skynewsus--2020-12-14--Michael Jackson estate can take private action against HBO over Leaving Neverland

Michael Jackson 's estate can take action against HBO over its documentary Leaving Neverland and allegations he sexually abused two boys , a court has ruled .
Unless the network appeals , the singer 's estate can now pursue private arbitration over the 2019 documentary , the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Monday .
This means the case that HBO disparaged Jackson by airing claims he abused Wade Robson and James Safechuck will now be considered by an independent third party - outside of court - and largely away from public view .
Jackson 's estate had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( £75m ) , arguing it broke a 1992 contract the star had with them .
It claims that when HBO broadcast Jackson 's Dangerous tour , the contract agreed it would not disparage him , Variety reports .
Estate attorneys Howard Weitzman and Jonathan Steinsapir said in a statement : `` In the court 's own words , HBO agreed that it would not make any disparaging remarks concerning Jackson .
`` It 's time for HBO to answer for its violation of its obligations to Michael Jackson . ''
The network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 27-year-old clause expired once each side fulfilled its obligations .
HBO also claims that Leaving Neverland is an important piece of journalism .
Jackson 's family says the documentary was based on allegations made by two men who previously told authorities they were n't molested by him .
But during the film , both men repeatedly accuse the star of grooming and molesting them at his Neverland ranch in California .
They have each tried to sue companies created by Jackson , but Mr Safechuck 's lawsuit was dismissed last month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ filming the recent court hearings for a follow-up documentary .
Jackson died in 2009 at the age of 50 .

Michael Jackson's estate can take action against HBO over its documentary Leaving Neverland and allegations he sexually abused two boys, a court has ruled.
Unless the network appeals, the singer's estate can now pursue private arbitration over the 2019 documentary, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Monday.
This means the case that HBO disparaged Jackson by airing claims he abused Wade Robson and James Safechuck will now be considered by an independent third party - outside of court - and largely away from public view.
Image: Jackson's Neverland ranch near Santa Barbara, California
Jackson's estate had already sued the channel for $100m (£75m), arguing it broke a 1992 contract the star had with them.
It claims that when HBO broadcast Jackson's Dangerous tour, the contract agreed it would not disparage him, Variety reports.
Estate attorneys Howard Weitzman and Jonathan Steinsapir said in a statement: "In the court's own words, HBO agreed that it would not make any disparaging remarks concerning Jackson.
"It's time for HBO to answer for its violation of its obligations to Michael Jackson."
The network's lawyer, Theodore Boutrous, argued the 27-year-old clause expired once each side fulfilled its obligations.
HBO also claims that Leaving Neverland is an important piece of journalism.
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Image: James Safechuck is pictured aged 10 with Jackson
Jackson's family says the documentary was based on allegations made by two men who previously told authorities they weren't molested by him.
But during the film, both men repeatedly accuse the star of grooming and sexually assaulting them at his Neverland ranch in California.
They have each tried to sue companies created by Jackson, but Mr Safechuck's lawsuit was dismissed last month.
Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed has been filming the recent court hearings for a follow-up documentary.
Jackson died in 2009 at the age of 50.


skynewsus--2020-12-14--Foreign secretary 'strongly' backs Harry Dunn family's claim for damages in US

