washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Vatican: OK to get virus vaccines using abortion cell lines

VATICAN CITY ( AP ) - The Vatican on Monday declared that it is “ morally acceptable ” for Roman Catholics to receive COVID-19 vaccines based on research that used fetal tissue from abortions .
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , the Vatican ’ s watchdog office for doctrinal orthodoxy , said it addressed the question after receiving several requests for “ guidance ” during recent months .
The doctrine office noted that bishops , Catholic groups and experts have offered “ diverse and sometimes conflicting pronouncements ” on the matter .
Drawing on Vatican pronouncements in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cells derived from aborted fetuses , the watchdog office issued a statement it said Pope Francis had examined last week and ordered to be made public .
The Catholic Church ’ s teaching says that abortion is a grave sin .
The Vatican concluded that “ it is morally acceptable to receive COVID-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses ” in the research and production process when “ ethically irreproachable ” vaccines aren ’ t available to the public .
But it stressed that the “ licit ” uses of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not in any way imply that there is a moral endorsement of the use of cell lines proceeding from aborted fetuses.
” In its statement , the Vatican explained that obtaining vaccines that do not pose an ethical dilemma is not always possible .
It cited circumstances in countries “ where vaccines without ethical problems are not made available to physicians and patients ” or where special storage or transport conditions make their distribution more difficult .
In reassuring faithful Catholics that getting a COVID-19 vaccine would not violate religious doctrine , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be distributed in a country , “ health authorities do not allow citizens to choose the vaccine with which to be inoculated.
” In those cases , it is morally acceptable to receive vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses , the Vatican said .
The Vatican said the vaccines used cell lines “ drawn from tissue obtained from two abortions that occurred in the last century.
” The Vatican hasn ’ t said if and when Francis would be vaccinated nor which vaccine he might receive .

VATICAN CITY (AP) - The Vatican on Monday declared that it is “morally acceptable” for Roman Catholics to receive COVID-19 vaccines based on research that used cells derived from aborted fetuses, guidance that came after some churchmen in the United States argued that such products were immoral.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican’s watchdog office for doctrinal orthodoxy, said it had received several requests for “guidance” during recent months. The doctrinal office pointed out that bishops, Catholic groups and experts have offered “diverse and sometimes conflicting pronouncements” on the matter.
Drawing on Vatican pronouncements in past years about developing vaccines prepared from cells derived from aborted fetuses, the watchdog office’s statement was examined by Pope Francis, who ordered it to be made public.
The Catholic Church’s teaching says that abortion is a grave sin.
The Vatican concluded that “it is morally acceptable to receive COVID-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses” in the research and production process when “ethically irreproachable” vaccines aren’t available to the public. But it stressed that the “licit” uses of such vaccines “does not and should not in any way imply that there is a moral endorsement of the use of cell lines proceeding from aborted fetuses.”
The Vatican didn’t name any of the COVID-19 vaccines already being given to people in some countries or authorized to be used soon.
In its statement, the Vatican explained that obtaining vaccines that do not pose an ethical dilemma is not always possible. It cited circumstances in countries “where vaccines without ethical problems are not made available to physicians and patients” or where special storage or transport conditions make their distribution more difficult.
Much of the Vatican’s pronouncement had echoes in a statement last week by officials of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The U.S. conference officials said that “in view of the gravity of the current pandemic and the lack of availability of alternative vaccines,” receiving the vaccines being distributed in the United States is justified “despite their remote connection to morally compromised cell lines.”
Getting vaccinated against the coronavirus “ought to be understood as an act of charity toward the other members of our community,” the U.S. bishops conference officials said.
Weeks earlier, two U.S. bishops, one in Texas and one in California, had denounced vaccines using cell lines from the tissue of aborted fetuses as immorally produced. One of the bishops said he refused to receive such a vaccine and encouraged rank-and-file Catholics to follow his lead.
The Vatican, in reassuring faithful Catholics that getting a COVID-19 vaccine would not violate the church’s moral teaching, noted that “health authorities do not allow citizens to choose the vaccine with which to be inoculated.” Given such circumstances, it is morally acceptable to receive vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses, the Vatican said.
The Vatican said the COVID-19 vaccines that are getting rolled out or are expected to be soon used cell lines “drawn from tissue obtained from two abortions that occurred in the last century.”
The Vatican hasn’t said if and when Francis would be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The 84-year-old pontiff has a pilgrimage to Iraq planned for early March, and it’s widely expected that he and the aides accompanying him would get vaccinated ahead of travel abroad.
The Roman Catholic church’s doctrinal orthodoxy office said “vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation” and must be voluntary. Still, it said, from an ethical point of view, “the morality of vaccination depends not only on the duty to protect one’s own health but also on the duty to pursue the common good.”
Those for reasons of conscience opting not to receive vaccinations produced by cell lines from aborted fetuses, “must do their utmost to avoid,” by appropriate behavior and preventive means, becoming “vehicles” for transmission, the congregation said.
In any case, there is also a “moral imperative” for the pharmaceutical industry, governments and international organizations to ensure that safe, effective and “ethically acceptable” vaccines are accessible to the poorest countries and not too costly for them, the Vatican’s doctrinal office said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--AP PHOTOS: Latin America Photos of the Year

In early 2020 , the pandemic seemed far from Latin America .
But as soon as it arrived in the region , it had a devastating impact , exposing the weaknesses in already precarious public health systems .
Images of a woman ’ s corpse lying on the street while being disinfected in Ecuador , and Venezuelan migrants carrying a coffin of a man who allegedly died of COVID-19 on a steep and dusty hill in Peru , illustrated the unfolding crisis .
Throughout the year , the pandemic and its effects dominated life on the continent .
There were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as in the case of Colombia ; on the first anniversary of the outbreak of civil unrest in Chile ; and by young people in Peru that forced the resignation of an interim president after the removal of President Martín Vizcarra .
Often wearing equipment to protect against disease and violence , an Associated Press team of photographers in the region documented these events , as well as forest fires in Brazil and the risky migration by land of Central Americans that continued despite the pandemic and roadblocks imposed by governments .
Ecuador @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , with corpses abandoned in the streets in a city on the Pacific coast .
Later , scenes of this type were recorded in the capital of the Andean country and months later in some cities of Bolivia , as a result of the collapse of funeral homes and cemeteries .
After the United States , Brazil led the number of coronavirus infections and deaths on the continent .
One of its cities worst hit in the middle of the year by the pandemic was Manaus , in the Amazon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transport the body of an 86-year-old woman by boat across a river near that city .
In Chile , another South American country that saw its hospital system buckling under the high number of infections , heartbreaking moments were recorded .
Peruvian migrant José Collantes cried while observing the burial of his wife Silvia Cano , who died of COVID-19 .
The man was unable to incinerate his wife ’ s body and take the ashes home .
The pandemic also exposed the deterioration and shortage of basic supplies such as water and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil-rich nation .
COVID-19 in turn caused child labor to increase in many countries after the closure of in-person classes , another blow for poor people who do not have the resources to follow virtual education .
In Chiapas , Mexico , a boy , Andrés Gómez , worked whole days in an amber mine after the end of the school term in March .
In Bolivia , five children - ages 6 to 14 - helped in their parents ’ carpentry workshop for the same reasons in El Alto , the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The pandemic has escalated in much of the region in recent weeks and many countries are re-imposing restrictions and partial quarantines to curb infections as hospital beds become scarce .
Governments are urging people to stay home over the holiday season .

