washingtontimes--2020-12-14--World shares trend higher ahead of talks on Brexit, stimulus

Shares advanced in world markets on Monday as investors watched for developments in Britain ’ s trade talks with the European Union and on a new round of aid for American businesses and workers .
The EU ’ s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said Monday he believes a Brexit trade agreement is possible now that remaining disputes have been whittled down to just two .
Britain ’ s FTSE 100 edged 0.1 % higher to 6,553.91 , while the CAC 40 in Paris gained 0.9 % to 5,555.20 .
Germany ’ s DAX picked up 0.8 % to 13,225.65 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the future for the S & P ; 500 up 0.5 % and the Dow future 0.7 % higher .
Barnier said that the nine-month negotiations had come down to finding settlements on fair-competition rules and fishing rights .
Both sides are teetering on the brink of a no-deal Brexit departure .
They have committed to a final push ahead of Jan. 1 , when a transitional period following Britain ’ s Jan. 31 departure from the bloc is to end .
Earlier Monday , the quarterly “ tankan ” survey by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has improved sharply with expectations for a recovery from a year-long recession .
The main measure of business conditions of large manufacturers rose to minus 10 from minus 27 .
Although still in negative territory , it was a marked improvement from the past several quarterly reports as Japan battled the coronavirus pandemic .
The tankan measures corporate sentiment by subtracting the number of companies saying business conditions are negative from those responding they are positive .
Japan ’ s Nikkei 225 index added 0.3 % to 26,732.44 .
In Hong Kong , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 26,389.52 .
The Shanghai Composite index rose 0.7 % to 3,369.12 and South Korea ’ s Kospi fell 0.3 % to 2,762.20 .
Australia ’ s S & P ; /ASX 200 gained 0.3 % to 6,660.20 .
U.S. markets ended last week on a downbeat note .
Benchmarks pulled further away from their recent highs Friday as prospects for another aid package from Washington faded , while a surge in virus cases is threatening to inflict more damage on an already battered economy .
The proposed $ 900 billion aid package from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collapsed because of continued partisan bickering .
But there were reports that talks may continue on Monday after President Donald Trump signed a temporary government-wide funding bill into law , averting a federal shutdown at midnight and buying Congress time for the on-again , off-again negotiations on COVID-19 aid .
“ Given these talks have been running since July , the market may be bored to tears , but if the stimulus door slam shut before Christmas , it could still change the positive vaccine mood music , ” Stephen Innes of Axi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & P ; 500 slipped 0.1 % to 3,663.46 on Friday , its third-straight decline since it set a record high on Tuesday .
It ended the week 1 % lower after two weeks of solid gains .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2 % to 30,046.37 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.2 % to 12,377.87 .
The Russell 2000 small-cap index gave up 0.6 % to 1,911.70 .
Treasury yields fell broadly , a signal that traders were seeking to lessen their exposure to riskier holdings .
On Monday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 0.91 % , up from 0.89 % on Friday .
Investors are watching for updates on the rollout of coronavirus vaccines that might help beat back surging infections that threaten to derail recoveries from business shutdowns and other pandemic-related shocks .
The first of many freezer-packed COVID-19 vaccine vials made their way to distribution sites across the United States on Sunday , as the nation ’ s pandemic deaths approached the horrifying new milestone of 300,000 .
Widespread vaccination will take months and the virus pandemic is prompting tighter restrictions on businesses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be stalling in the wake of the latest surge and unemployment is rising .
Wall Street is also waiting for a special election in Georgia in early January , which could potentially switch the balance of power in the U.S. Senate .
In other trading , benchmark U.S. crude oil gained 56 cents to $ 47.13 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange .
It lost 11 cents to $ 46.57 per barrel on Friday .
Brent crude , the international standard , picked up 63 cents to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 103.86 Japanese yen from 104.03 yen late Friday .
The euro rose to $ 1.2148 from $ 1.2115 .

Asian shares sank on Tuesday after a lackluster day on Wall Street as investors wait to see if Congress can break a logjam on delivering more aid to people, businesses and local governments affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell after Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced a suspension of a travel promotion program that has helped businesses but also is thought to have helped spark a resurgence of coronavirus outbreaks.
The program was suspended from Dec. 28-Jan. 11, basically the entire New Year rush period, when most families head out on holidays or back to their hometowns. The Go To Travel program and another dubbed Go To Eat mainly provided steep discounts on hotel rooms and meals and has helped cushion the blow from the loss of nearly all inbound foreign tourism due to pandemic-related controls and concerns.
Also Tuesday, China’s government announced a raft of monthly statistics showing retail sales, industrial output and investments in factory equipment and other fixed assets rose as expected in November. However, the Shanghai Composite index declined 0.4% to 3,356.11.
Other regional benchmarks also tracked Wall Street’s retreat. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.5% to 26,252.50 and the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo gave up 0.3% to 26,648.83. South Korea’s Kospi lost 0.5% to 2,750.85 while the S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.4% to 6,635.00.
Extending its pullback from recent months of gains, the S&P 500 fell 0.4% to 3,647.49 on Monday after having gained 0.9% earlier in the session. It was its fourth straight decline, the first since September. Losses in the financial, industrial and health care sectors led the retreat, outweighing gains by technology stocks and companies that rely on consumer spending.
Treasury yields were mostly higher, a sign of optimism in the economy. However, on Tuesday the yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 0.89% from 0.90% late Monday.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.6% to 29,861.55. The Nasdaq rose 0.5% to 12,440.04. Smaller companies held up better than their larger rivals, as the Russell 2000 index gained 2.16 points, or 0.1%, to 1,913.86.
Americans began receiving the country’s first vaccinations against COVID-19 on Monday, a process that’s expected to take months.
Health care workers and nursing home residents are first in line for the shots, and the hope is that a wider rollout next year will help curb the pandemic and pull the economy back toward normal following the devastation of this year.
Surging coronavirus counts are slowing the economy’s momentum, seen last week in a worse-than-expected report on joblessness. Rising deaths are prompting governments to restore varying restrictions on companies. They’re also scaring potential customers away from businesses.
Efforts to deliver another round of financial support for the U.S. economy have been stalled by bitter partisanship. Top Washington negotiators continued to reach for a long-delayed agreement on COVID-19 relief on Monday, but rank-and-file Democrats appeared increasingly resigned to having to drop, for now, a scaled-back demand for fiscal relief for states and local governments whose budgets have been thrown out of balance by the pandemic.
“Again, it feels like we are stuck in the negative feedback loop,” Stephen Innes of Axi said in a commentary. “Unless policymakers overdeliver on market expectations, especially at this time of year when our risk-taking proclivities give way to profit-taking, it seems virus-related economic restrictions will never cease to weigh as the market (continues) to straddle that fence between hope and reality.”
Even without another round of stimulus, investors are facing a robust environment heading into next year that includes low inflation and ultra-low interest rates.
Meanwhile, Hopes have risen for progress on a potential deal on the terms of the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union.
The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said Monday he believes a trade agreement is possible following nine months of negotiations, now that remaining disputes have been whittled down to just two. Both sides are still teetering on the brink of a no-deal departure, though. They have committed to a final push ahead of Jan. 1, when a transitional period following Britain’s Jan. 31 departure from the bloc is to end.
In other trading, benchmark U.S. crude oil shed 23 cents to $46.76 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It gained 42 cents to $46.99 per barrel on Monday.
Brent crude, the international standard, gave up 16 cents to $50.13 per barrel.
The U.S. dollar rose to 104.07 Japanese yen from 104.06 yen late Monday. The euro strengthened to $1.2162 from $1.2145.
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AP Business Writers Stan Choe, Alex Veiga and Damian J. Troise contributed.
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washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Kentucky doctor, wife sentenced in opioid sales scheme

LEXINGTON , Ky. ( AP ) - A Kentucky doctor has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Scotty Akers , 48 , of Pikeville , Kentucky , was sentenced last week @ @ @ @ @ .
He also was ordered to forfeit $ 12,275 .
Akers ’ wife , Serissa @ @ @ @ @ served as his office manager , was sentenced to two years and eight months in @ @ @ @ @ .
The defendants admitted to social media messaging applications to sell prescriptions for opioids .
@ @ @ @ @ , Serissa Akers exchanged prescriptions written by her husband for cash in parking lots around @ @ @ @ @ were performed .
Prosecutors said the illegal distribution came at a time when the defendants @ @ @ @ @ medical practice and occurred up until the time when Scotty Akers ‘ medical license was @ @

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - A Kentucky doctor has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for illegally distributing pain pills.
Dr. Scotty Akers, 48, of Pikeville, Kentucky, was sentenced last week in federal court in Lexington. He also was ordered to forfeit $12,275. Akers’ wife, Serissa Akers, 33, who served as his office manager, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison, news outlets reported.
The defendants admitted to social media messaging applications to sell prescriptions for opioids.
According to their plea agreements, Serissa Akers exchanged prescriptions written by her husband for cash in parking lots around Pikeville. No physical exams were performed.
Prosecutors said the illegal distribution came at a time when the defendants did not have a legitimate medical practice and occurred up until the time when Scotty Akers’ medical license was suspended.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--The Latest: Family doctors start offering vaccine in England