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has backed the family of Harry Dunn as they pursue the former CIA officer accused of killing their son in the US courts .
In a letter to Harry 's parents , the politician told them he strongly supported their attempt to bring a claim for damages against Anne Sacoolas .
Harry 's family told Sky News that he had also offered to cover their travel and accommodation costs for hearings in Virginia , Mrs Sacoolas ' home state .
His note came to light after it was filed with other court papers in America by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twin brother in a civil claim for wrongful death against US citizen Anne Sacoolas and her diplomat husband Jonathan .
The Sacoolas ' lawyers are trying to get the case dismissed .
Mrs Sacoolas was leaving her husband 's base at RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August 2019 when she was involved in a crash with 19-year-old Harry , who was on his motorbike .
Mrs Sacoolas , herself a former intelligence agent , later claimed diplomatic immunity and returned to the US with her family .
She was charged with causing Harry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 but in spite of an extradition request from the UK the Trump administration has refused to send her back .
In the letter to Harry 's parents , Mr Raab wrote : `` I strongly support your right to bring this case .
It is of course for the US courts to decide the issue of venue but for our part the British government takes the view that British citizens can bring their case in whichever court they think appropriate .
`` The defendant has said she will not appear if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I fully understand therefore your wish to pursue the case in the United States , and have confidence in the US court 's ability to hear the case consistent with your interests in this matter .
`` As you know we have offered support to allow you to attend the hearings in Virginia , and I understand other witnesses are also ready to go to the US .
I note also that the UK is party to The Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we believe that what has happened in Harry 's case amounts to a denial of justice .
In comparable circumstances , the UK would waive immunity .
I hope therefore your action in the United States is able to proceed . ''
Harry 's mother Charlotte Charles told Sky News : `` It makes us feel that all this time that Dominic Raab has been saying that he 's on our side - it 's the first evidence we 've had in writing to show us that that is the case , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are really really pleased with it .
`` Receiving that letter and seeing how strongly worded it was is something we can grasp with both hands . ''
Mrs Sacoolas , who has admitted driving on the wrong side of the road before the crash , has always refused to return to the UK voluntarily but her lawyers say that the case should be dismissed under the doctrine of `` forum non conveniens '' , arguing that her home jurisdiction is an inconvenient forum and the case should be heard in the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upset about is the fact she 's hurt us so badly by fleeing the UK , '' Mrs Charles said .
`` She 's not only trying to avoid criminal justice , now she 's trying to avoid civil justice as well , just when you think you ca n't be hurt by another human any more knowing she 's going about her daily life over there - we 're trying to deal with the fact that she 's putting us through more torture by getting the claim thrown back to the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now she 's trying to pile more devastation on top of it .
I struggle to understand that . ''
Legal commentator Joshua Rosenberg QC described Mr Raab 's support as `` very unusual '' .
He said : `` Obviously ( it 's ) very unusual for the foreign secretary to back an individual bringing a claim in a foreign country , but Dominic Raab clearly thinks that the US should have waived Sacoolas ' immunity , given that the family have no choice but to take a civil case against her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that any British citizen has the right to go to a foreign country and bring a claim , it 's obviously up to the US but Harry Dunn 's parents and brother have the support of the British government , not just moral but financial support .
`` If they are successful in even some of these claims they could well get large damages .
On the other hand Anne Sacoolas says it should be heard in the US , not UK .
This case is at an early stage but it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that they have the financial support . ''
A spokesperson for the Foreign , Commonwealth and Development Office said : `` The Foreign Secretary has been clear , the US refusal to extradite Anne Sacoolas amounts to a denial of justice and she should return to the UK .
`` We continue to support the Dunn family to seek justice for Harry , including through our support for the civil case which has been agreed with the family 's representatives . ''