In early 2020, the pandemic seemed far from Latin America. But as soon as it arrived in the region, it had a devastating impact, exposing the weaknesses in already precarious public health systems.
Images of a woman’s corpse lying on the street while being disinfected in Ecuador, and Venezuelan migrants carrying a coffin of a man who allegedly died of COVID-19 on a steep and dusty hill in Peru, illustrated the unfolding crisis.
Throughout the year, the pandemic and its effects dominated life on the continent. There were also massive protests against police abuse, as in the case of Colombia; on the first anniversary of the outbreak of civil unrest in Chile; and by young people in Peru that forced the resignation of an interim president after the removal of President Martín Vizcarra.
Often wearing equipment to protect against disease and violence, an Associated Press team of photographers in the region documented these events, as well as forest fires in Brazil and the risky migration by land of Central Americans that continued despite the pandemic and roadblocks imposed by governments.
Ecuador was one of the initial epicenters of the pandemic, with corpses abandoned in the streets in a city on the Pacific coast. Later, scenes of this type were recorded in the capital of the Andean country and months later in some cities of Bolivia, as a result of the collapse of funeral homes and cemeteries.
After the United States, Brazil led the number of coronavirus infections and deaths on the continent. One of its cities worst hit in the middle of the year by the pandemic was Manaus, in the Amazon, where funeral workers entered a community to transport the body of an 86-year-old woman by boat across a river near that city.
In Chile, another South American country that saw its hospital system buckling under the high number of infections, heartbreaking moments were recorded. Peruvian migrant José Collantes cried while observing the burial of his wife Silvia Cano, who died of COVID-19. The man was unable to incinerate his wife’s body and take the ashes home.
The pandemic also exposed the deterioration and shortage of basic supplies such as water and medical equipment in Venezuela, a once oil-rich nation.
COVID-19 in turn caused child labor to increase in many countries after the closure of in-person classes, another blow for poor people who do not have the resources to follow virtual education. In Chiapas, Mexico, a boy, Andrés Gómez, worked whole days in an amber mine after the end of the school term in March. In Bolivia, five children - ages 6 to 14 - helped in their parents’ carpentry workshop for the same reasons in El Alto, the second most populous city in that country.
The pandemic has escalated in much of the region in recent weeks and many countries are re-imposing restrictions and partial quarantines to curb infections as hospital beds become scarce. Governments are urging people to stay home over the holiday season.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Interstate highway crash in Omaha kills Iowa man

OMAHA , Neb .
( AP ) - An Iowa man is dead after wrong-way accident in Omaha .
The @ @ @ @ @ Monday on Interstate 480 .
The victim was identified as 42-year-old Ray Sutton of Council @ @ @ @ @ say Sutton was driving a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu in the far left lane when a @ @ @ @ @ wrong way collided with the Malibu head-on .
Sutton was pronounced dead at the scene @ @ @ @ @ Lincoln , 23-year-old Joshua Seaman of Omaha , is hospitalized in critical condition .
The @ @ @ @ @ to be closed for about four hours .

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - An Iowa man is dead after wrong-way accident in Omaha.
The wreck happened around 1:30 a.m. Monday on Interstate 480. The victim was identified as 42-year-old Ray Sutton of Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Police say Sutton was driving a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu in the far left lane when a 2016 Lincoln MK-Z traveling the wrong way collided with the Malibu head-on. Sutton was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Lincoln, 23-year-old Joshua Seaman of Omaha, is hospitalized in critical condition.
The accident caused the southbound lanes to be closed for about four hours.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Virginia's Lee statue has been removed from US Capitol

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - A statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that has represented Virginia in the U.S. Capitol for 111 years has been removed .
The Washington Post reports that workers removed the statue from Statuary Hall early Monday morning .
Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam had requested the removal over the summer .
A commission formed by the General Assembly decided that Lee was not a fitting symbol for the state .
Lee ’ s statue had stood with George Washington ’ s statue since 1909 as Virginia ’ s representatives in the Capitol ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statues in the hall .
The state commission has recommended replacing Lee ’ s statue with a likeness of Barbara Johns .
She protested poor conditions at her all-Black high school in the town of Farmville in 1951 .
Her court case became part of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision by the U.S. Supreme Court .
It struck down racial segregation in public schools nationwide .
“ I look forward to seeing a trailblazing young woman of color represent Virginia in the U.S. Capitol , where visitors will learn about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be empowered to create positive change in their communities just like she did , ” Northam said Sunday in a news release .

WASHINGTON (AP) - A statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that has represented Virginia in the U.S. Capitol for 111 years has been removed.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said in a statement that workers removed the statue from the National Statuary Hall Collection early Monday morning.
Northam had requested the removal and a state commission decided that Lee was not a fitting symbol for the state.
Lee’s statue had stood with George Washington’s statue since 1909 as Virginia’s representatives in the Capitol. Every state gets two statues.
The state commission has recommended replacing Lee’s statue with a statue of Barbara Johns. She protested conditions at her all-Black high school in the town of Farmville in 1951. Her court case became part of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. The ruling had struck down racial segregation in public schools.
Confederate monuments have reemerged as a national flash point since the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes. Protesters decrying racism have targeted Confederate monuments in multiple cities, and some have been taken down.
“The Confederacy is a symbol of Virginia’s racist and divisive history, and it is past time we tell our story with images of perseverance, diversity, and inclusion,” Northam said in a statement.
The Democratic governor added: “I look forward to seeing a trailblazing young woman of color represent Virginia in the U.S. Capitol, where visitors will learn about Barbara Johns’ contributions to America and be empowered to create positive change in their communities just like she did.”
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also hailed the removal, saying in a statement there “is no room for celebrating the bigotry of the Confederacy in the Capitol or any other place of honor in our country.”
The presence of statues of generals and other figures of the Confederacy in Capitol locations such as Statuary Hall - the original House chamber - has been offensive to African American lawmakers for many years. Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., an Illinois Democrat, was known to give tours pointing out the numerous statues.
But it’s up to the states to determine which of their historical figures to display. Jefferson Davis, a former U.S. senator from Mississippi who was president of the Confederate States of America, is represented by one of two statues from that state.
Pelosi, a Democrat from California, noted in June that Davis and Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens, whose statue comes from Georgia, “were charged with treason against the United States.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Beyond COVID-19: Politics, legal news grabbed 2020 headlines