WASHINGTON - Dr. Moncef Slaoui , who is leading the government ’ s COVID-19 vaccine effort , said Monday he is “ as confident as we can be ” that the vaccine will get into the right hands and that if there are problems in the distribution and inoculation process , adjustments can be made quickly .
“ We have rehearsed , tested , did mock deliveries , every single step of the process in order to make sure we understand how it ’ s working , ” Slaoui told “ CBS This Morning.
” “ We also have made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being distributed over three days in order to make sure that if there are any adjustments we can make , we have an opportunity to make them.
” Slaoui said he was concerned about “ accidental loss of temperature control ” during the distribution process but added : “ The unknown and unpredictable may happen but we ’ re prepared to deal with that as quickly as we detect it.
” He said that by the middle of March , there will be enough vaccine to have inoculated 100 million Americans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of May or the middle of June most Americans should have access to the vaccines , he said .
- Tens of thousands of new child brides are being married off as their families struggle amid the pandemic ’ s economic fallout - German health chief criticizes EU regulator for moving too slowly to approve coronavirus vaccine - AP PHOTOS : Italian health workers still under enormous strain .
One says “ Christmas I will be here .
Just like I had Easter here , just like August here , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on bats for clues to prevent next pandemic HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : LONDON - Local officials in London have advised some schools to close and move to online learning as coronavirus cases rise rapidly in the British capital .
The advice from officials in north London ’ s Islington borough and southeast London ’ s Greenwich came as the capital and its surrounding areas face being moved into the highest level of COVID-19 restrictions as early as Monday .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock is expected to update lawmakers later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among areas with the lowest regional infection rates in England .
But some areas in and around London have now become virus hotspots .
“ There is a serious and very worrying rise in coronavirus across London , with cases doubling every few days , ” said Richard Watts , leader of Islington Council .
On Sunday , Greenwich officials said the borough was experiencing a period of “ exponential growth ” in cases , with infection rates now at their highest since March .
Mayor Sadiq Kahn has suggested that the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ London to shut early ahead of Christmas because of outbreaks among 10 to 19-year-olds .
LONDON - Family doctors in England are set to start COVID-19 inoculations this week , in the latest stage of the U.K. ’ s mass vaccination program .
The National Health Service said hundreds of general medical clinics across England are taking delivery of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine on Monday , and some will start offering the shots by the afternoon .
The majority , though , will begin on Tuesday , it said .
Priority will go to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as staff and residents of care homes .
Britain launched its vaccination program this month after becoming the first country to give emergency approval to the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine , and authorities plan to dispense 800,000 doses in the first phase .
Thousands of health service workers and vaccinators have already received the shot .
In Scotland , elderly residents of nursing homes are also due to start getting the vaccine on Monday , officials said over the weekend .
BERLIN - Germany ’ s health minister has expressed impatience Monday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its regulatory agency to approve a coronavirus vaccine , while other officials urged Germans to forgo Christmas shopping two days before a new hard lockdown will close schools and shut most stories .
Chancellor Angela Merkel and the governors of Germany ’ s 16 states agreed Sunday to step up the country ’ s lockdown measures beginning Wednesday and running to Jan. 10 to stop the exponential rise of COVID-19 cases .
Merkel said existing restrictions imposed in November failed to significantly reduce the number of new infections .
Germany has been hitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths in recent weeks .
Health Minister Jens Spahn said in a series of tweets that Germany , which has built up more than 400 vaccination centers and has activated about 10,000 doctors and medical staff to start mass vaccinations as early as Tuesday , was hamstrung by the lack of regulatory approval .
The vaccine developed by Germany ’ s BioNTech and American drugmaker Pfizer has been authorized for use in Britain , the United States , Canada and other countries , but it ’ s still waiting for approval by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and can therefore not be used in Germany yet .
MADRID - Health Minister Salvador Illa says that vaccination against the coronavirus in Spain could begin on Jan. 4 or 5 following the approval of the first vaccine by European drug regulators .
The European Medicines Agency has set Dec. 29 as the deadline for ruling on the approval of the vaccine developed by Germany ’ s BioNTech and its U.S. partner Pfizer .
Speaking at an economy forum on Monday in Madrid , Illa said that the country has logistics ready for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Spanish government has pledged to purchase 80 million vaccines in 140 million doses , enough to more than cover its 47 million population .
Herd immunity could be achieved by the end of the summer , Illa said Sunday in an interview published by the Público news website .
New cases rose again in several of Spain ’ s 19 regions and autonomous cities over the weekend , offsetting some of the gains of the past few weeks , when the rate of contagion slowed down .
Spain has officially confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 47,624 deaths .
VILNIUS , Lithuania - The government in Lithuania has extended a nationwide quarantine until Jan. 31 and tightened existing lockdown measures as it tries to flatten a spike that has continued to grow despite earlier actions .
Virtually all stores , except food shops , pharmacies , veterinary clinics and opticians , are to be closed as of Wednesday in this Baltic state of almost 3 million .
Also , people will be allowed to leave their homes only for legitimate reasons , travels between regions will be prohibited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go for walks only in open spaces within their municipality .
Lithuania has reported nearly 95,000 cases and 825 deaths .
With 1,188 cases per 100,000 in a 14-day period , it ranks among the countries with the highest infections number per capita in the European Union .
JOHANNESBURG - The government of Eswatini has announced on Twitter that Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini has died after testing positive for COVID-19 .
The 52-year-old Dlamini , who had been prime minister since 2018 , announced in November that he had tested positive for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital in neighboring South Africa .
The Eswatini government said he died on Sunday afternoon .
Eswatini , formerly known as Swaziland , is a small mountain kingdom northeast of South Africa .
It has recorded almost 7,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 127 deaths .
South Africa is experiencing a resurgence of COVID-19 and President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to address the nation Monday evening on the country ’ s response .
BERLIN - German pharmaceutical company CureVac says it has enrolled the first participant in the phase 3 clinical study of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company says the study is expected to include more than 35,000 participants at sites in Europe and Latin America .
“ With the start of the pivotal Phase 2b/3 study , we have reached another important milestone in the development of our vaccine candidate , CVnCoV , ” Franz-Werner Haas , the CEO of CureVac , said in a statement Monday .
The company expects first results of its phase 3 study by the end of March .
CureVac began development of its mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate last January .
Earlier studies showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generally well tolerated across all tested doses and induced strong antibody responses , ” the company wrote .
Another German company , BioNTech , helped develop the first vaccine approved for use in the United States , together with U.S. company Pfizer .
It is also based on mRNA technology .
SEOUL , South Korea - South Korea is opening dozens of free coronavirus testing sites in the greater Seoul area amid a surge in infections .
The 718 new cases reported by officials Monday took the country ’ s total to 43,484 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the new cases were found in the Seoul area , which has been at the center of the recent spike .
The number of new cases marked a drop from the 1,030 reported on Sunday , South Korea ’ s highest daily tally .
But observers say the lower figures were a result of fewer test taken over the weekend and that the country ’ s caseload is expected to surge again this week .
Starting on Monday , health authorities will open 150 virus testing centers in the Seoul area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 210 existing sites as part of efforts to slow down the outbreak .
The new testing sites are scheduled to stay open for three weeks , and anyone can take a free coronavirus test .
WELLINGTON , New Zealand - New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the country plans to open a travel bubble with Australia in the first quarter of next year .
That would mean people traveling from Australia to New Zealand would no longer need to go into quarantine for two weeks upon arrival .
Australia is already letting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday comes two days after New Zealand said it planned a similar bubble with the Cook Islands .
The two arrangements would represent the first travel bubbles that New Zealand has agreed to since closing its borders when the coronavirus first hit earlier this year .
New Zealand has moved cautiously on restarting international travel after stamping out community spread of the virus .
Ardern says there are some remaining logistical issues to overcome , including how it would deal with a large influx of returning travelers in the case of another significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as some relief to families separated by the virus and to tourism operators , many of whom rely on visitors from Australia .
TORONTO - Canadian 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
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 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
More than 325,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine are on their way to California .
ROME - Italy on Sunday registered 484 confirmed COVID-19 deaths , one of its lowest daily death tolls in about a month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 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 .