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has backed the family of Harry Dunn as they pursue the former CIA officer accused of killing their son in the US courts.
In a letter to Harry's parents, the politician told them he strongly supported their attempt to bring a claim for damages against Anne Sacoolas.
Harry's family told Sky News that he had also offered to cover their travel and accommodation costs for hearings in Virginia, Mrs Sacoolas' home state.
Image: Anne Sacoolas claimed diplomatic immunity and left for the US after the incident
His note came to light after it was filed with other court papers in America by lawyers acting for Harry's parents and twin brother in a civil claim for wrongful death against US citizen Anne Sacoolas and her diplomat husband Jonathan.
The Sacoolas' lawyers are trying to get the case dismissed.
Mrs Sacoolas was leaving her husband's base at RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August 2019 when she was involved in a crash with 19-year-old Harry, who was on his motorbike.
Image: Harry's family has been offered support to attend court hearings in the US
Mrs Sacoolas, herself a former intelligence agent, later claimed diplomatic immunity and returned to the US with her family.
She was charged with causing Harry's death by dangerous driving in December 2019 but in spite of an extradition request from the UK the Trump administration has refused to send her back.
In the letter to Harry's parents, Mr Raab wrote: "I strongly support your right to bring this case. It is of course for the US courts to decide the issue of venue but for our part the British government takes the view that British citizens can bring their case in whichever court they think appropriate.
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Image: Harry's mother Charlotte Charles said she is 'grateful' for the foreign secretary's support
"The defendant has said she will not appear if the case is brought in the UK courts. I fully understand therefore your wish to pursue the case in the United States, and have confidence in the US court's ability to hear the case consistent with your interests in this matter.
"As you know we have offered support to allow you to attend the hearings in Virginia, and I understand other witnesses are also ready to go to the US. I note also that the UK is party to The Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters.
"As we have said publicly, we believe that what has happened in Harry's case amounts to a denial of justice. In comparable circumstances, the UK would waive immunity. I hope therefore your action in the United States is able to proceed."
Harry's mother Charlotte Charles told Sky News: "It makes us feel that all this time that Dominic Raab has been saying that he's on our side - it's the first evidence we've had in writing to show us that that is the case, so we are grateful for that. We are really really pleased with it.
"Receiving that letter and seeing how strongly worded it was is something we can grasp with both hands."
Image: Harry died outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on 27 August 2019
Mrs Sacoolas, who has admitted driving on the wrong side of the road before the crash, has always refused to return to the UK voluntarily but her lawyers say that the case should be dismissed under the doctrine of "forum non conveniens", arguing that her home jurisdiction is an inconvenient forum and the case should be heard in the UK.
"The main thing I'm upset about is the fact she's hurt us so badly by fleeing the UK," Mrs Charles said.
"She's not only trying to avoid criminal justice, now she's trying to avoid civil justice as well, just when you think you can't be hurt by another human any more knowing she's going about her daily life over there - we're trying to deal with the fact that she's putting us through more torture by getting the claim thrown back to the UK.
"She's devastated us and now she's trying to pile more devastation on top of it. I struggle to understand that."
Legal commentator Joshua Rozenberg QC described Mr Raab's support as "very unusual".
He said: "Obviously (it's) very unusual for the foreign secretary to back an individual bringing a claim in a foreign country, but Dominic Raab clearly thinks that the US should have waived Sacoolas' immunity, given that the family have no choice but to take a civil case against her.
"What Dominic Raab is saying that any British citizen has the right to go to a foreign country and bring a claim, it's obviously up to the US but Harry Dunn's parents and brother have the support of the British government, not just moral but financial support.
"If they are successful in even some of these claims they could well get large damages. On the other hand Anne Sacoolas says it should be heard in the UK, not US. This case is at an early stage but it is encouraging for Harry Dunn's family to know that they have the financial support."
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: "The Foreign Secretary has been clear, the US refusal to extradite Anne Sacoolas amounts to a denial of justice and she should return to the UK.
"We continue to support the Dunn family to seek justice for Harry, including through our support for the civil case which has been agreed with the family's representatives."


skynewsus--2020-12-14--Biden launches attack on Trump as Putin finally congratulates election winner

Democrat Joe Biden has attacked Mr Trump 's refusal to concede defeat , calling attacks on the election and election officials `` simply unconscionable '' and attempts to overturn the result an `` abuse of power '' .
The comments come as Mr Biden won the state-by-state Electoral College vote that formally determines who is the next US president .
The victory has all but ended President Donald Trump 's floundering campaign to overturn his loss of the US presidential election last month .
California - the most populous state - delivered its 55 electoral votes to Mr Biden on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 270 votes needed to secure the White House .
When all of the states finish voting , Mr Biden is expected to lead Mr Trump 306-232 .
Addressing the nation from his long-time home of Wilmington , Delaware , Mr Biden said : `` If anyone did n't know it before , we know it now .
What beats deep in the hearts of the American people is this : Democracy .
`` The right to be heard .
To have your vote counted .
To choose the leaders of this nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden said politicians in the US `` do n't take power - the people grant it to them '' , adding : `` Nothing , not even a pandemic - or an abuse of power - can extinguish that flame . ''
He also renewed his campaign promise to be a president for all Americans , whether they voted for him or not , and said the country has hard work ahead on coronavirus and the economy .
Hours after Mr Biden was confirmed as the winner in the US presidential race , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the former vice president .
Mr Putin had been notably quiet in the weeks following the election , but in a statement , the Kremlin said on Tuesday : `` Putin wished the president-elect every success and expressed confidence that Russia and the United States , which have a special responsibility for global security and stability , could , despite their differences , really help to solve the many problems and challenges facing the world . ''
It comes as Mr Trump announced that attorney general William Barr would be stepping down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid lingering tension with the president over Mr Trump 's claims of election fraud and the investigation into Mr Biden 's son , Hunter .
`` As per letter , Bill will be leaving just before Christmas to spend the holidays with his family , '' Mr Trump tweeted .
We 've seen a lot of end of the road moments for Mr Trump , but today is one of the biggest .
After multiple failed legal challenges to overturn the election , it was time for 538 electors to meet in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president and vice president .
States have been certifying their results in what has been a kind of rubber-stamping exercise , albeit pivotal in cementing victory .
It usually passes without much fanfare or comment .
It is typically a dry , procedural affair , but Mr Trump 's refusal to accept Mr Biden as the winner injected some jeopardy into the occasion .
In Michigan , the state capitol was closed to the public because of perceived `` credible threats of violence '' , an official said .
In Arizona , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a secret location due to threats .
The president may have succeeded in sowing doubt about the electoral process among a proportion of his followers , but the electors in the key swing states he 's been trying so hard to win back , re-confirmed his defeat .
Mr Biden not only won the 2020 election , but decisively - getting back the all-important Rust Belt , but he also upset decades of Republican dominance in Arizona and Georgia .
Stacey Abrams , an elector critical in driving the vote for Mr Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the challenge ahead .
America , she said , is still grappling with `` who we intend to be as a nation '' .
In previous years , so-called faithless electors , who stray from the popular vote , have been factor in the electoral college vote .
It is rare , but this year , there has been hardly any talk of people switching from Mr Biden to Mr Trump in any meaningful way to change the outcome .
Mr Trump 's fate was arguably sealed a long time ago .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Supreme Court , filled with three Conservative justices he picked , rejected his eleventh hour bid to overturn the election based on a Texas lawsuit .
He tried to remove electors in some states ahead of today 's vote but the highest court in the land refused to support that effort .
The next big moment for the electoral process is 6 January , when Congress gathers to count the electoral votes .
At that point the winner will be announced by Mike Pence , who presides over the Senate as vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the inauguration on 20 January .
It seems unlikely that we will see any big concession from Mr Trump between now and then .
He is already dangling the prospect of announcing a 2024 bid , on the same day .