Massachusetts ’ biggest story of 2020 involved something so tiny it required an electron microscope to view .
The coronavirus pandemic hit the Bay State hard , killing more than 11,000 - the nation ’ s ninth-highest death toll - and ravaging communities of color and long-term care facilities .
Nearly 80 veterans died of COVID-19 at the Holyoke Soldiers ’ Home , where investigators said “ utterly baffling ” decisions allowed the virus to spread unchecked .
But Massachusetts also played a pivotal role in the global race for a vaccine .
Studies showed a vaccine developed by Cambridge-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus , and the company began shipping it out after gaining emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration .
Other top stories that grabbed headlines and attention in 2020 : Federal prosecutions of parents who paid bribes to get their children into competitive U.S. colleges and universities were a top story in 2019 , and this past year , two of the most prominent defendants were brought to justice .
“ Full House ” actress Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband , Mossimo Giannulli , both were sentenced to prison time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boston via video link because of the pandemic .
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren ’ s failed bid for the Democratic presidential nomination , after considerable momentum early in the campaign cycle , dominated politics in Massachusetts .
So did U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III , a grandson of Robert F. Kennedy , who gambled - and lost - big by betting he could win the Democratic primary .
Sen. Edward Markey , a progressive , prevailed , and Kennedy became the first in his storied political dynasty to lose a race for Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruled that Harvard doesn ’ t discriminate against Asian American applicants .
The decision offered relief to other colleges that consider race in admissions , but also set the stage for a potential review by an increasingly conservative U.S. Supreme Court .
The 1st U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston rejected claims from an anti-affirmative action group that accused the Ivy League University of imposing a “ racial penalty ” on Asian Americans .
A federal appeals court threw out Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev ’ s death sentence , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not adequately screen jurors for potential biases .
The 1st U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a new penalty-phase trial on whether the 27-year-old Tsarnaev should be executed for the 2013 attack that killed three people and wounded more than 260 others .
The Justice Department asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case .
Justice Kimberly Budd made history as she was sworn in as the chief justice of Massachusetts ’ highest court .
Budd , 54 , is the first Black woman to serve as chief justice of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history to the late 17th century .
Republican Gov .
Charlie Baker nominated her to succeed Chief Justice Ralph Gants , an acclaimed jurist who died in September .
Nobody knew it at the time , but on Jan. 4 , Tom Brady played his last game as a Patriot at Gillette Stadium .
The six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback ’ s storied run in New England ended with a thud and a 20-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans .
Two and a half months later , Brady embarked on what he called a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , where he was joined by former Patriots star Rob Gronkowski .
The state marked the 400th anniversary of the 1620 Pilgrim landing , but unconventionally , and not just because of coronavirus restrictions .
Yearlong events emphasized the history and experience of the Indigenous people who , at their own peril , helped the white European settlers survive .
Members of the Wampanoag tribe and the descendants of those who sailed from England on the Mayflower - mindful of 2020 ’ s nationwide reckoning with entrenched racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revisit the Pilgrims ’ complicated legacy .
A father and son from Massachusetts allegedly helped spirit former Nissan Motor Co. CEO Carlos Ghosn out of Japan while he was awaiting trial .
The U.S. State Department agreed to turn over Michael Taylor , a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran , and his son , Peter Taylor .
A federal judge intervened to block the men ’ s immediate removal while she reviewed an emergency petition filed by their lawyers .
The Taylors are charged with helping Ghosn flee the country in 2019 with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a box on a private jet .
Five former employees of eBay Inc. pleaded guilty to charges stemming from their alleged involvement in a cyberstalking campaign .
Federal prosecutors said the scheme included having live spiders and other disturbing deliveries sent to a Massachusetts couple who had published an online newsletter critical of the online auction site .
Two other employees also were charged .
Investigators said the victims were targeted after their newsletter published an article about a lawsuit filed by eBay that accused Amazon of poaching its sellers .
San Jose @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Massachusetts’ biggest story of 2020 involved something so tiny it required an electron microscope to view.
The coronavirus pandemic hit the Bay State hard, killing more than 11,000 - the nation’s ninth-highest death toll - and ravaging communities of color and long-term care facilities. Nearly 80 veterans died of COVID-19 at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, where investigators said “utterly baffling” decisions allowed the virus to spread unchecked.
But Massachusetts also played a pivotal role in the global race for a vaccine. Studies showed a vaccine developed by Cambridge-based Moderna Inc. offered strong protection against the virus, and the company began shipping it out after gaining emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
Other top stories that grabbed headlines and attention in 2020:
___
COLLEGE ADMISSIONS SCANDAL
Federal prosecutions of parents who paid bribes to get their children into competitive U.S. colleges and universities were a top story in 2019, and this past year, two of the most prominent defendants were brought to justice. “Full House” actress Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, both were sentenced to prison time - appearing before a federal judge in Boston via video link because of the pandemic.
___
KENNEDY OUT; WARREN FALLS SHORT
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s failed bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, after considerable momentum early in the campaign cycle, dominated politics in Massachusetts. So did U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, a grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, who gambled - and lost - big by betting he could win the Democratic primary. Sen. Edward Markey, a progressive, prevailed, and Kennedy became the first in his storied political dynasty to lose a race for Congress in Massachusetts.
___
HARVARD CLEARED OF BIAS
A federal appeals court ruled that Harvard doesn’t discriminate against Asian American applicants. The decision offered relief to other colleges that consider race in admissions, but also set the stage for a potential review by an increasingly conservative U.S. Supreme Court. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston rejected claims from an anti-affirmative action group that accused the Ivy League University of imposing a “racial penalty” on Asian Americans.
___
TSARNAEV’S DEATH SENTENCE TOSSED
A federal appeals court threw out Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s death sentence, saying the judge who oversaw the case did not adequately screen jurors for potential biases. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a new penalty-phase trial on whether the 27-year-old Tsarnaev should be executed for the 2013 attack that killed three people and wounded more than 260 others. The Justice Department asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case.
___
HIGH COURT HISTORY
Justice Kimberly Budd made history as she was sworn in as the chief justice of Massachusetts’ highest court. Budd, 54, is the first Black woman to serve as chief justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, which traces its history to the late 17th century. Republican Gov. Charlie Baker nominated her to succeed Chief Justice Ralph Gants, an acclaimed jurist who died in September.
___
BYE BYE BRADY
Nobody knew it at the time, but on Jan. 4, Tom Brady played his last game as a Patriot at Gillette Stadium. The six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback’s storied run in New England ended with a thud and a 20-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans. Two and a half months later, Brady embarked on what he called a “new football journey” and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he was joined by former Patriots star Rob Gronkowski.
___
MAYFLOWER 400th
The state marked the 400th anniversary of the 1620 Pilgrim landing, but unconventionally, and not just because of coronavirus restrictions. Yearlong events emphasized the history and experience of the Indigenous people who, at their own peril, helped the white European settlers survive. Members of the Wampanoag tribe and the descendants of those who sailed from England on the Mayflower - mindful of 2020’s nationwide reckoning with entrenched racism - were determined to openly and truthfully revisit the Pilgrims’ complicated legacy.
___
EX-NISSAN CEO’S ESCAPE
A father and son from Massachusetts allegedly helped spirit former Nissan Motor Co. CEO Carlos Ghosn out of Japan while he was awaiting trial. The U.S. State Department agreed to turn over Michael Taylor, a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran, and his son, Peter Taylor. A federal judge intervened to block the men’s immediate removal while she reviewed an emergency petition filed by their lawyers. The Taylors are charged with helping Ghosn flee the country in 2019 with the former Nissan boss tucked away in a box on a private jet.
___
eBAY HARASSMENT
Five former employees of eBay Inc. pleaded guilty to charges stemming from their alleged involvement in a cyberstalking campaign. Federal prosecutors said the scheme included having live spiders and other disturbing deliveries sent to a Massachusetts couple who had published an online newsletter critical of the online auction site. Two other employees also were charged. Investigators said the victims were targeted after their newsletter published an article about a lawsuit filed by eBay that accused Amazon of poaching its sellers. San Jose, California-based eBay fired the employees.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Settlement reached with woman injured by Omaha police car

OMAHA , Neb .
( AP ) - The city of Omaha has agreed to pay $ 50,000 to a @ @ @ @ @ crash involving a police cruiser .
The Omaha World-Herald reports that the City Council approved @ @ @ @ @ earlier this month .
City and court documents show that Stuart was a passenger in @ @ @ @ @ , 2017 , when a police cruiser driven by Officer Ryne Sell struck the vehicle @ @ @ @ @ injury .
A police report from the day of the crash says video footage from @ @ @ @ @ showed that his car entered the intersection when the light was red .
Three witnesses @ @ @ @ @ police that the cruiser had its emergency lights activated .

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The city of Omaha has agreed to pay $50,000 to a woman injured in a 2017 crash involving a police cruiser.
The Omaha World-Herald reports that the City Council approved the settlement with Rachelle Stuart earlier this month.
City and court documents show that Stuart was a passenger in a car on June 21, 2017, when a police cruiser driven by Officer Ryne Sell struck the vehicle. Stuart suffered a shoulder injury.
A police report from the day of the crash says video footage from Sell’s vehicle camera showed that his car entered the intersection when the light was red. Three witnesses cited in the report told police that the cruiser had its emergency lights activated.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Two firefighters injured battling blaze in Wichita

WICHITA , Kan. ( AP ) - Four people , including two Wichita firefighters , are being treated for burns @ @ @ @ @ a home .
KSNW-TV reports that the fire happened Sunday night .
Deputy Fire Chief @ @ @ @ @ were taken to the hospital with burns , one in serious condition .
A third @ @ @ @ @ from entering the burning home .
Meanwhile , two other people suffered injuries .
One @ @ @ @ @ refused treatment .
Authorities didn ’ t immediately say if those people were residents of @ @ @

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Four people, including two Wichita firefighters, are being treated for burns after fire broke out at a home.
KSNW-TV reports that the fire happened Sunday night. Deputy Fire Chief Josh Pavelski said two firefighters were taken to the hospital with burns, one in serious condition. A third firefighter was injured restraining someone from entering the burning home.
Meanwhile, two other people suffered injuries. One was hospitalized, the other refused treatment. Authorities didn’t immediately say if those people were residents of the home.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Lansing-area township giving toys to honor officer who died

DEWITT TOWNSHIP , Mich. ( AP ) - Hundreds of toys will be distributed Tuesday in honor of a Lansing-area @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .
The toys were donated to DeWitt Township by the First Responders Children ’ @ @ @ @ @ State Journal reported .
Sgt .
Bill Darnell died in November at a time when @ @ @ @ @ impact on the community of 15,000 people , north of Lansing .
The DeWitt Township @ @ @ @ @ for a week and get help from other police agencies because of the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ these ( toys ) to kids and families who need them , who want them @ @ @ @ @ Mike Gute .
“ We just want to do a good thing in honor and @ @ @ @ @ will be handed out from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the fire department .
@ @ @ @ @ wife , Ella , about the toy donation Friday .