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan has set a goal to vaccinate 60% of its population with a COVID-19 vaccine, or 15 million people, a health official said Tuesday.
Taiwan has signed an agreement with COVAX to purchase a COVID-19 vaccine, but is also actively in talks with vaccine companies who have candidates in phase 3 trials for a potential bilateral agreement as well, said Jing-Hui Yang, a deputy director at the Central Epidemic Command Center. COVAX, a global plan to distribute vaccines equally, has not yet started sending out shipments of vaccines.
The island will prioritize frontline health workers and essential personnel to receive the vaccine first, Yang said. Later on, the immunization campaign will target the elderly as well as those who have existing chronic illnesses.
Officials expect the vaccines to arrive early next year. Still, an immunization campaign will take time, and will not be finished in just a month or two, Yang warned.
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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:
- COVID-19 vaccine shipments begin in historic US effort
- Tens of thousands of new child brides are being married off as their families struggle amid the pandemic’s economic fallout
- London and nearby areas will be placed under the highest level of restrictions starting Wednesday
- AP PHOTOS: Italian health workers still under enormous strain. One says “Christmas I will be here. Just like I had Easter here, just like August here, just like every day.”
- Scientists focus on bats for clues to prevent next pandemic
- After 110,000 virus deaths, U.S. nursing homes face vaccine fears
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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:
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has reported another new 880 cases of the coronavirus as it slipped deeper into its worst wave of the pandemic yet.
That brought the country’s caseload to 44,364 on Tuesday, which was the 38th consecutive day of triple-digit daily increases. More than 10,000 infections have been reported in the last 15 days alone, mostly from the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area where health workers are struggling to stem transmissions tied to various places, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, restaurants, churches and schools.
The death toll was at 600 after 13 COVID-19 patients died in the past 24 hours. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said 205 among 11,205 active patients were in serious or critical condition as fears grow over possible shortages in intensive-care units.
Critics say the country’s viral resurgence underscores the risk of encouraging economic activity when vaccines are at least months away. The government had lowered social distancing restrictions to the lowest tier in October out of concerns about sluggish growth rates despite experts warning of a viral surge during winter when people spend longer hours indoors.
The government restored some restrictions over the past weeks, such as shutting down nightclubs, halting in-person school classes and requiring restaurants to provide only deliveries and take-outs after 9 p.m.
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice became one of the first top elected officials in the country to receive a coronavirus shot on Monday evening, even though the state’s rollout is supposed to prioritize giving the highly sought-after vaccines to health care workers and people in long-term care centers.
The 69-year-old Republican governor said he wanted to demonstrate confidence in the vaccine’s safety.
“It’s as safe as can be,” Justice said at the statehouse room where he hosts regular news conferences. Wearing a mask, he received a jab in his right arm from a state pharmacy board official and promptly received an adhesive bandage - and a sticker. Four other top state officials, including the health officer and head of the National Guard, next rolled up their sleeves and also received shots live on camera.
“Don’t hesitate, you’ve got to get this vaccine,” Justice added.
Many other governors are waiting for health care workers, patients and emergency responders first.
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DES MOINES, Iowa - The state of Iowa is returning $21 million of federal coronavirus aid money it planned to spend on upgrading state information technology systems, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Monday.
Reynolds said in a statement she has directed the Iowa Department of Management to return the money to the state’s virus relief fund by Friday.
The funds were initially allocated for payments related to the state’s contract with Workday, a cloud-based human resources, finance, and planning system being implemented to modernize the state’s IT infrastructure. Of the allocation, $4.45 million had already been spent.
Reynolds said U.S. Treasury officials initially assured the state the Workday project was an allowable expense but has now determined the payments were not allowed expenditures under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
Reynolds said the state has spent all but $47.3 million of the $1.25 billion Iowa received from the federal virus relief fund, which must be allocated by Dec. 30.
She confirmed the money will be allocated by the deadline but said an extended deadline would be helpful to “allow time to use the funds to create additional programs and support other needs among Iowans.”
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CAIRO - Egypt on Monday reported its highest daily confirmed cases in months, with 511 new cases. The Health Ministry also added 23 fatalities to its death tally from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
The increase came amid repeated warnings by the government about a second wave in the pandemic. Authorities have been urging people to stick to preventive measures participle face masks and social distancing.
Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous country with more than 100 million people, has reported more than 122,086 confirmed cases, including 6,943 deaths.
However, the actual numbers of COVID-19 cases, like elsewhere in the world, are thought to be far higher, in part due to limited testing.
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OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma City emergency room nurse has become the first person in the state to be vaccinated with Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine.
Hannah White, 31, laughed before the vaccination and again afterward as she hugged the person who injected her at Integris Baptist Medical Center while showing no reaction as the needle entered her arm.
“I don’t have any burning at the site, I have no pain. I didn’t feel it,” White said, and encouraged others to receive the vaccination as they become eligible based on the state’s four-phase plan.
The first 33,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrived Monday in the state, according to state health commissioner Dr. Lance Frye.
The plan developed by the state health department calls for frontline healthcare workers to be the first vaccinated. Long-term care providers and residents, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and pharmacy staff who will administer the vaccine in long-term care facilities are also to be among the first inoculated.
White was the first of 10 Integris employees who each volunteered to receive the vaccine, said hospital CEO Timothy Pehrson. “
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Rep. Karen Bass of California, who previously worked in a hospital as a physician assistant, said the vaccine distribution should be concentrated in the areas that have been hardest hit by the pandemic.
“Let’s take Alabama, for example,” she told the AP on Monday. “It would be a travesty if in Alabama the vaccine were distributed equally. It needs to be distributed equitably, because you have extreme disproportionate infection and death rate in certain communities.”
Bass, who is Black, said its important for people to know that a Black woman scientist was central to the vaccine’s development.
“Having trusted messengers from community organizations, from the faith community, from the medical community talking to people in the African American community is the way to increase the utilization of the vaccine,” she said.
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WASHINGTON - Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Surgeon General Jerome Adams stressed the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness, while raising issues of social equity.
The officials spoke Monday at a George Washington University Hospital event Monday to launch the vaccination of health care workers in the nation’s capital.
Adams, who is Black, said it would be a tragedy if the disparate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color got worse because of hesitancy to get the vaccine. “We know that lack of trust is a major cause for reluctance, especially in communities of color,” said Adams.
Azar said the vaccines bring hope, but “all of that hope doesn’t matter if we don’t bridge to that point” where widespread vaccination puts and end to the pandemic. So he called on Americans to double down on practicing responsible behaviors such as avoiding travel and gatherings, maintaining social distance, wearing masks and washing their hands frequently.
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TORONTO - Canada has administered its first doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
Five front-line workers in Ontario are among the first Canadians to receive the vaccine at one of Toronto’s hospitals.
Three personal support workers, a registered nurse, and a registered practical nurse who work at the Rekai Centre nursing home are among the first to receive it.
Ontario received 6,000 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine Sunday night and plans to give them to about 2,500 health-care workers.
Residents of two long-term care homes Quebec will be the first to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in that province.
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PARIS - Restaurant and bar owners, hoteliers, waitresses, and other employers and workers from France’s world-famous catering and service industries have protested in Paris for the right to work again during the pandemic.
The government has indicated that restaurants and bars might be allowed to reopen from Jan. 20 if infections don’t surge anew.
But the economy minister said Monday that he couldn’t guarantee that that date would hold.
About 1,000 people protested in Paris, pleading for more financial aid and the right to reopen eateries and watering holes that have been forced to close to curb infections.
Among them, retired chef Michel Solignac fretted that the restaurant that he spent decades developing before handing it over to his son could go under if they can’t reopen soon.
“We have to cling on,” he said. “Psychologically, I don’t know how I would react if I was obliged to shut down. It really would hurt.”
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LONDON - Britain’s health secretary says London and surrounding areas will be placed under the highest level of coronavirus restrictions starting Wednesday as infections rise rapidly in the capital.
Matt Hancock said Monday that a new variant of the virus may be to blame. He added that the government must take swift action after seeing “very sharp, exponential rises” in Greater London and nearby Kent and Essex. He said that in some areas, cases are doubling every seven days.
He told lawmakers that the surge of COVID-19 cases in southern England may be associated with a new variant of coronavirus. He didn’t provide details about the virus variant, but stressed there was nothing to suggest it was more likely to cause serious disease, or that it wouldn’t respond to a vaccine.
“We’ve currently identified over 1,000 cases with this variant predominantly in the south of England although cases have been identified in nearly 60 different local authority areas,” he said. “And numbers are increasing rapidly.”
Hancock said officials are assessing the new strand of the virus, and that the World Health Organization has been notified.
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TAMPA, Fla. - A 31-year-old nurse at Tampa General Hospital rolled up her left shirt sleeve on Monday and became one of the first people in Florida to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The vaccination was held during a news conference at the hospital, with Gov. Ron DeSantis looking on. “This is a really, really significant milestone in terms of combatting the coronavirus pandemic,” he said of vaccinations getting underway in Florida.
Florida joined other states across the country to start administering the vaccination.
Earlier Monday, DeSantis and others watched as a FedEx truck pulled up to the hospital with the Pfizer vaccine, which was just approved by the FDA for emergency use last week. The governor signed for the shipment and watched as the vaccines were placed in a deep freeze storage unit, at a temperature of minus 79 degrees. The hospital received 3,900 vials on Monday. Each vial has five doses.
“This is 20,000 doses of hope,” said John Couris, president and chief executive officer, Tampa General Hospital. —- This entry has been corrected to show that the nurse in Tampa was among the first to be vaccinated in Florida, but not the first.
___
NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana administered its first coronavirus vaccines Monday at a New Orleans area hospital.
Workers at the facility who regularly encounter COVID-19 patients got the vaccine as Gov. John Bel Edwards watched the immunizations.
Dr. Leonardo Seoane, chief academic officer for Ochsner Health, was one of the first employees to get vaccinated. A Cuban American, Seoane called it “a privilege” and urged “all of my Hispanic brothers and sisters to do it. It’s OK.”
Louisiana’s first shipments of an estimated 39,000 Pfizer vaccines this week all will go directly to hospitals to administer. Other hospitals around Louisiana expect to receive their first doses later in the week. Edwards traveled to Jefferson Parish to see the vaccines being administered in person.
“Today is the beginning of the end because I just saw some shots going into arms here,” the Democratic governor said in the livestreamed video.
___
SAN DIEGO — A San Diego strip club is still open despite a vow from California’s attorney general vowing to take legal action if it does not close to comply with the state’s stay-at-home order that was issued earlier this month.
The lawyer for Pacers Showgirls International said Monday that a court order issued last month makes it clear the business is protected from restrictions issued by San Diego County and state officials.
A hearing in the case is scheduled for Wednesday. The judge is expected to decide whether the preliminary injunction the issued last month allowing two strip clubs to remain open extends to the new stay-at-home order.
___
NEW YORK - Coronavirus vaccinations have begun in New York.
A nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens got what Gov. Andrew Cuomo called the first shot given in the state’s campaign to vaccinate front line health care workers.
“I feel hopeful today. Relieved,” said critical care nurse Sandra Lindsay after getting a shot in the arm.
The head of the hospital system, Michael Dowling, stood over Lindsay as a doctor, Michelle Chester, administered the dose. Cuomo watched via a livestream.
All four applauded after the shot was given. “This is the light at the end of the tunnel. But it’s a long tunnel,” Cuomo said.
___
TOPEKA, Kan. - Kansas health care workers have begun receiving the first of the state’s coronavirus vaccines amid an ongoing fall surge in cases that has left hospitals stressed.
Spokeswoman Roz Hutchinson said Monday that five employees of the Via Christi Ascension health care system received shots at its St. Francis hospital in Wichita, including a critical care nurse, a housekeeper for a COVID-19 unit and a respiratory therapist.
___
BELGRADE, Serbia - Serbia has tightened border entry rules ahead of Christmas and New Year holidays fearing further surge in new coronavirus infections when thousands arrive from abroad.
Epidemiologists said Monday that starting next week foreign citizens coming to Serbia will need a negative test for the virus while Serbia’s citizens will have to self-isolate for ten days upon arrival or provide the negative test.
The measure aims to prevent additional rise in infections in the Balkan country whose health system is already suffering under the burden of thousands of daily new cases.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Ex-Kentucky teacher sentenced to 30 years for child porn