Democrat Joe Biden has attacked Mr Trump's refusal to concede defeat, calling attacks on the election and election officials "simply unconscionable" and attempts to overturn the result an "abuse of power".
The comments come as Mr Biden won the state-by-state Electoral College vote that formally determines who is the next US president.
The victory has all but ended President Donald Trump's floundering campaign to overturn his loss of the US presidential election last month.
California - the most populous state - delivered its 55 electoral votes to Mr Biden on Monday afternoon, officially taking him over the 270 votes needed to secure the White House.
When all of the states finish voting, Mr Biden is expected to lead Mr Trump 306-232.
Addressing the nation from his long-time home of Wilmington, Delaware, Mr Biden said: "If anyone didn't know it before, we know it now. What beats deep in the hearts of the American people is this: Democracy.
"The right to be heard. To have your vote counted. To choose the leaders of this nation. To govern ourselves."
Mr Biden said politicians in the US "don't take power - the people grant it to them", adding: "Nothing, not even a pandemic - or an abuse of power - can extinguish that flame."
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He also renewed his campaign promise to be a president for all Americans, whether they voted for him or not, and said the country has hard work ahead on coronavirus and the economy.
Image: Donald Trump's fate was arguably sealed a long time ago
Hours after Mr Biden was confirmed as the winner in the US presidential race, Russian leader Vladimir Putin offered his congratulations to the former vice president.
Mr Putin had been notably quiet in the weeks following the election, but in a statement, the Kremlin said on Tuesday: "Putin wished the president-elect every success and expressed confidence that Russia and the United States, which have a special responsibility for global security and stability, could, despite their differences, really help to solve the many problems and challenges facing the world."
It comes as Mr Trump announced that attorney general William Barr would be stepping down from his role.
He is resigning amid lingering tension with the president over Mr Trump's claims of election fraud and the investigation into Mr Biden's son, Hunter.
"As per letter, Bill will be leaving just before Christmas to spend the holidays with his family," Mr Trump tweeted.
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We've seen a lot of end of the road moments for Mr Trump, but today is one of the biggest.
After multiple failed legal challenges to overturn the election, it was time for 538 electors to meet in their respective states to cast their votes for the president and vice president.
Image: Joe Biden addresses the nation from Wilmington, Delaware
States have been certifying their results in what has been a kind of rubber-stamping exercise, albeit pivotal in cementing victory.
It usually passes without much fanfare or comment. It is typically a dry, procedural affair, but Mr Trump's refusal to accept Mr Biden as the winner injected some jeopardy into the occasion.
In Michigan, the state capitol was closed to the public because of perceived "credible threats of violence", an official said.
In Arizona, electors had to cast their votes in a secret location due to threats.
The president may have succeeded in sowing doubt about the electoral process among a proportion of his followers, but the electors in the key swing states he's been trying so hard to win back, re-confirmed his defeat.
Mr Biden not only won the 2020 election, but decisively - getting back the all-important Rust Belt, but he also upset decades of Republican dominance in Arizona and Georgia.
:: Subscribe to Divided States on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Stacey Abrams, an elector critical in driving the vote for Mr Biden in Georgia, reminded the country of the challenge ahead. America, she said, is still grappling with "who we intend to be as a nation".
In previous years, so-called faithless electors, who stray from the popular vote, have been factor in the electoral college vote. It is rare, but this year, there has been hardly any talk of people switching from Mr Biden to Mr Trump in any meaningful way to change the outcome.
Mr Trump's fate was arguably sealed a long time ago. But on Friday came a critical blow. The Supreme Court, filled with three Conservative justices he picked, rejected his eleventh hour bid to overturn the election based on a Texas lawsuit.
He tried to remove electors in some states ahead of today's vote but the highest court in the land refused to support that effort.
Image: Members of Wisconsin's electoral college cast their votes
The next big moment for the electoral process is 6 January, when Congress gathers to count the electoral votes. At that point the winner will be announced by Mike Pence, who presides over the Senate as vice president.
Mr Biden will take office at the inauguration on 20 January. It seems unlikely that we will see any big concession from Mr Trump between now and then. He is already dangling the prospect of announcing a 2024 bid, on the same day.