DEWITT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - Hundreds of toys will be distributed Tuesday in honor of a Lansing-area police officer who died of COVID-19.
The toys were donated to DeWitt Township by the First Responders Children’s Foundation, the Lansing State Journal reported.
Sgt. Bill Darnell died in November at a time when COVID-19 was having a major impact on the community of 15,000 people, north of Lansing. The DeWitt Township police department had to close for a week and get help from other police agencies because of the virus.
“We want to get these (toys) to kids and families who need them, who want them,” said police Chief Mike Gute. “We just want to do a good thing in honor and memory of Bill.”
Toys will be handed out from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the fire department. Gute informed Darnell’s wife, Ella, about the toy donation Friday.
“It feels nice,” Gute said, tearing up.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Miss Pearl, a cat who lived at a museum, is killed by a dog

ANNAPOLIS , Md .
( AP ) - A beloved cat that lived at the Annapolis Maritime Museum in Maryland has been killed by a dog .
The Capitol Gazette reported Monday that Miss Pearl was known to perform for visitors by trying to climb columns and jump on window seals .
Alice Estrada , president and CEO of the museum , said the cat sometimes acted like a puppy and followed people around .
“ Personality plus and she didn ’ t know a stranger .
She was always attention seeking , ” she said .
Miss Pearl was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Care Shelter .
Its “ working cats program ” places felines who aren ’ t suited for indoor living in workplaces to help control rodent problems .
The museum had a mice problem .
Security camera footage showed that Miss Pearl was killed by a collared dog who wandered onto the museum property unattended .
“ She was a member of our family and the entire team is devastated , ” Estrada said .
“ We still haven ’ t recovered from it .
She just brought us so much joy and levity @ @

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - A beloved cat that lived at the Annapolis Maritime Museum in Maryland has been killed by a dog.
The Capitol Gazette reported Monday that Miss Pearl was known to perform for visitors by trying to climb columns and jump on window seals.
Alice Estrada, president and CEO of the museum, said the cat sometimes acted like a puppy and followed people around.
“Personality plus and she didn’t know a stranger. She was always attention seeking,” she said.
Miss Pearl was adopted from the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter. Its “working cats program” places felines who aren’t suited for indoor living in workplaces to help control rodent problems. The museum had a mice problem.
Security camera footage showed that Miss Pearl was killed by a collared dog who wandered onto the museum property unattended.
“She was a member of our family and the entire team is devastated,” Estrada said. “We still haven’t recovered from it. She just brought us so much joy and levity.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--KC-area artist who raised millions for charity dies at 27

OVERLAND PARK , Kan. ( AP ) - A legally blind artist from the Kansas City area whose work generated @ @ @ @ @ has died .
The Kansas City Star reports that Jeff Hanson of Overland Park , @ @ @ @ @ he died Sunday .
He had been diagnosed with a new brain tumor associated with @ @ @ @ @ neurofibromatosis , in October , and had been in hospice care .
Hanson found art @ @ @ @ @ his vision in 2005 because of a tumor on his optic nerve .
He began @ @ @ @ @ undergoing chemotherapy and radiation .
Hanson sold paintings to Elton John , Billy Joel , @ @ @ @ @ generating proceeds for the Children ’ s Tumor Foundation .
More than 200 nonprofit organizations @ @ @ @ @ .

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) - A legally blind artist from the Kansas City area whose work generated millions of dollars in charity has died.
The Kansas City Star reports that Jeff Hanson of Overland Park, Kansas, was 27 when he died Sunday. He had been diagnosed with a new brain tumor associated with his rare genetic disorder, neurofibromatosis, in October, and had been in hospice care.
Hanson found art after he lost most of his vision in 2005 because of a tumor on his optic nerve. He began painting at age 12 while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation.
Hanson sold paintings to Elton John, Billy Joel, Warren Buffett and others, generating proceeds for the Children’s Tumor Foundation. More than 200 nonprofit organizations benefited from his auctioned works.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Charge upgraded to capital murder in boy's hunting death

BIRMINGHAM , Ala. ( AP ) - A man first charged with reckless manslaughter in the death of an 11-year-old boy who was shot during a turkey hunt is now facing a capital murder charge .
Joshua Stewart Burks , 36 , of Mobile was arrested Friday on the upgraded charge and released on $ 60,000 bail after a Jefferson County grand jury returned the indictment , al.com reported .
He now faces capital murder of a person younger than 14 .
Troy Ellis , a fifth grader , was shot to death during a turkey hunt on May 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The two were with Burks , who had served in the Marines , and another man during an event put on by a group that organizes hunts for wounded veterans like Burks , who had never before hunted .
Tommy Spina , an attorney who represents Burks , called the shooting a tragic accident .
“ We are disappointed the grand jury saw the case differently than the magistrate and the district attorney ’ s office that originally charged the case as manslaughter , ’ ′ Spina said .
A wrongful death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously .

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - A man first charged with reckless manslaughter in the death of an 11-year-old boy who was shot during a turkey hunt is now facing a capital murder charge.
Joshua Stewart Burks, 36, of Mobile was arrested Friday on the upgraded charge and released on $60,000 bail after a Jefferson County grand jury returned the indictment, al.com reported. He now faces capital murder of a person younger than 14.
Troy Ellis, a fifth grader, was shot to death during a turkey hunt on May 1, and father Obed Ellis was wounded. The two were with Burks, who had served in the Marines, and another man during an event put on by a group that organizes hunts for wounded veterans like Burks, who had never before hunted.
Tommy Spina, an attorney who represents Burks, called the shooting a tragic accident.
“We are disappointed the grand jury saw the case differently than the magistrate and the district attorney’s office that originally charged the case as manslaughter,’′ Spina said.
A wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family was settled previously.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Man in custody after fatal shooting at convenience store

HAZELWOOD , Mo .
( AP ) - A man is in custody after a fatal shooting at a suburban @ @ @ @ @ The shooting happened Sunday night at a store in Hazelwood .
The name of the @ @ @ @ @ .
Officers called to the scene found the victim , a man , on the @ @ @ @ @ He was taken to a hospital where he died .

HAZELWOOD, Mo. (AP) - A man is in custody after a fatal shooting at a suburban St. Louis convenience store.
The shooting happened Sunday night at a store in Hazelwood. The name of the victim has not been released.
Officers called to the scene found the victim, a man, on the floor of the store. He was taken to a hospital where he died.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Double shooting in St. Louis leaves one man dead

ST. LOUIS ( AP ) - St. Louis police are investigating after a man was killed and a woman also @ @ @ @ @ Louis .
The shooting happened Sunday night at Washington and Sixth Street .
Police say @ @ @ @ @ to death inside a vehicle .
The woman was conscious and breathing , but further @ @ @ @ @ not been released .
Police have not disclosed any further information about the shooting that @ @ @ @ @ in one of the worst years ever for homicides in St. Louis .

ST. LOUIS (AP) - St. Louis police are investigating after a man was killed and a woman also was shot in downtown St. Louis.
The shooting happened Sunday night at Washington and Sixth Street. Police say the man was found shot to death inside a vehicle. The woman was conscious and breathing, but further details about her condition have not been released.
Police have not disclosed any further information about the shooting that adds to the death toll in one of the worst years ever for homicides in St. Louis.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--AP PHOTOS: War forces thousands of Ethiopians into Sudan

They took with them donkeys and beds and motorcycles and colorful cloths that they now drape over pipes to create shelters .
Others left their shoes behind as they crossed a river to safety .
Tens of thousands of Ethiopians who just weeks ago were contemplating the harvest season now huddle in refugee camps in Sudan .
They ran from fields and homes and hospital rooms as months of tensions between Ethiopia ’ s government and that of its defiant Tigray region erupted into deadly fighting .
Some walked for days to reach the border , and once they did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trucks for an arduous , 11-hour journey to a camp .
As one vehicle left , a baby cried hysterically , and his brother held the infant toward the window for fresh air , explaining that the child was hungry and dehydrated and the bus too crowded .
Once at the camp , they wait .
For food , for word from loved ones , for water .
Some crowd around a tap for hours before they can fill up their buckets .
Children as young as 7 struggle to lift the heavy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ malnourished .
One woman , who is 9 months pregnant , weighed just 45 kilograms ( 100 pounds ) .
She wept when she saw the number on the scale .
Another received a nutrition packet but couldn ’ t manage to eat it .
The Tigray region remains largely cut off from the world , but still many of the refugees surround a small TV screen in the hopes of learning what might be happening back home .
For many , it ’ s their only source of information since they lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they watch the news , some of the young ethnic Tigrayan men say they hope to go back to fight for their homeland .
Others fear they might never return : They tell of soldiers raiding their homes , beating them and neighbors in the street and leaving them for dead .
Witnesses have said that hundreds of people were massacred in the town of Mai-Kadra , targeted because of their ethnicity - though there are conflicting accounts of who killed whom .
When night falls , the mood changes .
The oppressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
Kids dance to pop music , teens gather to drink coffee and smoke water pipes , and adults discuss politics .
One man hopes that one day Tigray will secede from Ethiopia .
“ I do not identify as Ethiopian ; I am Tigray , ” said Hayle Mariam , a 25-year-old refugee .
“ When a married couple can not continue , what do they do ?
They get a divorce - we need our divorce from Ethiopia .
”