LEXINGTON , Ky. ( AP ) - A former Kentucky teacher was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for @ @ @ @ @ child pornography .
Larry Dale Foley Jr. , 49 , of Berea , was sentenced @ @ @ @ @ in Lexington , news outlets reported .
Based on a tip to the National Center @ @ @ @ @ , law enforcement officers seized electronic devices at Foley ’ s home that contained child @ @ @ @ @ records .
In his September guilty plea , Foley admitted to knowing the images and @ @ @ @ @ minor were shared by computer and cell phone .
Prosecutors said none of the images @ @ @ @ @ ’ s former students .

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - A former Kentucky teacher was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for his guilty plea to producing child pornography.
Larry Dale Foley Jr., 49, of Berea, was sentenced last week in federal court in Lexington, news outlets reported.
Based on a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, law enforcement officers seized electronic devices at Foley’s home that contained child pornography, according to court records.
In his September guilty plea, Foley admitted to knowing the images and videos he created with a minor were shared by computer and cell phone.
Prosecutors said none of the images seized involved any of Foley’s former students.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--This Week: Industrial production, retail sales, FedEx earns

A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week : The Federal Reserve issues its November snapshot of U.S. industrial production Tuesday .
Industrial production rose 1.1 % in October , recovering much of the spring decline caused by the coronavirus , but production remains below pre-pandemic levels .
Industrial production is expected to have increased at a far slower 0.3 % pace last month .
Economists say future gains will depend largely on how the U.S. handles a third surge of infections , and whether it can deliver more financial aid for Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retail sales growth has slowed since May ’ s rebound from a spring slump .
Retail sales grew a sluggish 0.3 % in October , even as retailers offered early holiday season discounts online and in stores .
Economists project that retail sales fell last month by 0.4 % .
The slowdown follows a surge in coronavirus infections nationwide , which have prompted some state and local governments to impose limits on businesses .
The Commerce Department delivers its November retail sales figures Wednesday .
Wall Street expects another solid quarterly report card @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivery giant will report Thursday that its fiscal second-quarter earnings and revenue increased from a year earlier .
That would echo its results in the first quarter .
FedEx has benefited from the surge in online shopping as customers avoid stores due to the pandemic .
Investors will be listening for an update on how the company ’ s holiday shopping season shipping volumes are faring .

A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week:
MANUFACTURING BELLWETHER
The Federal Reserve issues its November snapshot of U.S. industrial production Tuesday.
Industrial production rose 1.1% in October, recovering much of the spring decline caused by the coronavirus, but production remains below pre-pandemic levels. Industrial production is expected to have increased at a far slower 0.3% pace last month. Economists say future gains will depend largely on how the U.S. handles a third surge of infections, and whether it can deliver more financial aid for Americans and businesses.
Industrial production, monthly percent change, seasonally adjusted:
June 6.0
July 4.3
Aug. 0.7
Sept. -0.4
Oct. 1.1
Nov. (est.) 0.3
Source: FactSet
SIZING UP RETAIL SALES
The pace of U.S. retail sales growth has slowed since May’s rebound from a spring slump.
Retail sales grew a sluggish 0.3% in October, even as retailers offered early holiday season discounts online and in stores. Economists project that retail sales fell last month by 0.4%. The slowdown follows a surge in coronavirus infections nationwide, which have prompted some state and local governments to impose limits on businesses. The Commerce Department delivers its November retail sales figures Wednesday.
Retail sales, monthly percent change, seasonally adjusted:
June 8.6
July 1.1
Aug. 1.4
Sept. 1.6
Oct. 0.3
Nov. (est.) -0.4
Source: FactSet
READY TO DELIVER?
Wall Street expects another solid quarterly report card from FedEx.
Analysts predict the package delivery giant will report Thursday that its fiscal second-quarter earnings and revenue increased from a year earlier. That would echo its results in the first quarter. FedEx has benefited from the surge in online shopping as customers avoid stores due to the pandemic. Investors will be listening for an update on how the company’s holiday shopping season shipping volumes are faring.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Azerbaijan: Mine blast in ceded region kills 1, wounds 2

MOSCOW ( AP ) - Azerbaijani authorities say one person was killed and two injured when an anti-personnel mine exploded in a region ceded to Azerbaijan under a peace deal with Armenia that ended recent fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh .
Law enforcement officials said the blast occurred Sunday in the Shahbulag village of the Aghdam region , which Azerbaijan regained control of last month .
Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since the war ended in 1994 .
A number of regions around it , including Aghdam , had also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days of fighting that began in late September and left more than 5,600 people killed on both sides , the Azerbaijani army pushed deep into Nagorno-Karabakh , forcing Armenia to accept a peace deal last month that saw Azerbaijan reclaim much of the separatist region along with surrounding areas .
The peace agreement was celebrated in Azerbaijan as a major triumph , and last week a massive military parade was held in Baku to mark it .
In Armenia , the truce sparked outrage and mass protests , with thousands regularly taking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country ’ s prime minister over his handling of the conflict .
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has defended the deal as a painful but necessary move that prevented Azerbaijan from overrunning the entire Nagorno-Karabakh region .
On Monday , Pashinyan announced a three-day mourning starting from Saturday to honor the victims of the fighting .

MOSCOW (AP) - Azerbaijani authorities say one person was killed and two injured when an anti-personnel mine exploded in a region ceded to Azerbaijan under a peace deal with Armenia that ended recent fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Law enforcement officials said the blast occurred Sunday in the Shahbulag village of the Aghdam region, which Azerbaijan regained control of last month.
Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since the war ended in 1994. A number of regions around it, including Aghdam, had also been in Armenian hands.
In 44 days of fighting that began in late September and left more than 5,600 people killed on both sides, the Azerbaijani army pushed deep into Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing Armenia to accept a peace deal last month that saw Azerbaijan reclaim much of the separatist region along with surrounding areas.
The peace agreement was celebrated in Azerbaijan as a major triumph, and last week a massive military parade was held in Baku to mark it. In Armenia, the truce sparked outrage and mass protests, with thousands regularly taking to the streets to demand the ouster of the country’s prime minister over his handling of the conflict.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has defended the deal as a painful but necessary move that prevented Azerbaijan from overrunning the entire Nagorno-Karabakh region.
On Monday, Pashinyan announced a three-day mourning starting from Saturday to honor the victims of the fighting.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Vermont police: Wrong-way interstate driver causes crashes

DUMMERSTON , Vt. ( AP ) - Multiple people were injured in a series of crashes cased caused by a @ @ @ @ @ in Dummerston , Vermont State Police said .
Police received a report of a southbound @ @ @ @ @ at about 5:40 p.m. Sunday .
A state trooper encountered the wrong-way driver and was @ @ @ @ @ .
The trooper turned around to pursue the vehicle .
A short time later , @ @ @ @ @ with a northbound van , causing the van to strike a third vehicle .
Two @ @ @ @ @ road while taking evasive action .
The driver of the wrong-way vehicle and three occupants @ @ @ @ @ to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital .
The fourth occupant of the van was flown to Dartmouth-Hitchcock @ @ @ @ @ patient was reported to be in stable condition .