skynewsus--2020-12-15--Major US baseball team to change 'unacceptable' team name

Cleveland Indians baseball team has announced it will change its name , saying it is `` no longer acceptable in our world '' .
Paul Dolan , the team 's owner , said the title it has been using since 1915 would be dropped after the 2021 season ends .
Speaking to The Associated Press he said : `` The name is no longer acceptable in our world . ''
The team will now begin the `` difficult and complex process '' to identify a new name , he added .
Following the announcement , Donald Trump took to Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president wrote : `` Oh no !
What is going on ?
This is not good news , even for 'Indians ' .
Cancel culture at work ! ''
The move follows months of meetings with groups , including Native Americans , who have sought the removal of a name many feel is culturally inappropriate .
The term Indians is considered offensive by many Native Americans because of the origins of its use .
European explorers and traders used it for centuries to refer collectively to all native people of the Americas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asian subcontinent , which itself was often labelled `` India '' .
The name change follows a similar decision by Washington 's NFL team earlier this year .
The team stopped using the moniker the Redskins - a term considered a slur towards Native Americans - and are now known as the Washington Football Team .
However , Mr Dolan said Cleveland would not adopt a similar interim name until choosing its new one .
`` We do n't want to be the Cleveland Baseball Team or some other interim name , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new name would `` hopefully take us through multiple centuries '' .
As Cleveland considers new names , Mr Dolan said Tribe , the team 's popular nickname for decades , had been ruled out .
The decision was welcomed by Native American groups that met with the club , which since 2018 has been phasing out use of its `` Chief Wahoo '' mascot and logo - a caricature of a Native American with a red face .
`` The team made a genuine effort to listen and learn , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Lake Erie Native American Council in the Cleveland Indigenous Coalition .
`` We hope this serves as a blueprint for other professional teams and the 200-plus high school teams in the Ohio area .
`` If there is a school or team that truly cares about fighting racism , these mascots can not coexist . ''
Cleveland 's announcement was praised by Washington NFL coach Ron Rivera .
It was within hours of his team 's name change that Mr Dolan announced a thorough review of Cleveland 's name .
Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed the name does n't mean I stop loving the players , stop loving the manager .
`` If it makes a group of people feel less marginalised , then I 'm all for it . ''
The team has not stopped selling merchandise bearing the grinning , cartoonish figure of Wahoo , but Mr Dolan said any profits from future sales would go to Native American organisations or causes supporting Native Americans .
The name change comes after of a wave of social unrest and protests in the US in 2020 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ epiphany '' came following the death of George Floyd , a black man who died in May after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes while arresting him .
However , three other major league teams who use Native American names - MLB 's Atlanta Braves , the NFL 's Kansas City Chiefs and the NHL 's Chicago Blackhawks - have said they have no plans to change their branding .