They took with them donkeys and beds and motorcycles and colorful cloths that they now drape over pipes to create shelters. Others left their shoes behind as they crossed a river to safety.
Tens of thousands of Ethiopians who just weeks ago were contemplating the harvest season now huddle in refugee camps in Sudan. They ran from fields and homes and hospital rooms as months of tensions between Ethiopia’s government and that of its defiant Tigray region erupted into deadly fighting.
Some walked for days to reach the border, and once they did, they were packed into buses or trucks for an arduous, 11-hour journey to a camp. As one vehicle left, a baby cried hysterically, and his brother held the infant toward the window for fresh air, explaining that the child was hungry and dehydrated and the bus too crowded.
Once at the camp, they wait. For food, for word from loved ones, for water. Some crowd around a tap for hours before they can fill up their buckets. Children as young as 7 struggle to lift the heavy jugs onto their backs.
Many arrived malnourished. One woman, who is 9 months pregnant, weighed just 45 kilograms (100 pounds). She wept when she saw the number on the scale. Another received a nutrition packet but couldn’t manage to eat it.
The Tigray region remains largely cut off from the world, but still many of the refugees surround a small TV screen in the hopes of learning what might be happening back home. For many, it’s their only source of information since they lost cell phones along the way.
As they watch the news, some of the young ethnic Tigrayan men say they hope to go back to fight for their homeland. Others fear they might never return: They tell of soldiers raiding their homes, beating them and neighbors in the street and leaving them for dead. Witnesses have said that hundreds of people were massacred in the town of Mai-Kadra, targeted because of their ethnicity - though there are conflicting accounts of who killed whom.
When night falls, the mood changes. The oppressive heat lifts. The aid workers go home. Kids dance to pop music, teens gather to drink coffee and smoke water pipes, and adults discuss politics. One man hopes that one day Tigray will secede from Ethiopia.
“I do not identify as Ethiopian; I am Tigray,” said Hayle Mariam, a 25-year-old refugee. “When a married couple cannot continue, what do they do? They get a divorce - we need our divorce from Ethiopia.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--AP-NORC poll: Virus-weary Americans less festive this year

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - Maureen Brennan will spend Christmas with her daughter at their Nashua , New Hampshire , home after declining invitations from other relatives to celebrate with them .
Michael Smith will mark the holidays alone in Elko , Nevada , unwilling to risk being infected with the coronavirus before he can be vaccinated .
Neither feels overly festive this holiday season , reflecting the mood of many Americans as a year marred by a national health crisis and teetering economy ends with the coronavirus pandemic still raging out of control .
That ’ s according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Public Affairs Research that also finds some Americans are feeling a bit sadder , lonelier and less grateful than last year .
Smith , 69 , said he usually spends Christmas alone , but the pandemic has been especially difficult because he likes to frequent local coffee shops and chat with friends and neighbors .
The Caribbean cruise he looks forward to every year , which would have set sail on Jan. 3 , was canceled .
So he ’ s mostly been staying home , fearful of what could happen if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a monthlong hospitalization for pneumonia five years ago .
“ I ’ m stressed that I can ’ t just get in my car and go someplace , ” said Smith , who fills his time by puttering on his tractor and doing chores around his property .
Just 22 % of Americans say they feel very or extremely festive this year , down from 49 % one year ago .
Those who do feel festive tend to be those least worried about the virus .
Holidays are always a stressful time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , really worn down because this has been going on for so long , ” said Dr. Karestan Koenen , a professor of psychiatric epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health .
“ Some people are suffering financially , and stimulus checks are running out.
” The pandemic - which has driven health care systems to the brink , thrown millions out of work and killed more than 310,000 in the U.S. - is casting a long shadow , with research showing that it has taken a toll on Americans ’ mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still intensely worried that they or a family member will be infected , with roughly three-quarters at least somewhat concerned .
The coronavirus vaccine has capped the year with a glimmer of hope , but the poll found only about half of Americans are ready to get vaccinated immediately , with the rest unsure or uninterested .
The poll was conducted shortly before the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was authorized for emergency use .
Overall , half of Americans say they ’ re at least somewhat lonely this holiday season , up from 41 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re at least somewhat sad , compared to 44 % last year .
Adults under 30 are more likely than those older to say they feel very sad or lonely - and more feel these emotions this year than they did last year .
Koenen said this is a time that young adults normally would be starting their independent lives .
But now , graduation ceremonies may have been canceled , they may be forced to live with their families and it could be difficult to find a job because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live alone , it ’ s “ really hard right now ( because ) you ’ re literally alone all the time , ” she said .
Brennan , who ’ s 76 , said she ’ s lucky to have the companionship of her adult daughter , and hadn ’ t worried much about the virus until the number of infections and deaths began climbing in recent weeks .
She and her daughter have been careful , wearing masks and patronizing the same stores to minimize potential exposure .
“ But when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could feel a sense of foreboding , especially watching what ’ s going on around ( town ) with the lack of stringency and the lack of mask-wearing , ” said Brennan , a retired health care worker , who said she ’ s stocked up on baked goods and other favorites to ride out the holidays at home .
Both Brennan , whose husband died five years ago , and Smith said they have found satisfaction in helping others , rather than dwelling on what they can not do .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who absolutely need it and those who need only on a temporary basis , ” said Brennan , who has donated to Nashua ’ s soup kitchen and children ’ s home .
Smith said he helped a couple of families , including a server at a coffee shop he frequents , who were struggling because of lost wages during the pandemic .
Come January , he ’ ll donate to the local food bank .
Still , just 37 % of Americans say they feel especially generous , compared with 52 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to say they feel very grateful , though a 60 % majority still say so , down from 73 % a year ago .
Last year , similar majorities across ages and races said they were grateful .
Now older Americans and Black Americans are especially likely to say they are .
Koenen said it could be a reflection of their experiences .
“ Maybe they ’ re grateful that they ’ re still here and also perhaps longer life gives one perspective , ” Koenen said .
“ We do know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Focusing on gratitude can help reduce anxiety , as can finding ways to help others , Koenen said .
“ So many felt helpless … but I think people feel better if they can do something , ” she said .
Brennan said she ’ s chosen to focus on positive things , keeps up with what ’ s happening in her community and stays in contact with friends , even though they can ’ t visit .
“ A lot of it is attitude , ” she said .
“ You ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , but it ’ s not easy.
” And Smith is feeling more hopeful now that coronavirus vaccines have been approved .
“ I look forward to ( the time ) when most of us will have had the vaccination , ” he said .
“ Then we should be coming back to life.
” The AP-NORC poll of 1,117 adults was conducted Dec. 3-7 using a sample drawn from NORC ’ s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel , which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population .
The margin of sampling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minus 3.9 percentage points .

WASHINGTON (AP) - Maureen Brennan will spend Christmas with her daughter at their Nashua, New Hampshire, home after declining invitations from other relatives to celebrate with them. Michael Smith will mark the holidays alone in Elko, Nevada, unwilling to risk being infected with the coronavirus before he can be vaccinated.
Neither feels overly festive this holiday season, reflecting the mood of many Americans as a year marred by a national health crisis and teetering economy ends with the coronavirus pandemic still raging out of control. That’s according to a survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research that also finds some Americans are feeling a bit sadder, lonelier and less grateful than last year.
Smith, 69, said he usually spends Christmas alone, but the pandemic has been especially difficult because he likes to frequent local coffee shops and chat with friends and neighbors. The Caribbean cruise he looks forward to every year, which would have set sail on Jan. 3, was canceled.
So he’s mostly been staying home, fearful of what could happen if he contracted the virus, because of a monthlong hospitalization for pneumonia five years ago.
“I’m stressed that I can’t just get in my car and go someplace,” said Smith, who fills his time by puttering on his tractor and doing chores around his property.
Just 22% of Americans say they feel very or extremely festive this year, down from 49% one year ago. Those who do feel festive tend to be those least worried about the virus.
Holidays are always a stressful time, “but now people are feeling really, really worn down because this has been going on for so long,” said Dr. Karestan Koenen, a professor of psychiatric epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. “Some people are suffering financially, and stimulus checks are running out.”
The pandemic - which has driven health care systems to the brink, thrown millions out of work and killed more than 310,000 in the U.S. - is casting a long shadow, with research showing that it has taken a toll on Americans’ mental health.
About 4 in 10 Americans are still intensely worried that they or a family member will be infected, with roughly three-quarters at least somewhat concerned. The coronavirus vaccine has capped the year with a glimmer of hope, but the poll found only about half of Americans are ready to get vaccinated immediately, with the rest unsure or uninterested. The poll was conducted shortly before the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was authorized for emergency use.
Overall, half of Americans say they’re at least somewhat lonely this holiday season, up from 41% last year. Fifty-two percent say they’re at least somewhat sad, compared to 44% last year.
Adults under 30 are more likely than those older to say they feel very sad or lonely - and more feel these emotions this year than they did last year.
Koenen said this is a time that young adults normally would be starting their independent lives. But now, graduation ceremonies may have been canceled, they may be forced to live with their families and it could be difficult to find a job because of the slowed economy.
For those who live alone, it’s “really hard right now (because) you’re literally alone all the time,” she said.
Brennan, who’s 76, said she’s lucky to have the companionship of her adult daughter, and hadn’t worried much about the virus until the number of infections and deaths began climbing in recent weeks. She and her daughter have been careful, wearing masks and patronizing the same stores to minimize potential exposure.
“But when figures started ramping up again … I could feel a sense of foreboding, especially watching what’s going on around (town) with the lack of stringency and the lack of mask-wearing,” said Brennan, a retired health care worker, who said she’s stocked up on baked goods and other favorites to ride out the holidays at home.
Both Brennan, whose husband died five years ago, and Smith said they have found satisfaction in helping others, rather than dwelling on what they cannot do.
“It is important to take care of those who absolutely need it and those who need only on a temporary basis,” said Brennan, who has donated to Nashua’s soup kitchen and children’s home.
Smith said he helped a couple of families, including a server at a coffee shop he frequents, who were struggling because of lost wages during the pandemic. Come January, he’ll donate to the local food bank.
Still, just 37% of Americans say they feel especially generous, compared with 52% last year.
Americans are also less likely to say they feel very grateful, though a 60% majority still say so, down from 73% a year ago.
Last year, similar majorities across ages and races said they were grateful. Now older Americans and Black Americans are especially likely to say they are. Koenen said it could be a reflection of their experiences.
“Maybe they’re grateful that they’re still here and also perhaps longer life gives one perspective,” Koenen said. “We do know gratitude increases resilience and mental health.”
Focusing on gratitude can help reduce anxiety, as can finding ways to help others, Koenen said. “So many felt helpless … but I think people feel better if they can do something,” she said.
Brennan said she’s chosen to focus on positive things, keeps up with what’s happening in her community and stays in contact with friends, even though they can’t visit.
“A lot of it is attitude,” she said. “You’ve got to be very realistic about this, but it’s not easy.”
And Smith is feeling more hopeful now that coronavirus vaccines have been approved.
“I look forward to (the time) when most of us will have had the vaccination,” he said. “Then we should be coming back to life.”
___
Webber reported from Fenton, Mich.
___
The AP-NORC poll of 1,117 adults was conducted Dec. 3-7 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.
___
Online:
AP-NORC Center: http://www.apnorc.org/.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Nicaragua essentially bans opposition from 2021 elections

