrat. He’s terrible,” Mr. Trump said in the interview.
He previously called on voters to oust Mr. Kemp and Mr. Ducey, though they latter governor cannot run for reelection due to Arizona term limits.
The election fraud charges also risk turning off Republican voters in Georgia’s two Senate runoff elections on Jan. 5, which will determine which party controls the upper chamber.
Republican Party leaders in Arizona and Georgia are loath to pick sides between Mr. Trump and the governors. The Washington Times asked more than a dozen state party leaders about it. Just one responded.
“Our focus is on the Jan. 5 runoff. Brian Kemp is not up for reelection until 2022,” said Jason Shepherd, chairman of the Republican Party in Cobb County, Georgia.
Mr. Trump’s quest to overturn the Nov. 3 results suffered a major setback last week when the Supreme Court rejected a Texas lawsuit challenging the election results in four states.
The justices rejected the case on procedural grounds, however, and did not address Texas’ claims of election misconduct in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
“It’s not over. We keep going,” Mr. Trump declared.
The Texas suit also underscored Mr. Trump’s continued sway over Republican lawmakers. More than 120 Republican House members signed on to the lawsuit.
The Trump legal team now is shifting focus to lower federal courts and state courts.
The president’s fans are cheering on the effort. Thousands of Trump supporters gathered for “Stop the Steal” rallies Saturday in Washington and other cities.
Doubts abound about the legitimacy of the Nov. 3 election.
About 68% of Republicans and 36% of voters overall believe the election was stolen by Mr. Biden. An overwhelming 77% of Trump supporters think he won, as do 26% of independents and 10% of Democrats, a recent Fox News poll found.
The distrust of the 2020 results is more pronounced than the suspicions in 2016 when Mr. Trump unexpectedly beat Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and was falsely accused of colluding with Russia to rig the election.
After the 2016 election, 27% of Mrs. Clinton’s voters said they “strongly” felt Mr. Trump did not win legitimately, according to an ABC News-Washington Post at the time.
Back then, just 18% of Americans overall said Mr. Trump’s win was illegitimate.
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, Louisiana Republican, said voters deserve to have their concerns about election fraud answered.
“If you want to restore trust by millions of people who are still very frustrated and angry about what happened, that’s why you’ve got to have the whole system play out,” he said on “Fox News Sunday.” “There will be a president sworn in on Jan. 20, but let’s let this legal process play itself out.”
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.