Cleveland Indians baseball team has announced it will change its name, saying it is "no longer acceptable in our world".
Paul Dolan, the team's owner, said the title it has been using since 1915 would be dropped after the 2021 season ends.
Speaking to The Associated Press he said: "The name is no longer acceptable in our world."
Image: Owner and CEO Paul Dolan said he hoped the new name would take the team 'through multiple centuries'
The team will now begin the "difficult and complex process" to identify a new name, he added.
Following the announcement, Donald Trump took to Twitter to belittle the move.
The outgoing president wrote: "Oh no! What is going on? This is not good news, even for 'Indians'. Cancel culture at work!"
The move follows months of meetings with groups, including Native Americans, who have sought the removal of a name many feel is culturally inappropriate.
The term Indians is considered offensive by many Native Americans because of the origins of its use.
European explorers and traders used it for centuries to refer collectively to all native people of the Americas, effectively conflating them with inhabitants of the Asian subcontinent, which itself was often labelled "India".
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The name change follows a similar decision by Washington's NFL team earlier this year.
The team stopped using the moniker the Redskins - a term considered a slur towards Native Americans - and are now known as the Washington Football Team.
However, Mr Dolan said Cleveland would not adopt a similar interim name until choosing its new one.
"We don't want to be the Cleveland Baseball Team or some other interim name," he said, adding that he hoped the new name would "hopefully take us through multiple centuries".
As Cleveland considers new names, Mr Dolan said Tribe, the team's popular nickname for decades, had been ruled out.
Image: Protesters express their disapproval of the Cleveland Indians' Chief Wahoo logo in 2018
Image: The decision has been welcomed by local groups who sought the removal of the name
The decision was welcomed by Native American groups that met with the club, which since 2018 has been phasing out use of its "Chief Wahoo" mascot and logo - a caricature of a Native American with a red face.
"The team made a genuine effort to listen and learn," said Cynthia Connolly, executive board member of the Lake Erie Native American Council in the Cleveland Indigenous Coalition.
"We hope this serves as a blueprint for other professional teams and the 200-plus high school teams in the Ohio area.
"If there is a school or team that truly cares about fighting racism, these mascots cannot coexist."
Cleveland's announcement was praised by Washington NFL coach Ron Rivera. It was within hours of his team's name change that Mr Dolan announced a thorough review of Cleveland's name.
Mr Rivera said: "Just because they changed the name doesn't mean I stop loving the players, stop loving the manager.
"If it makes a group of people feel less marginalised, then I'm all for it."
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The team has not stopped selling merchandise bearing the grinning, cartoonish figure of Wahoo, but Mr Dolan said any profits from future sales would go to Native American organisations or causes supporting Native Americans.
The name change comes after of a wave of social unrest and protests in the US in 2020.
Mr Dolan said his "awakening or epiphany" came following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in May after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes while arresting him.
However, three other major league teams who use Native American names - MLB's Atlanta Braves, the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks - have said they have no plans to change their branding.


skynewsus--2020-12-15--Sharon Osbourne tests positive for COVID-19

Sharon Osbourne says she has tested positive for coronavirus and is now recovering after a brief stay in hospital .
The former X Factor judge , 68 , is taking time away from US chat show The Talk - a daytime programme similar to the UK 's Loose Women - in order to recover .
She said she was also isolating away from her husband of nearly 40 years , rock star Ozzy Osbourne , following the COVID-19 diagnosis .
At 72-years-old , Ozzy , who revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson 's disease last year , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' category .
Sharon told her 2.3m followers on Twitter : `` I wanted to share I 've tested positive for COVID-19 .
After a brief hospitalization , I 'm now recuperating at a location away from Ozzy ( who has tested negative ) while `` The Talk '' is on scheduled hiatus .
`` Everyone please stay safe and healthy . ''
Sharon is the second of host from The Talk to contract the virus , after presenter and dancer Carrie Ann Inaba announced she had tested positive just a few days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was `` resting and taking care of myself '' following the diagnosis .
The show is filmed in Los Angeles County , California , where the Osbournes live .
Subscribe to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Much of the Golden State is under a stay-at-home order following a surge in coronavirus cases .
Other celebrities to publicly announce a coronavirus diagnosis include Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson , British actor Idris Elba and Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston .

Sharon Osbourne says she has tested positive for coronavirus and is now recovering after a brief stay in hospital.
The former X Factor judge, 68, is taking time away from US chat show The Talk - a daytime programme similar to the UK's Loose Women - in order to recover.
She said she was also isolating away from her husband of nearly 40 years, rock star Ozzy Osbourne, following the COVID-19 diagnosis.
Image: Ozzy (L) and Sharon (R) have been married for nearly 40 years
At 72-years-old, Ozzy, who revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease last year, is considered to be in the "vulnerable" category.
Sharon told her 2.3m followers on Twitter: "I wanted to share I've tested positive for COVID-19. After a brief hospitalization, I'm now recuperating at a location away from Ozzy (who has tested negative) while "The Talk" is on scheduled hiatus.
"Everyone please stay safe and healthy."
Sharon is the second of host from The Talk to contract the virus, after presenter and dancer Carrie Ann Inaba announced she had tested positive just a few days ago.
Inaba, 52, said she was "resting and taking care of myself" following the diagnosis.
The show is filmed in Los Angeles County, California, where the Osbournes live.
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Much of the Golden State is under a stay-at-home order following a surge in coronavirus cases.
Other celebrities to publicly announce a coronavirus diagnosis include Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, British actor Idris Elba and Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston.