MANAGUA , Nicaragua ( AP ) - Nicaragua ’ s ruling party-dominated Congress passed a law Monday that would essentially ban opposition candidates from running in the 2021 presidential elections .
The law gives the government of President Daniel Ortega the power to unilaterally declare citizens “ terrorists ” or coup-mongers , classify them as “ traitors to the homeland ” and ban them from running as candidates .
Given that Ortega has already applied those terms to virtually the entire opposition and the leaders of massive 2018 protests against his regime , the law approved Monday appears aimed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s continuing his near-perpetual rule over the Central American nation .
The law bans candidates “ who lead or finance a coup … encourage foreign interference , ask for military intervention … propose or plan economic blockades , applaud and champion the imposition of sanctions against Nicaragua or its citizens.
” So far , the United States has imposed sanctions on about 27 people close to Ortega and his wife , Vice President Rosario Murillo , including Murillo herself and three of her children with Ortega .
The sanctions are aimed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says people designated by Ortega “ will be traitors to the homeland , and for that reason may not run for public office.
” Treason is punishable by prison terms of up to 15 years .
The leader of the opposition coalition Alianza Cívica , Juan Sebastián Chamorro , wrote that Ortega should be the first person to be banned under the new law .
“ The one who they should apply this law to is Daniel Ortega , for all the human rights violations he has committed and the damage he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media accounts .
The elections are scheduled for Nov. 7 , 2021 , and despite term limits - which Ortega has already exceeded - the 75-year-old leader is expected to run again .
Ortega initially led Nicaragua from 1979 to 1990 following the Sandinista revolution that ousted the Somoza dictatorship , but he lost the presidential election in 1990 .
He returned to the presidency in 2007 after three failed election attempts , and he won re-election in 2011 .
He then sidestepped term limits to get himself re-elected in 2016 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies .
His Sandinista party controls the courts and the legislature .
Seventy Sandinista legislators voted in favor of the law passed Monday , while 14 opposition legislators voted against it , arguing it violated the Constitution ’ s guarantee of political rights for all citizens .
At least 325 people were killed in anti-government protests in 2018 , according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights .
Starting in April 2018 , Nicaragua ’ s economy was devastated by nearly five months of unrest initially sparked by cuts to social security benefits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ortega to step down and allow early elections .
Nicaragua ’ s two main opposition groups had announced earlier this year that they will form a coalition to compete in the 2021 race .
Neither the Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy nor the Blue and White National Unity movement are among Nicaragua ’ s political parties .
Both formed after civil unrest exploded in April 2018 .
The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control has periodically announced sanctions against “ corrupt financial operations and Ortega regime supporters.
” The move blocks the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. citizens from dealing with them .
The U.S. government says it is pressing Ortega to hold free and fair elections and respect basic rights .
On Monday , the office announced sanctions on three more officials in Ortega ’ s government , including the vice president of the Supreme Court , a Sandinista legislator and the country ’ s police chief .
On Friday , Ortega said that those who support the sanctions “ are not Nicaraguans.
” “ I don ’ t know how they think they are going to participate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ortega said .
“ They are terrorists , criminals and traitors , because they continue to ask for more sanctions .
”

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - Nicaragua’s ruling party-dominated Congress passed a law Monday that would essentially ban opposition candidates from running in the 2021 presidential elections.
The law gives the government of President Daniel Ortega the power to unilaterally declare citizens “terrorists” or coup-mongers, classify them as “traitors to the homeland” and ban them from running as candidates.
Given that Ortega has already applied those terms to virtually the entire opposition and the leaders of massive 2018 protests against his regime, the law approved Monday appears aimed at sweeping aside the last roadblock to Ortega’s continuing his near-perpetual rule over the Central American nation.
The law bans candidates “who lead or finance a coup … encourage foreign interference, ask for military intervention … propose or plan economic blockades, applaud and champion the imposition of sanctions against Nicaragua or its citizens.”
So far, the United States has imposed sanctions on about 27 people close to Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, including Murillo herself and three of her children with Ortega. The sanctions are aimed at bringing about free elections.
The law says people designated by Ortega “will be traitors to the homeland, and for that reason may not run for public office.” Treason is punishable by prison terms of up to 15 years.
The leader of the opposition coalition Alianza Cívica, Juan Sebastián Chamorro, wrote that Ortega should be the first person to be banned under the new law.
“The one who they should apply this law to is Daniel Ortega, for all the human rights violations he has committed and the damage he has done,” Chamorro wrote in his social media accounts.
The elections are scheduled for Nov. 7, 2021, and despite term limits - which Ortega has already exceeded - the 75-year-old leader is expected to run again.
Ortega initially led Nicaragua from 1979 to 1990 following the Sandinista revolution that ousted the Somoza dictatorship, but he lost the presidential election in 1990.
He returned to the presidency in 2007 after three failed election attempts, and he won re-election in 2011. He then sidestepped term limits to get himself re-elected in 2016, and packed courts and government agencies with allies. His Sandinista party controls the courts and the legislature.
Seventy Sandinista legislators voted in favor of the law passed Monday, while 14 opposition legislators voted against it, arguing it violated the Constitution’s guarantee of political rights for all citizens.
At least 325 people were killed in anti-government protests in 2018, according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Starting in April 2018, Nicaragua’s economy was devastated by nearly five months of unrest initially sparked by cuts to social security benefits but which quickly evolved into calls for Ortega to step down and allow early elections.
Nicaragua’s two main opposition groups had announced earlier this year that they will form a coalition to compete in the 2021 race. Neither the Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy nor the Blue and White National Unity movement are among Nicaragua’s political parties. Both formed after civil unrest exploded in April 2018.
The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control has periodically announced sanctions against “corrupt financial operations and Ortega regime supporters.” The move blocks the U.S. assets of the officials and prohibits U.S. citizens from dealing with them. The U.S. government says it is pressing Ortega to hold free and fair elections and respect basic rights.
On Monday, the office announced sanctions on three more officials in Ortega’s government, including the vice president of the Supreme Court, a Sandinista legislator and the country’s police chief.
On Friday, Ortega said that those who support the sanctions “are not Nicaraguans.”
“I don’t know how they think they are going to participate in an election with that attitude,” Ortega said. “They are terrorists, criminals and traitors, because they continue to ask for more sanctions.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--CVS: 100,000 nursing home vaccinations next week in Missouri