DUMMERSTON, Vt. (AP) - Multiple people were injured in a series of crashes caused by a wrong-way driver on Interstate 91 in Dummerston, Vermont State Police said.
Police received a report of a southbound vehicle in the northbound lane at about 5:40 p.m. Sunday. A state trooper encountered the wrong-way driver and was sideswiped by the pickup truck. The trooper turned around to pursue the vehicle.
A short time later, the pickup truck collided head-on with a northbound van, causing the van to strike a third vehicle. Two other vehicles went off the road while taking evasive action.
The driver of the wrong-way vehicle and three occupants of the van were taken to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital.
The fourth occupant of the van was flown to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, where the patient was reported to be in stable condition.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Biden electors to convene for vote in Pennsylvania's capital

HARRISBURG , Pa. ( AP ) - Pennsylvania ’ s 20 members of the Electoral College will convene in a Harrisburg auditorium on Monday to vote for Democrat Joe Biden , whose win in the state last month helped propel him to victory in the 2020 presidential contest .
The electors are meeting in a building near the Capitol , as their assembly was moved from the state House floor and restrictions on guests have been added , prompted by the pandemic .
Similar meetings are being held across the country .
The Pennsylvania Electoral College ceremony begins at noon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes for Biden for president , the electors are then scheduled to vote for Kamala Harris for vice president .
It ’ s expected to take an hour or less .
The 20 Biden electors include county , city and statewide elected officials , among them Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti .
The state House Democratic whip , Jordan Harris , is an elector , along with labor leaders , an elections lawyer , former state Sen. Connie Williams and the chairwoman of the state Democratic Party , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a medical analyst from Lancaster and an elector for the first time , said Saturday she is particularly looking forward to voting for Harris .
“ I ’ m excited that it ’ s a good team , it ’ s like a very diverse team , ” she said .
“ But as a woman and a woman of color , of course I ’ m excited that Kamala Harris is going to be vice president.
” The electors ’ ballots will be forwarded to Congress , where they will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Pence on Jan. 6 .
Biden ’ s inauguration is Jan. 20 .
Trump loyalists could try to send their own electoral votes to Congress without the backing of any state authority or certification , and a Trump elector , Lou Barletta , said Saturday that is possible in Pennsylvania .
If that happens , under federal law , Congress must determine which electoral votes count .
Republican members of the U.S. House have indicated they will object to slates of Biden electors from Pennsylvania and other states on Jan. 6 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s electors , any senator must also sign paperwork formally objecting .
Unlike some other states , Pennsylvania has no law requiring electors to vote for the winner of the popular vote .
Pennsylvania , however , lets the winning candidate select the electors , and in recent weeks many of the Biden electors have flatly rejected any suggestion they might not vote for him .

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania on Monday cast its 20 electoral votes for Democrat Joe Biden, the native son whose win in the state last month cemented his victory over President Donald Trump.
The electors, primarily Democratic elected officials, also chose Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, as vice president. The 20 electors were socially distanced in a cavernous auditorium near the Capitol, meeting there instead of on the floor of the state House because of the pandemic.
Nancy Mills, president of the state’s Electoral College and state Democratic Party chairperson, noted it was Pennsylvania that put Biden, who grew up in Scranton, over the 270-vote threshold needed to claim the White House.
“We are the state that returned the dignity and honor to the United States of America,” she said.
The Electoral College meeting, normally a formality, drew extra attention this year because of the Trump campaign’s baseless claims of a rigged election and its fruitless legal machinations to try to get the results overturned.
Trump loyalists in Pennsylvania held a rival meeting in Harrisburg on Monday and cast what they described as a “conditional vote” for Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. The state Republican Party said the Trump electors met at the request of the campaign.
“We took this procedural vote to preserve any legal claims that may be presented going forward,” Bernie Comfort, Trump’s Pennsylvania chairperson, said in a statement. “This was in no way an effort to usurp or contest the will of the Pennsylvania voters.”
Courts have roundly rejected the Trump campaign’s legal claims about the election, and the Trump electors’ votes were, in practical effect, ceremonial - they had no impact on Monday’s proceedings and were to be sent to Congress without the backing of any state authority or certification.
Former GOP Rep. Lou Barletta, who cast a rival ballot for Trump, acknowledged the effort to have Biden’s election overturned was an extraordinary long shot: “Unfortunately, time is not on the side of the president.” But he added: “It’s 2020. So anything can happen, right?”
The 20 Biden electors included county, city and statewide elected officials, among them Attorney General Josh Shapiro; Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti; Rep. Jordan Harris, the No. 2 Democrat in the state House; labor leaders; an elections lawyer; and a former state senator.
One by one, each elector walked up to the auditorium stage and dropped his or her ballot into a box. The electors gave the vote tally a standing ovation.
“You, today, carried out the will of the voters of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” the state’s top elections official, Kathy Boockvar, told the electors.
The Electoral College result was preordained after Biden carried Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes. The meeting lasted just over an hour and carried none of the drama of a presidential election whose outcome wasn’t known for days as officials sorted through millions of mailed ballots. Protesters stayed away.
Janet Diaz Temin, a medical analyst from Lancaster and a first-time elector, said ahead of the vote she was particularly looking forward to voting for Harris.
“I’m excited that it’s a good team, it’s like a very diverse team,” she said. “But as a woman and a woman of color, of course I’m excited that Kamala Harris is going to be vice president.”
The Biden electors’ ballots are to be forwarded to Congress, where they will be read into the record by Pence on Jan. 6. Biden’s inauguration is Jan. 20.
Republican members of the U.S. House have indicated they will object to slates of Biden electors from Pennsylvania and other states on Jan. 6. To force a two-hour debate on a state’s electors, any senator must also sign paperwork formally objecting.
Setting aside a state’s electoral votes requires a majority vote in both chambers - something that is also extraordinarily unlikely.
Unlike some other states, Pennsylvania has no law requiring electors to choose the winner of the popular vote. Pennsylvania, however, lets the winning candidate select the electors, and many of the Biden electors had flatly rejected any suggestion they might not vote for him.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Japan space agency confirms asteroid soil inside capsule

TOKYO ( AP ) - Japan ’ s space agency said Monday it has confirmed the presence of black soil samples inside a capsule that the spacecraft Hayabusa2 brought back from a distant asteroid last week .
The pan-shaped capsule , 40 centimeters ( 15 inches ) in diameter , was dropped by Hayabusa2 from space onto a spot in a sparsely populated Australian desert on Dec. 6 .
It arrived in Japan last Tuesday for research that will hopefully provide insights into the origins of the solar system and life on Earth .
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unspecified amount of sandy black particles .
“ It ’ s obviously from Ryugu , ( asterisk ) the asteroid , JAXA said in a statement .
JAXA said it will continue an initial examination ahead of fuller studies of the samples later .
The samples were gathered from touchdowns that Hayabusa2 made last year on Ryugu , more than 300 million kilometers ( 190 million miles ) from Earth .
The landings were more difficult than expected because of the asteroid ’ s extremely rocky surface .
The first landing collected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the second from underground .
Each was stored separately .
Scientists are hoping the asteroid ’ s subsurface samples can provide information from billions of years ago unaffected by space radiation and other environmental factors .
JAXA scientists say they are particularly interested in organic materials in the samples to learn about how they were distributed in the solar system and if they are related to life on Earth .
Following studies in Japan for about a year , some of the samples will be shared with NASA and other international groups for @ @ @ @ @ @

TOKYO (AP) - Japan’s space agency said Monday it has confirmed the presence of black soil samples inside a capsule that the spacecraft Hayabusa2 brought back from a distant asteroid last week.
The pan-shaped capsule, 40 centimeters (15 inches) in diameter, was dropped by Hayabusa2 from space onto a spot in a sparsely populated Australian desert on Dec. 6. It arrived in Japan last Tuesday for research that will hopefully provide insights into the origins of the solar system and life on Earth.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said its scientists opened the capsule and found an unspecified amount of sandy black particles.
“It’s obviously from Ryugu,(asterisk) the asteroid, JAXA said in a statement.
JAXA said it will continue an initial examination ahead of fuller studies of the samples later.
The samples were gathered from touchdowns that Hayabusa2 made last year on Ryugu, more than 300 million kilometers (190 million miles) from Earth. The landings were more difficult than expected because of the asteroid’s extremely rocky surface.
The first landing collected samples from Ryugu’s surface and the second from underground. Each was stored separately.
Scientists are hoping the asteroid’s subsurface samples can provide information from billions of years ago unaffected by space radiation and other environmental factors. JAXA scientists say they are particularly interested in organic materials in the samples to learn about how they were distributed in the solar system and if they are related to life on Earth.
Following studies in Japan for about a year, some of the samples will be shared with NASA and other international groups for additional research beginning in 2022.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Retired Alabama Supreme Court Justice Hugh Maddox dies

MONTGOMERY , Ala. ( AP ) - A longtime member of the Alabama Supreme Court , retired Associate Justice Hugh @ @ @ @ @ An obituary published by a funeral home said Maddox died Friday at his home in @ @ @ @ @ .
No cause of death was given .
Maddox , a native of Covington County @ @ @ @ @ the court in 1969 and then won five terms before retiring in 2001 because of @ @ @ @ @ age limit for judges .
He also was a legal advisor to three governors and @ @ @ @ @ the Air Force Reserve .
Maddox is survived by his wife of 62 years , @ @ @ @ @ two children .
A private graveside service is planned because of the coronavirus pandemic .