skynewsus--2020-12-15--Top Republican accepts Biden is US president-elect in blow to Trump

The Senate majority leader has congratulated Joe Biden on becoming US president-elect - in a significant blow to Donald Trump .
Top Republican Mitch McConnell said the Electoral College - a group of people who voted to formally confirm the result of last month 's election - `` had spoken '' .
`` Many of us had hoped the presidential election would yield a different result , '' he admitted on Tuesday .
`` But our system of government has the processes to determine who will be sworn in on 20 January . ''
Mr McConnell described Democrat Mr Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama and also a former senator himself , as someone `` who has devoted himself to public service for many years '' .
He also congratulated vice president-elect Kamala Harris , saying `` all Americans can take pride that our nation has a female vice president-elect for the very first time '' .
Before those remarks , he poured praise on Mr Trump 's `` endless '' accomplishments during the last four years .
The admission marks a crucial abandonment by one of the most senior GOP figures of the incumbent president 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accept the election result .
Mr Trump has claimed - without evidence that has stood up to legal scrutiny - that the vote was rigged against him .
Republican Senator Roy Blunt , the chairman of the inaugural committee , also said on Tuesday the panel will `` deal with '' Mr Biden `` as the president-elect '' .
Just last week , the Republicans on the same committee had declined to publicly do so .
Mr Trump will become the first one-term president since 1992 when he leaves the Oval Office next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Biden , after the Democrat challenger managed to flip key red states blue - like Arizona , Georgia and Nevada .
His gain of Pennsylvania four days after polls closed gave him enough Electoral College votes to put him past the halfway line , and he eventually collected 306 to Mr Trump 's 232 .
Mr Biden 's inauguration ceremony will be very different from the usual ceremonies used to induct new presidents into office , given the coronavirus pandemic .
The committee organising it said they wanted to ensure it `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeping Americans safe and preventing the spread of COVID-19 '' .
`` Vigorous health and safety protocols '' will be followed and `` the ceremony 's footprint will be extremely limited , and the parade that follows will be re-imagined '' , they clarified .
US residents are also being urged not to travel to attend the ceremony at the Capitol in Washington DC and instead watch from home .

The Senate majority leader has congratulated Joe Biden on becoming US president-elect - in a significant blow to Donald Trump.
Top Republican Mitch McConnell said the Electoral College - a group of people who voted to formally confirm the result of last month's election - "had spoken".
"Many of us had hoped the presidential election would yield a different result," he admitted on Tuesday.
Image: Joe Biden is due to be sworn in on 20 January
"But our system of government has the processes to determine who will be sworn in on 20 January."
Mr McConnell described Democrat Mr Biden, who was vice president under Barack Obama and also a former senator himself, as someone "who has devoted himself to public service for many years".
Image: Kamala Harris will be the first woman vice-president of the US
He also congratulated vice president-elect Kamala Harris, saying "all Americans can take pride that our nation has a female vice president-elect for the very first time".
Before those remarks, he poured praise on Mr Trump's "endless" accomplishments during the last four years.
Image: Donald Trump is still refusing to accept he lost the election
The admission marks a crucial abandonment by one of the most senior GOP figures of the incumbent president's position, which is to refuse to accept the election result.
Mr Trump has claimed - without evidence that has stood up to legal scrutiny - that the vote was rigged against him.
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Republican Senator Roy Blunt, the chairman of the inaugural committee, also said on Tuesday the panel will "deal with" Mr Biden "as the president-elect".
Just last week, the Republicans on the same committee had declined to publicly do so.
Mr Trump will become the first one-term president since 1992 when he leaves the Oval Office next month.
He will be replaced by Mr Biden, after the Democrat challenger managed to flip key red states blue - like Arizona, Georgia and Nevada.
His gain of Pennsylvania four days after polls closed gave him enough Electoral College votes to put him past the halfway line, and he eventually collected 306 to Mr Trump's 232.
Mr Biden's inauguration ceremony will be very different from the usual ceremonies used to induct new presidents into office, given the coronavirus pandemic.
The committee organising it said they wanted to ensure it "honours and resembles sacred American traditions while keeping Americans safe and preventing the spread of COVID-19".
"Vigorous health and safety protocols" will be followed and "the ceremony's footprint will be extremely limited, and the parade that follows will be re-imagined", they clarified.
US residents are also being urged not to travel to attend the ceremony at the Capitol in Washington DC and instead watch from home.