O ’ FALLON , Mo .
( AP ) - CVS Health plans to administer about 100,000 coronavirus vaccinations next week at Missouri long-term care facilities as the vaccination rollout expands beyond health care workers , the company said Monday .
The pharmacy chain will vaccinate residents and staff at more than 40,000 long-term care facilities across the U.S .
The first of those vaccinations have already begun , but Missouri facilities will see their first vaccinations starting Dec. 28 , CVS Health spokesman Charlie Rice-Minoso said .
CVS and its competitor , Walgreens , are facilitating the inoculations at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Walgreens didn ’ t immediately reply to a Monday email seeking further information about that company ’ s plan in Missouri .
Health care workers were the first to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine .
Nursing homes were next on the list because the virus has killed more than 110,000 people at long-term care facilities nationwide , including about half of the 4,947 people who have died of the disease in Missouri .
CVS said vaccinations at nursing homes should be completed in about three months .
Once vaccines are available to everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them at each of its locations .
Appointments will be necessary .
The company said it hopes to administer about 20 million shots per month .
It isn ’ t clear when those vaccinations will begin , but Missouri ’ s health director , Dr. Randall Williams , said he expects general public vaccinations to start by April .
Meanwhile , some Missouri facilities have already begun vaccinating people with the newly-approved Moderna vaccine , state health department spokeswoman Lisa Cox said .
Citing “ some volatility in the supply shipments , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that vaccine will be administered this year .
The health department on Monday reported 10 additional COVID-19 deaths and 3,130 additional confirmed cases , pushing its pandemic total to 368,316 cases .
It appeared that restrictions on indoor dining in St. Louis County will soon be eased .
Democratic County Executive Sam Page said Monday that the county health department was finalizing a plan that would allow restaurants to partially resume some indoor dining by the first week of January .
Page announced the restrictions in mid-November as coronavirus cases surged throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has stabilized over the past couple of weeks , but hospitals remain dangerously close to capacity .
The restrictions have drawn strong complaints from many restaurant operators .
St. Louis County Health Department spokeswoman Sara Dayley said in an email that cases in the county went from about 140 per day at the start of October to 804 per day on Nov. 17 .
She credited the county ’ s restrictions for helping to reduce that number to its current daily average of 534 .

O’FALLON, Mo. (AP) - CVS Health plans to administer about 100,000 coronavirus vaccinations next week at Missouri long-term care facilities as the vaccination rollout expands beyond health care workers, the company said Monday.
The pharmacy chain will vaccinate residents and staff at more than 40,000 long-term care facilities across the U.S. The first of those vaccinations have already begun, but Missouri facilities will see their first vaccinations starting Dec. 28, CVS Health spokesman Charlie Rice-Minoso said.
CVS and its competitor, Walgreens, are facilitating the inoculations at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Walgreens didn’t immediately reply to a Monday email seeking further information about that company’s plan in Missouri.
Health care workers were the first to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Nursing homes were next on the list because the virus has killed more than 110,000 people at long-term care facilities nationwide, including about half of the 4,947 people who have died of the disease in Missouri.
CVS said vaccinations at nursing homes should be completed in about three months.
Once vaccines are available to everyone, CVS said it plans to provide them at each of its locations. Appointments will be necessary. The company said it hopes to administer about 20 million shots per month. It isn’t clear when those vaccinations will begin, but Missouri’s health director, Dr. Randall Williams, said he expects general public vaccinations to start by April.
Meanwhile, some Missouri facilities have already begun vaccinating people with the newly-approved Moderna vaccine, state health department spokeswoman Lisa Cox said. Citing “some volatility in the supply shipments,” she declined to estimate how many doses of that vaccine will be administered this year.
The health department on Monday reported 10 additional COVID-19 deaths and 3,130 additional confirmed cases, pushing its pandemic total to 368,316 cases.
It appeared that restrictions on indoor dining in St. Louis County will soon be eased. Democratic County Executive Sam Page said Monday that the county health department was finalizing a plan that would allow restaurants to partially resume some indoor dining by the first week of January.
Page announced the restrictions in mid-November as coronavirus cases surged throughout the region. The number of cases has stabilized over the past couple of weeks, but hospitals remain dangerously close to capacity. The restrictions have drawn strong complaints from many restaurant operators.
St. Louis County Health Department spokeswoman Sara Dayley said in an email that cases in the county went from about 140 per day at the start of October to 804 per day on Nov. 17. She credited the county’s restrictions for helping to reduce that number to its current daily average of 534.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--High winds, snow expected in southcentral Alaska storm

ANCHORAGE , Alaska ( AP ) - Weather forecasters in Alaska have said travel between Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula could be near impossible as a major winter storm is expected to bring wind gusts up to 90 mph and heavy snow .
The National Weather Service issued a wind warning from Monday night to Tuesday afternoon for much of southcentral Alaska , including Anchorage and the western Kenai Peninsula , The Anchorage Daily News reported Monday .
The agency also issued a blizzard warning from Portage Valley to Seward during the same timeframe .
Turnagain Pass is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The snow is expected to turn to rain by Tuesday afternoon .
Weather officials have warned that driving conditions could be dangerous throughout the region Monday .
“ Travel could be nearly impossible , ” the warning said .
“ Widespread blowing snow will significantly reduce visibility to whiteout conditions .
Very strong winds could cause power outages and extensive tree damage.
” Strong winds and snow are also expected for the Matanuska and Susitna valleys early this week , officials said , warning residents to be prepared for the possibility of a @ @ @

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Weather forecasters in Alaska have said travel between Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula could be near impossible as a major winter storm is expected to bring wind gusts up to 90 mph and heavy snow.
The National Weather Service issued a wind warning from Monday night to Tuesday afternoon for much of southcentral Alaska, including Anchorage and the western Kenai Peninsula, The Anchorage Daily News reported Monday.
The agency also issued a blizzard warning from Portage Valley to Seward during the same timeframe. Turnagain Pass is expected to see the highest accumulations of snowfall. The snow is expected to turn to rain by Tuesday afternoon.
Weather officials have warned that driving conditions could be dangerous throughout the region Monday.
“Travel could be nearly impossible,” the warning said. “Widespread blowing snow will significantly reduce visibility to whiteout conditions. Very strong winds could cause power outages and extensive tree damage.”
Strong winds and snow are also expected for the Matanuska and Susitna valleys early this week, officials said, warning residents to be prepared for the possibility of a power outage.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Acrobats hurt in circus accident reach $52.5M settlement

PROVIDENCE , R.I. ( AP ) - Eight acrobats severely injured when the rigging suspending them by their hair plummeted to the floor during a circus performance in Rhode Island in 2014 have reached a $ 52.5 million settlement with the ownership and management of the arena where the circus was held , their lawyer confirmed Monday .
“ It ’ s a great result , it ’ s the right result and it ’ s a just result , ” Zachary Mandell , an attorney for the eight women , said of the settlement , first reported by The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held the acrobats 20 feet ( 6 meters ) above the floor of the Dunkin ’ Donuts Center snapped during the May 2014 performance , causing the women to suffer broken bones and spinal injuries .
A ninth worker on the ground was also hurt .
Some of the women still suffer from “ life-altering ” injuries , according to Mandell , who said he could not get into specifics because of medical privacy laws .
“ These clients will now be able to have meaningful recoveries with the assistance of this settlement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 sued the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority , which owns the arena , and SMG , which manages it .
Sean Brousseau , listed as an attorney for both entities , said Monday he could neither confirm nor deny a settlement .
The settlement will be paid by insurers , Mandell said .
According to the lawsuit , SMG agreed to manage all events and maintain safety inside the center , and arranged with Florida-based Feld Entertainment Inc. , the parent company of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After the accident , which occurred in front of thousands of spectators , the U.S. Department of Labor ’ s Occupational Safety and Health Administration concluded circus staff had overloaded a carabiner clip .
The clip held up a chandelier-like apparatus from which the women were suspended by their hair .
OSHA cited Feld for a “ serious ” infraction of industry practice and imposed the maximum possible fine , $ 7,000 .
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus , which closed in 2017 , also agreed to take several steps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment was left with Feld .