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - A longtime member of the Alabama Supreme Court, retired Associate Justice Hugh Maddox, has died.
An obituary published by a funeral home said Maddox died Friday at his home in Montgomery. He was 90. No cause of death was given.
Maddox, a native of Covington County, was first appointed to the court in 1969 and then won five terms before retiring in 2001 because of the state’s mandatory age limit for judges. He also was a legal advisor to three governors and retired as a colonel from the Air Force Reserve.
Maddox is survived by his wife of 62 years, Virginia Roberts Maddox, and two children. A private graveside service is planned because of the coronavirus pandemic.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Another low-intensity earthquake rattles Wichita on Sunday

WICHITA , Kan. ( AP ) - Another low-intensity earthquake has rattled Wichita - the ninth , geologists say , @ @ @ @ @ Geological Survey and the Kansas Geological Survey both reported at earthquake minutes before 11:30 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ reported .
The USGS recorded it as a 2.8 magnitude .
The KGS recorded it @ @ @ @ @ Officials said the epicenter of the weak quake was along East Killarney about a block @ @ @ @ @ were no immediate reports of injuries or damage from the quake .
Kansas Geological Survey @ @ @ @ @ a history of low-intensity earthquakes dating back 100 years .
The affected region is along @ @ @ @ @ Nemaha Ridge , where several faults exist .
Earthquakes have increased in Kansas since 2013 @ @ @ @ @ fracturing , became more common for oil and gas exploration .
Some researchers believe injection @ @ @ @ @ into underground wells contributes to the quakes .

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Another low-intensity earthquake has rattled Wichita - the ninth, geologists say, since Thanksgiving.
The U.S. Geological Survey and the Kansas Geological Survey both reported at earthquake minutes before 11:30 a.m. Sunday, the Wichita Eagle reported. The USGS recorded it as a 2.8 magnitude. The KGS recorded it as a 2.3 magnitude.
Officials said the epicenter of the weak quake was along East Killarney about a block east of Greenwich.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage from the quake.
Kansas Geological Survey officials say the area has a history of low-intensity earthquakes dating back 100 years. The affected region is along the western edge of the Nemaha Ridge, where several faults exist.
Earthquakes have increased in Kansas since 2013 when fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, became more common for oil and gas exploration. Some researchers believe injection of wastewater from the explorations into underground wells contributes to the quakes.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--2 Russians convicted of attack on man at Euro 2016 in France

PARIS ( AP ) - Two Russians on Monday were convicted of permanently disabling a British soccer supporter in southern France during the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament .
Spartak Moscow fan Pavel Kosov was sentenced to 10 years in prison , while Mikhail Ivkin was given a three-year sentence .
They had been on trial in the southern French port city of Marseille accused of “ gang violence with weapons , leading to permanent infirmity.
” They had been held in prison in France since March 2018 .
The pair attacked Andrew Bache , 55 , during the European Football @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harry represented him in court and faced his father ’ s alleged assailants .
Andrew ’ s lawyer , Olivier Rosato , said that the attack left his client severely disabled and he can no longer bear to return to Marseille .
“ It ’ s a decision that satisfies the family .
They wanted Kosov ’ s sentence to be severe because he was the first to punch Andrew , and from behind , causing him to smash his head on the ground , which was granite , ” Rosato told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have also been banned from returning to France after they have served their sentences .
Witnesses to the incident say they saw Bache being caught by hooligans , and receiving three or four violent blows to the head , including while he was floored .
The riots in Marseille ’ s Old Port district lasted for several days , both before and after a match between England and Russia .
Police fired tear gas and water cannons at rival fans who were rioting around the city , a largely unsuccessful attempt to rein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people injured .
Some fans walked through the city bare-chested and with blood dripping from head wounds .
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said at the time that “ once again , as over the last 30 years , an international football competition has been the scene of clashes between violent people claiming to be supporters of their national team .
”

PARIS (AP) - Two Russians on Monday were convicted of permanently disabling a British soccer supporter in southern France during the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament.
Spartak Moscow fan Pavel Kosov was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Mikhail Ivkin was given a three-year sentence. They had been on trial in the southern French port city of Marseille accused of “gang violence with weapons, leading to permanent infirmity.” They had been held in prison in France since March 2018.
The pair attacked Andrew Bache, 55, during the European Football Championships in June 2016. His son Harry represented him in court and faced his father’s alleged assailants. Andrew’s lawyer, Olivier Rosato, said that the attack left his client severely disabled and he can no longer bear to return to Marseille.
“It’s a decision that satisfies the family. They wanted Kosov’s sentence to be severe because he was the first to punch Andrew, and from behind, causing him to smash his head on the ground, which was granite, ” Rosato told the AP.
Rosato said that the two have also been banned from returning to France after they have served their sentences.
Witnesses to the incident say they saw Bache being caught by hooligans, and receiving three or four violent blows to the head, including while he was floored.
The riots in Marseille’s Old Port district lasted for several days, both before and after a match between England and Russia.
Police fired tear gas and water cannons at rival fans who were rioting around the city, a largely unsuccessful attempt to rein in violence that authorities said left several people injured. Some fans walked through the city bare-chested and with blood dripping from head wounds.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said at the time that “once again, as over the last 30 years, an international football competition has been the scene of clashes between violent people claiming to be supporters of their national team.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Telemundo anchor Edgardo Del Villar dies, battled cancer

NEWARK , N.J. ( AP ) - Anchor Edgardo Del Villar , 51 , has died after a two-year battle with brain cancer , Telemundo 47 announced Monday .
Del Villar died Sunday night at his Bergen County , New Jersey , home with his wife and daughter by his side , the station said .
Del Villar joined the Spanish language channel in 2017 after working for Telemundo Network in Miami .
The station said the native of Mexico “ had a large following in the Mexican community through more than twenty years in journalistic roles in Mexico and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in awe as he fought an incurable disease with remarkable resolve ; pushing himself to the limits , returning to the air throughout his treatment and remaining positive and upbeat through it all .
He was our inspiration and we loved him , ” said Cristina Schwarz , President and General Manager of Telemundo 47 .
Del Villar co-anchored the evening broadcasts of “ Noticiero 47 Telemundo ” with Darling Burdiez until August , when he left to focus fulltime on his health .
He is survived by his mother , siblings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter , Dana Princesa .

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - Anchor Edgardo Del Villar, 51, has died after a two-year battle with brain cancer, Telemundo 47 announced Monday.
Del Villar died Sunday night at his Bergen County, New Jersey, home with his wife and daughter by his side, the station said.
Del Villar joined the Spanish language channel in 2017 after working for Telemundo Network in Miami. The station said the native of Mexico “had a large following in the Mexican community through more than twenty years in journalistic roles in Mexico and the United States.”
“We stood in awe as he fought an incurable disease with remarkable resolve; pushing himself to the limits, returning to the air throughout his treatment and remaining positive and upbeat through it all. He was our inspiration and we loved him,” said Cristina Schwarz, President and General Manager of Telemundo 47.
Del Villar co-anchored the evening broadcasts of “Noticiero 47 Telemundo” with Darling Burdiez until August, when he left to focus full time on his health.
He is survived by his mother, siblings, his wife, Carolina, and his daughter, Dana Princesa.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Iran president says Israel was behind killing of scientist

TEHRAN , Iran ( AP ) - Iran ’ s President Hassan Rouhani on Monday claimed that Israel was behind the killing of a scientist who founded the Islamic Republic ’ s military nuclear program in the 2000s in an effort to start a war in the last days of President Trump ’ s administration .
Rouhani ’ s comments in a news conference marked the first time he has directly accused the Jewish state of carrying out the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh late last month .
Israel , long suspected of killing Iranian nuclear scientists over the last decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the attack .
“ Waging instability and war in the final days of the Trump administration was the main aim of the Zionist regime in the assassination , ” Rouhani said .
Rouhani vowed to avenge the killing but said his country will not allow Israel to decide the “ time or venue “ of any retaliatory action .
He said Iran will not allow instability in the region .
Fakhrizadeh headed Iran ’ s so-called AMAD program , which Israel and the West have alleged was a military operation looking at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The International Atomic Energy Agency says that “ structured program ” ended in 2003 .
U.S. intelligence agencies concurred with that assessment in a 2007 report .
After the killing of Fakhrizadeh , a top Iranian security official , Ali Shamkhani , accused Israel of using “ electronic devices ” to remotely kill the scientist .
Israel insists Iran still maintains the ambition of developing nuclear weapons , pointing to Tehran ’ s ballistic missile program and research into other technologies .
Iran long has maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful @ @