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Eight acrobats severely injured when the rigging suspending them by their hair plummeted to the floor during a circus performance in Rhode Island in 2014 have reached a $52.5 million settlement with the ownership and management of the arena where the circus was held, their lawyer confirmed Monday.
“It’s a great result, it’s the right result and it’s a just result,” Zachary Mandell, an attorney for the eight women, said of the settlement, first reported by The Providence Journal.
A metal clip that held the acrobats 20 feet (6 meters) above the floor of the Dunkin’ Donuts Center snapped during the May 2014 performance, causing the women to suffer broken bones and spinal injuries. A ninth worker on the ground was also hurt.
Some of the women still suffer from “life-altering” injuries, according to Mandell, who said he could not get into specifics because of medical privacy laws.
“These clients will now be able to have meaningful recoveries with the assistance of this settlement,” he said.
The women in 2016 sued the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority, which owns the arena, and SMG, which manages it. Sean Brousseau, listed as an attorney for both entities, said Monday he could neither confirm nor deny a settlement.
The settlement will be paid by insurers, Mandell said.
According to the lawsuit, SMG agreed to manage all events and maintain safety inside the center, and arranged with Florida-based Feld Entertainment Inc., the parent company of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, to bring the circus to Providence.
After the accident, which occurred in front of thousands of spectators, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration concluded circus staff had overloaded a carabiner clip. The clip held up a chandelier-like apparatus from which the women were suspended by their hair.
OSHA cited Feld for a “serious” infraction of industry practice and imposed the maximum possible fine, $7,000.
Feld Entertainment disputed the finding.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which closed in 2017, also agreed to take several steps to improve safety.
An email seeking comment was left with Feld.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Man wounded in shooting in small western Nebraska town

PALISADE , Neb .
( AP ) - The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating after a man was wounded in @ @ @ @ @ western Nebraska town .
The State Patrol said the shooting happened Friday morning at a @ @ @ @ @ is a town with about 350 residents located 80 miles south of North Platte , @ @ @ @ @ Hayes County Sheriff ’ s office found the 58-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds at @ @ @ @ @ taken to a North Platte hospital , and is expected to survive .
The State @ @ @ @ @ what led to the shooting .
No arrests had been reported as of Monday morning @

PALISADE, Neb. (AP) - The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating after a man was wounded in a shooting in a small western Nebraska town.
The State Patrol said the shooting happened Friday morning at a home in Palisade, which is a town with about 350 residents located 80 miles south of North Platte, Nebraska.
Deputies from the Hayes County Sheriff’s office found the 58-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds at the home. He was taken to a North Platte hospital, and is expected to survive.
The State Patrol didn’t say what led to the shooting. No arrests had been reported as of Monday morning.


washingtontimes--2020-12-21--Justice Dept. charges bombmaker in 1988 Pan Am explosion

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - The Justice Department announced new charges Monday against a Libyan bombmaker in the 1988 explosion of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie , Scotland , an attack that killed 259 people in the air and 11 on the ground .
The charges were announced on the 32nd anniversary of the bombing and in the final news conference of Attorney General William Barr ’ s tenure , underscoring his personal attachment to a case that unfolded during his first stint at the Justice Department .
He had announced an earlier set of charges against two other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting attorney general nearly 30 years ago , vowing that the investigation would continue .
Though Barr had not appeared at a press conference in months , he led this one two days before his departure as a career bookend .
In presenting new charges , the Justice Department is revisiting a case that deepened the chasm between the United States and Libya , laid bare the threat of international terrorism more than a decade before the Sept. 11 attacks and produced global investigations and punishing sanctions .
The case against the alleged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is for now more theoretical than practical since Masud is not in U.S. custody , but it is nonetheless one of the more consequential counterterrorism prosecutions brought by the Trump administration Justice Department .
“ At long last , this man responsible for killing Americans and many others will be subject to justice for his crimes , ” Barr said .
A breakthrough in the investigation came when U.S. officials in 2017 received a copy of an interview that Masud , an explosives expert for Libya ’ s intelligence service , had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier after being taken into custody following the collapse of the regime of the country ’ s leader , Col. Moammar Gadhafi .
In that interview , U.S. officials said , Masud admitted building the bomb in the Pan Am attack and working with the two other defendants to carry it out .
He also revealed that he had been summoned by a Libyan intelligence official to a meeting in Tripoli and asked whether the “ suitcases ” were finished .
While Masud is now the third Libyan intelligence official charged in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he would be the first to stand trial in an American courtroom .
After Barr in 1991 announced charges against the two other men , Abdel Baset al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah , the Libyan government balked at turning them over , skeptical the men could receive a fair trial .
In 1992 , the U.N. Security Council imposed arms sales and air travel sanctions against Libya to prod Gadhafi into surrendering the two suspects .
Libya ultimately turned them over for prosecution before a panel of Scottish judges sitting in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrangement .
Al-Megrahi was convicted while Fhimah was acquitted of all charges .
Al-Megrahi was given a life sentence , but Scottish authorities released him on humanitarian grounds in 2009 when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer .
He later died in Tripoli .
The Pan Am flight exploded over Lockerbie less than an hour after takeoff from London on Dec. 21 , 1988 , en route to New York City and then Detroit .
Among the 190 Americans on board were 35 Syracuse University students flying home for Christmas after a semester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flare of tension between Libya and the West .
In the years before the flight , for instance , Libya was blamed for the bombing of a West Berlin discotheque that killed two American soldiers and injured dozens of others .
It wasn ’ t until 2003 that Gadhafi and Libya accepted responsibility for the Pan Am disaster , with the country reaching a $ 2.7 billion compensation deal with the victims ’ families .
Sanctions were lifted and , in 2006 , the Bush administration removed Libya from its list of state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Besides Barr , another key figure in the Lockerbie investigation was Robert Mueller , who was the Justice Department ’ s criminal chief at the time the first set of charges was announced .
Mueller would later become FBI director and special counsel in charge of the investigation into ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign .
The Russia probe produced a rift between the men after Mueller complained to Barr that he had mischaracterized the gravity of his team ’ s findings in a letter that he made public before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Monday that he did not invite Mueller to be present for the announcement of the new charges .

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department announced new charges Monday against a Libyan bombmaker in the 1988 explosion of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, an attack that killed 259 people in the air and 11 on the ground.
The charges were announced on the 32nd anniversary of the bombing and in the final news conference of Attorney General William Barr’s tenure, underscoring his personal attachment to a case that unfolded during his first stint at the Justice Department. He had announced an earlier set of charges against two other Libyan intelligence officials in his capacity as acting attorney general nearly 30 years ago, vowing that the investigation would continue.
Though Barr had not appeared at a press conference in months, he led this one two days before his departure as a career bookend.
In presenting new charges, the Justice Department is revisiting a case that deepened the chasm between the United States and Libya, laid bare the threat of international terrorism more than a decade before the Sept. 11 attacks and produced global investigations and punishing sanctions.
The case against the alleged bombmaker, Abu Agela Masud Kheir Al-Marimi, is for now more theoretical than practical since Masud is not in U.S. custody, but it is nonetheless one of the more consequential counterterrorism prosecutions brought by the Trump administration Justice Department.
“At long last, this man responsible for killing Americans and many others will be subject to justice for his crimes,” Barr said.
A breakthrough in the investigation came when U.S. officials in 2017 received a copy of an interview that Masud, an explosives expert for Libya’s intelligence service, had given to Libyan law enforcement several years earlier after being taken into custody following the collapse of the regime of the country’s leader, Col. Moammar Gadhafi.
In that interview, U.S. officials said, Masud admitted building the bomb in the Pan Am attack and working with the two other defendants to carry it out. He also revealed that he had been summoned by a Libyan intelligence official to a meeting in Tripoli and asked whether the “suitcases” were finished.
While Masud is now the third Libyan intelligence official charged in the U.S. in connection with the Lockerbie bombing, he would be the first to stand trial in an American courtroom.
After Barr in 1991 announced charges against the two other men, Abdel Baset al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah, the Libyan government balked at turning them over, skeptical the men could receive a fair trial.
In 1992, the U.N. Security Council imposed arms sales and air travel sanctions against Libya to prod Gadhafi into surrendering the two suspects. Libya ultimately turned them over for prosecution before a panel of Scottish judges sitting in a Netherlands court as part of a special arrangement.
Al-Megrahi was convicted while Fhimah was acquitted of all charges. Al-Megrahi was given a life sentence, but Scottish authorities released him on humanitarian grounds in 2009 when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He later died in Tripoli.
The Pan Am flight exploded over Lockerbie less than an hour after takeoff from London on Dec. 21, 1988, en route to New York City and then Detroit. Among the 190 Americans on board were 35 Syracuse University students flying home for Christmas after a semester abroad.
The attack was the latest flare of tension between Libya and the West. In the years before the flight, for instance, Libya was blamed for the bombing of a West Berlin discotheque that killed two American soldiers and injured dozens of others.
It wasn’t until 2003 that Gadhafi and Libya accepted responsibility for the Pan Am disaster, with the country reaching a $2.7 billion compensation deal with the victims’ families. Sanctions were lifted and, in 2006, the Bush administration removed Libya from its list of state sponsors of terrorism and restored diplomatic relations.
Besides Barr, another key figure in the Lockerbie investigation was Robert Mueller, who was the Justice Department’s criminal chief at the time the first set of charges was announced. Mueller would later become FBI director and special counsel in charge of the investigation into ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign.
The Russia probe produced a rift between the men after Mueller complained to Barr that he had mischaracterized the gravity of his team’s findings in a letter that he made public before the investigative report was released. Barr said Monday that he did not invite Mueller to be present for the announcement of the new charges.