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani on Monday claimed that Israel was behind the killing of a scientist who founded the Islamic Republic’s military nuclear program in the 2000s in an effort to start a war in the last days of President Trump’s administration.
Rouhani’s comments in a news conference marked the first time he has directly accused the Jewish state of carrying out the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh late last month.
Israel, long suspected of killing Iranian nuclear scientists over the last decade, has repeatedly declined to comment on the attack.
“Waging instability and war in the final days of the Trump administration was the main aim of the Zionist regime in the assassination,” Rouhani said.
Rouhani vowed to avenge the killing but said his country will not allow Israel to decide the “time or venue“ of any retaliatory action. He said Iran will not allow instability in the region.
Fakhrizadeh headed Iran’s so-called AMAD program, which Israel and the West have alleged was a military operation looking at the feasibility of building a nuclear weapon. The International Atomic Energy Agency says that “structured program” ended in 2003. U.S. intelligence agencies concurred with that assessment in a 2007 report.
After the killing of Fakhrizadeh, a top Iranian security official, Ali Shamkhani, accused Israel of using “electronic devices” to remotely kill the scientist.
Israel insists Iran still maintains the ambition of developing nuclear weapons, pointing to Tehran’s ballistic missile program and research into other technologies. Iran long has maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Rouhani also referred Monday to the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, from which President Donald Trump removed the U.S. in 2018. “We believe the situation will be changed under the new U.S. administration,” he said.
President-elect Joe Biden has said the U.S. could potentially return to the nuclear deal.
In November, Elliott Abrams, the U.S. special representative for Iran, insisted that a pressure campaign of sanctions targeting Iran would continue into the Biden administration.
Abrams said sanctions targeting Iran for human rights violations, its ballistic missile program and its regional influence would remain in place.
“The missile program and regional issues have no link to the nuclear deal,” said Rouhani. “These are not matters of discussion, at all.”
Rouhani also said the reaction of the European Union to Saturday’s execution of Iranian journalist Ruhollah Zam, whose work helped inspire nationwide economic protests in 2017, was an “intervention” in Iran’s domestic affairs.
Iran on Sunday summoned the German and French envoys to Tehran after the European Union condemned Zam’s execution by hanging.
Rouhani said the case was handled according to Iranian law. “A court has reviewed the case and issued the verdict. We do act in the framework of our regulations.”
Rouhani said he thought it unlikely the case would harm Iran’s relations with Europe.
Zam, 47, had been imprisoned in Iran after Iranian authorities seized him while he was traveling in neighboring Iraq last year. He had been living in exile in France before that.
The German Foreign Ministry on Saturday expressed shock at the circumstances of Zam’s sentencing and what it described as his “abduction from abroad” and forced return to Iran.
“This is a barbarous and unacceptable act,” the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement, which condemned the hanging as a “grave blow” to freedom of speech in Iran.
On Monday, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet in a statement also condemned Zam’s execution. “His death sentence and execution by hanging are emblematic of a pattern of forced confessions extracted under torture.”
Zam’s website, AmadNews, and a channel he created on the popular messaging app Telegram had reported the timings of the 2017 protests and embarrassing information about officials that directly challenged Iran’s Shiite theocracy.
Zam is one of three opposition figures apparently detained in intelligence operations abroad in the last two years.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Idaho man arrested in Spokane Valley on sex crimes charges

SPOKANE VALLEY , Wash. ( AP ) - A 37-year-old Athol man was arrested by the U.S. Marshalls Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force on Friday night and charged with multiple sex crimes against minors .
The Coeur d ’ Alene Press reports Kenneth Bernard Kimberly III was arrested at the Clock Tower Village Apartments in Spokane Valley on two outstanding felony warrants issued by the State of Idaho , the U.S .
Marshals Service reported .
In August 2019 , the Bonner County District Court in Sandpoint issued a warrant for Kimberly stemming from the charges of lewd and lascivious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 16 .
In June , Kootenai County District Court in Coeur d ’ Alene issued a warrant for Kimberly on the charge lewd conduct with a minor with a deadly weapon .
Kimberly was in his late 20s at the time of the alleged sex crimes against minors ranging between 6 and 11 years old , the U.S .
Marshals Service reported .
Kimberly allegedly fled from Athol to Washington and assumed a new alias , the Marshals Service reported .
He allegedly lived with his girlfriend , Arin Johnson , 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance in the second degree .
It wasn ’ t immediately known if Kimberly had a lawyer .
The Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force in Coeur d ’ Alene is comprised of deputy U.S .
Marshals and investigators from the Coeur d ’ Alene Police Department , Post Falls Police Department , Idaho State Police and Kootenai County Prosecutor ’ s Office .

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. (AP) - A 37-year-old Athol man was arrested by the U.S. Marshalls Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force on Friday night and charged with multiple sex crimes against minors.
The Coeur d’Alene Press reports Kenneth Bernard Kimberly III was arrested at the Clock Tower Village Apartments in Spokane Valley on two outstanding felony warrants issued by the State of Idaho, the U.S. Marshals Service reported.
In August 2019, the Bonner County District Court in Sandpoint issued a warrant for Kimberly stemming from the charges of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under the age of 16.
In June, Kootenai County District Court in Coeur d’Alene issued a warrant for Kimberly on the charge lewd conduct with a minor with a deadly weapon.
Kimberly was in his late 20s at the time of the alleged sex crimes against minors ranging between 6 and 11 years old, the U.S. Marshals Service reported.
Kimberly allegedly fled from Athol to Washington and assumed a new alias, the Marshals Service reported. He allegedly lived with his girlfriend, Arin Johnson, 40, who was charged with rendering criminal assistance in the second degree.
It wasn’t immediately known if Kimberly had a lawyer.
The Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force in Coeur d’Alene is comprised of deputy U.S. Marshals and investigators from the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, Post Falls Police Department, Idaho State Police and Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Dutch leader expected to announce tough coronavirus lockdown

THE HAGUE , Netherlands ( AP ) - The Dutch prime minister is expected to impose a tough month-long coronavirus lockdown Monday night in a speech to the nation after infection rates in the Netherlands rose sharply despite a two-month “ partial lockdown.
” Dutch media , citing unnamed government sources , said Prime Minister Mark Rutte will likely order schools to close beginning Wednesday and shut non-essential shops and businesses such as hair salons , museums and theaters starting Tuesday until Jan. 19 .
The government did not immediately confirm the reports .
Bars and restaurants have been closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slowed high infection rates , but they have been rising again in recent days .
The 7-day rolling average of daily new cases in Netherlands has risen over the past two weeks from 29.22 new cases per 100,000 people on Nov. 29 to 47.47 per 100,000 people on Dec. 13 .
“ It ’ s serious .
It ’ s very serious , ” Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said Monday ahead of a Cabinet meeting to discuss action to rein in the spread of the virus .
“ We see the infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we see that hospital admissions are increasing again , the pressure on the health care sector remains high.
” Rutte ’ s speech Monday evening comes a day after neighboring Germany announced similar coronavirus restrictions in an attempt to reduce its stubbornly high infection rates .
Those measures also go well into January .
Some 10,000 people in the Netherlands are confirmed to have died of COVID-19 since the start of the outbreak .

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte imposed a tough new five-week nationwide lockdown Monday, saying schools, nonessential shops, museums and gyms will close down at midnight until Jan. 19.
“We have to bite through this very sour apple before things get better,” a somber Rutte said in a televised address to the nation.
As Rutte spoke from his office in The Hague, protesters could be heard blowing whistles outside.
“The reality is that this is is not an innocent flu as some people - like the demonstrators outside - think,” Rutte said. “But a virus that can hit everybody hard.”
From Tuesday, all non-essential shops will close until Jan. 19 along with businesses such as hair salons, museums and theaters. All schools and universities will have to switch to remote learning from Wednesday. Child daycare centers will be closed to all except children of key workers.
The government also urged people to receive a maximum of two guests over the age of 13 per day, but relaxed the rule slightly for Dec. 24-26, saying three people can visit on those normally festive days.
“We realize as a Cabinet how intense and drastic the measures we are taking today are,” Rutte said. “Especially so close to Christmas.”
As news of the looming lockdown leaked out before Rutte’s speech, many people keen to take their last chance at Christmas shopping flocked into city centers.
Lines formed Monday afternoon at shops, museums and even pot-selling coffee shops as people tried to beat the lockdown.
“It’s ridiculous at the moment,” said Bart van der Wal at the Tweede Kamer coffeeshop in a narrow alley near Amsterdam’s famous canals, where clients were lined up around the corner. “Everybody thinks the coffeeshops will be closed tomorrow.”
Van der Wal said he hoped coffeeshops would be allowed to stay open for takeout “because otherwise people will deal on the street.”
Bars and restaurants have been closed since mid-October, although many restaurants, cafes and coffeeshops have offered takeout sales. The partial lockdown initially slowed high infection rates, but they have been rising again in recent days.
The 7-day rolling average of daily new cases in Netherlands has risen over the past two weeks from 29.22 new cases per 100,000 people on Nov. 29 to 47.47 per 100,000 people on Dec. 13.
“It’s serious. It’s very serious,” Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said Monday ahead of a Cabinet meeting to discuss action to rein in the spread of the virus. “We see the infection numbers rising sharply in recent days, we see that hospital admissions are increasing again, the pressure on the health care sector remains high.”
Rutte’s speech Monday evening came a day after neighboring Germany announced similar coronavirus restrictions in an attempt to reduce its stubbornly high infection rates. Those measures also go well into January.
And earlier Monday, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that London and surrounding areas will be placed under the highest level of coronavirus restrictions from Wednesday in a bid to slow sharply rising infection rates.
Under Tier 3 restrictions, the toughest level in England’s three-tier system, people can’t socialize indoors and bars, pubs and restaurants must close except for takeout.
Around 10,000 people in the Netherlands are confirmed to have died of COVID-19 since the start of the outbreak.
Rutte said that with vaccinations starting in the new year, 2021 would be a year “of hope, of light at the end of the tunnel.”
___
Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--North Carolinians have been fishing and hunting more in 2020

WINSTON-SALEM , N.C. ( AP ) - State officials in North Carolinians say that hunting and fishing have increased this year .
The Winston-Salem Journal reported Sunday that license revenue from fishing , hunting and combination licenses rose more than 20 % in the past seven to eight months .
Vessel revenue was up more than 10 % .
That information comes from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission .
“ Without a shadow of doubt , I think we can attribute the increase in hunting and fishing as a direct result of COVID-19 and the situations that ensued , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land management biologist with WRC .
For instance , the spring turkey season shows a 28 % increase and set a new record of 23,431 birds , Thompson said .
Thompson said that layoffs , job loss and working and learning remotely has prompted many folks to turn to hunting and fishing as a way to stay active and cope .
“ For many , hunting and fishing was now something they had time to pursue .
The outdoors suddenly became a sanctuary for those wishing to remove themselves from the crowds and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he explained .

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) - State officials in North Carolinians say that hunting and fishing have increased this year.
The Winston-Salem Journal reported Sunday that license revenue from fishing, hunting and combination licenses rose more than 20% in the past seven to eight months. Vessel revenue was up more than 10%.
That information comes from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
“Without a shadow of doubt, I think we can attribute the increase in hunting and fishing as a direct result of COVID-19 and the situations that ensued,” said Paul Thompson, northern mountains land management biologist with WRC.
For instance, the spring turkey season shows a 28% increase and set a new record of 23,431 birds, Thompson said.
Thompson said that layoffs, job loss and working and learning remotely has prompted many folks to turn to hunting and fishing as a way to stay active and cope.
“For many, hunting and fishing was now something they had time to pursue. The outdoors suddenly became a sanctuary for those wishing to remove themselves from the crowds and the stresses of their current situation,” he explained.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Hospitals receive first doses of COVID-19 vaccine

PROVIDENCE , R.I. ( AP ) - The largest hospital operator in Rhode Island received its initial doses of a @ @ @ @ @ Lifespan said it received about 3,000 doses of Pfizer ’ s vaccine and will begin @ @ @ @ @ workers later Monday .
The organization said it would start with those at highest risk @ @ @ @ @ who have direct contact with coronavirus patients or infectious fluids or materials .
Lifespan said @ @ @ @ @ all employees over the next several months .
“ We are ready to quickly distribute @ @ @ @ @ months of battling this pandemic , we have powerful reasons for optimism that the end @ @ @ @ @ Timothy Babineau , the organization ’ s president and CEO , said .
Lifespan operates @ @ @ @ @ ’ s hospitals in Providence and Bradley Hospital in East Providence .
The U.S. Food @ @ @ @ @ emergency use authorization of Pfizer ’ s vaccine .

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A Providence hospital doctor became the first person in Rhode Island to receive a coronavirus vaccine on Monday.
Dr. Christian Arbelaez, a physician at Rhode Island Hospital, was the first in line for a shot of the vaccine developed by Pfizer.
He said he was “filled with adrenaline and happiness” and thankful for scientists who developed the medication.
“I’m excited for all of us to be able to return back to a normal life and see our loved ones,” Arbelaez told reporters.
Rhode Island Hospital was among a number of hospitals in the state that received shipments of the drug Monday, following emergency approval last week by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Lifespan, the hospital chain that oversees Rhode Island Hospital, said it received about 3,000 doses of Pfizer’s vaccine for use in its facilities.
The organization said it would start administering it to those at highest risk, including providers and staff who have direct contact with coronavirus patients or infectious fluids or materials.
Lifespan said its goal is to vaccinate all employees over the next several months.
“After long months of battling this pandemic, we have powerful reasons for optimism that the end is in sight,” Timothy Babineau, Lifespan’s president and CEO, said in part.
Five hospitals in the state will each receive 1,000 doses of the vaccine over Monday and Tuesday: Kent Hospital, Newport Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, Women & Infants Hospital and The Miriam Hospital, according to the state Department of Health.
Two doses of the drug will be needed for someone to be fully immunized. The health department said the second doses will start arriving in the state in about three weeks.
Rhode Island expects to receive about 10,000 doses of Pfizer’s vaccine the first week it is available. If Moderna’s vaccine receives emergency use authorization from the FDA, the state expects to receive about 19,000 doses the first week it is available.
Vaccines will arrive in the state in weekly allotments over the coming months.
A look at other virus-related developments in the state:
VIRUS CASES
Rhode Island health officials on Monday reported 46 additional COVID-19 deaths and more than 3,000 cases of COVID-19 over the last three days.
The state Department of Health also reported there were more than 400 people hospitalized with the virus as of Saturday, the most recent data available.
Rhode Island has recorded 1,555 deaths and more than 74,000 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic started.
The state’s seven-day rolling average of the positivity rate has risen over the past two weeks, from 7% on Nov. 29 to nearly 8% on Dec. 13.
Rhode Island’s seven-day rolling average of daily new cases has remained at about 850 over the past two weeks.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Police: Man shot to death in south Kansas City neighborhood

KANSAS CITY , Mo .
( AP ) - A man was shot to death in a south Kansas City @ @ @ @ @ .
The shooting happened along Cambridge Avenue around 5 p.m. Sunday , when several people @ @ @ @ @ gunfire during a disturbance on the street , police reported .
Arriving officers found a @ @ @ @ @ gunshot wounds who died at the scene .
Police did not immediately release the victim @ @ @ @ @ said an initial investigation showed that people in two vehicles exchanged gunfire , resulting in @ @ @ @ @ .
Police had not announced any arrests or suspects by Monday morning .
The death @ @ @ @ @ 177th homicide this year , compared with 145 homicides by the same time last year @ @ @ @ @ by the Kansas City Star .

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A man was shot to death in a south Kansas City neighborhood, police there said.
The shooting happened along Cambridge Avenue around 5 p.m. Sunday, when several people in the area reported hearing gunfire during a disturbance on the street, police reported. Arriving officers found a man inside a vehicle with gunshot wounds who died at the scene. Police did not immediately release the victim’s name.
Investigators said an initial investigation showed that people in two vehicles exchanged gunfire, resulting in the man’s death. Police had not announced any arrests or suspects by Monday morning.
The death marked the city’s 177th homicide this year, compared with 145 homicides by the same time last year, according to records kept by the Kansas City Star.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Police: 3 dead when 2 vehicles collide along I-94 in Detroit

DETROIT ( AP ) - Three people were killed early Monday when a car rear-ended an SUV at a high @ @ @ @ @ 94 in Detroit , state police said .
Troopers dispatched about 2 a.m. to the @ @ @ @ @ found that a Chevy Camaro had rear-ended a Mercury SUV that was also driving east @ @ @ @ @ said .
A 39-year-old man was driving the Camaro with a 38-year-old woman in the @ @ @ @ @ 61-year-old was driving the Mercury SUV .
All three were transported to a hospital and @ @ @ @ @ excessive speed and alcohol were believed to have been factors in the crash , which @ @ @ @ @ three hours .

DETROIT (AP) - Three people were killed early Monday when a car rear-ended an SUV at a high rate of speed along Interstate 94 in Detroit, state police said.
Troopers dispatched about 2 a.m. to the crash scene along eastbound I-94 found that a Chevy Camaro had rear-ended a Mercury SUV that was also driving east on the highway, police said.
A 39-year-old man was driving the Camaro with a 38-year-old woman in the passenger seat, while a 61-year-old was driving the Mercury SUV.
All three were transported to a hospital and pronounced dead.
Police said excessive speed and alcohol were believed to have been factors in the crash, which closed the freeway for about three hours.


washingtontimes--2020-12-14--Gmail, YouTube down briefly as Google suffers brief outage

NEW YORK ( AP ) — Google users in the U.S. , Europe , India and other parts of the world were briefly unable to access their Gmail accounts , watch YouTube videos or get to their online documents during an outage Monday .
Tens of thousands of complaints popped up around 7 a.m. Eastern along the East Coast of the U.S .
The vast majority of those people , about 90 % , could not log in , according to the site Downdetector .
The inability to sign in prevented users accessing other platforms through Google , including mobile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early jolt on the East Coast for parents who were waking children up for school Monday .
Millions of students are relying on Google for online instruction during the pandemic , including platforms like Google Docs .
The problem appeared to cleared up just before 8 a.m. “ The problem with Gmail should be resolved for the vast majority of affected users , ” said Google ’ s parent company , Alphabet , at 7:52 a.m.. “ We will continue to work towards restoring service for the remaining affected users.
” Downdetector , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem affected users across the world , but appeared especially widespread in the northeastern U.S. , Britain and other parts of Europe .
Japan , Malaysia and India also looked to be more affected .

NEW YORK (AP) — Google users in the U.S., Europe, India and other parts of the world were briefly unable to access their Gmail accounts, watch YouTube videos or get to their online documents during an outage Monday.
Tens of thousands of complaints popped up around 7 a.m. Eastern along the East Coast of the U.S. The vast majority of those people, about 90%, could not log in, according to the site Downdetector.
The inability to sign in prevented users accessing other platforms through Google, including mobile video games.
The disruption was an early jolt on the East Coast for parents who were waking children up for school Monday. Millions of students are relying on Google for online instruction during the pandemic, including platforms like Google Docs.
The problem appeared to cleared up just before 8 a.m.
“The problem with Gmail should be resolved for the vast majority of affected users,” said Google’s parent company, Alphabet, at 7:52 a.m.. “We will continue to work towards restoring service for the remaining affected users.”
Downdetector, which tracks website outages, reported the problem affected users across the world, but appeared especially widespread in the northeastern U.S., Britain and other parts of Europe. Japan, Malaysia and India also looked to be more affected.