skynewsus--2020-12-15--Moderna vaccine nears approval in US as rollout of Pfizer jab continues

The US is close to approving a second COVID-19 jab for use , as the country ramps up its vaccination programme .
America 's regulatory authority , the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) , said its early analysis of the Moderna vaccine confirmed its 95 % efficacy .
And on Tuesday , FDA staff endorsed it as safe and effective .
A panel of independent experts will gather on Thursday to discuss the vaccine , with emergency use authorisation by the FDA set to follow shortly afterwards , possibly on Friday .
The FDA normally follows the advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required to do so .
Similar to the Pfizer vaccine , the Moderna inoculation requires two doses several weeks apart .
Although Moderna reported no major safety issues from its trial , the FDA will scrutinise the data to ensure the jab is safe .
The vaccine 's main side-effects appear to be fatigue and aching muscles after the second jab - although these effects are common with most injections and is indicative that the vaccine is working to create antibodies .
It comes as hospitals across the US ramped up their vaccination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was cleared by the FDA last week .
The Pfizer vaccine , which has to be transported in dry ice to keep it at -70C , is due to arrive at another 400 hospitals and distribution sites on Tuesday - a day after it was revealed more 300,000 people have died in the US with COVID-19 .
Frontline health workers and elderly patients will get the first three million doses of the Pfizer jab , with hundreds of millions more arriving over the next few months .
Florida and New Jersey are among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine , with 176,000 doses alone hitting those states .
Private delivery companies , such as FedEx , have been drafted in by the US government to help get the vaccine across the country from its factory in Michigan , with more shipments due in the coming days .
Army General Gustave Perna , chief operating officer for Operation Warp Speed , said : `` We 're starting our drumbeat of continuous execution of vaccine as it is available .
`` We package and we deliver .
It is a constant flow of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 million Americans will be able to get their first doses by the end of the year , with a further 30 million in January .

The US is close to approving a second COVID-19 jab for use, as the country ramps up its vaccination programme.
America's regulatory authority, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said its early analysis of the Moderna vaccine confirmed its 95% efficacy.
And on Tuesday, FDA staff endorsed it as safe and effective.
A panel of independent experts will gather on Thursday to discuss the vaccine, with emergency use authorisation by the FDA set to follow shortly afterwards, possibly on Friday.
The FDA normally follows the advice of the panel, but is not required to do so.
Similar to the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna inoculation requires two doses several weeks apart.
Image: Healthcare workers are among the first to get the Pfizer jab
Although Moderna reported no major safety issues from its trial, the FDA will scrutinise the data to ensure the jab is safe.
The vaccine's main side-effects appear to be fatigue and aching muscles after the second jab - although these effects are common with most injections and is indicative that the vaccine is working to create antibodies.
It comes as hospitals across the US ramped up their vaccination programme using the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, which was cleared by the FDA last week.
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The Pfizer vaccine, which has to be transported in dry ice to keep it at -70C, is due to arrive at another 400 hospitals and distribution sites on Tuesday - a day after it was revealed more 300,000 people have died in the US with COVID-19.
Frontline health workers and elderly patients will get the first three million doses of the Pfizer jab, with hundreds of millions more arriving over the next few months.
Florida and New Jersey are among the states taking deliveries of the Pfizer vaccine, with 176,000 doses alone hitting those states.
Private delivery companies, such as FedEx, have been drafted in by the US government to help get the vaccine across the country from its factory in Michigan, with more shipments due in the coming days.
Army General Gustave Perna, chief operating officer for Operation Warp Speed, said: "We're starting our drumbeat of continuous execution of vaccine as it is available.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:44 US COVID-19 vaccine shipments begin
"We package and we deliver. It is a constant flow of available vaccine."
Officials expect that 20 million Americans will be able to get their first doses by the end of the year, with a further 30 million in January.


skynewsus--2020-12-15--£20,000 watch given as gift by ex-US president stolen in London

A pocket watch worth up to £20,000 that was given as a gift by former US president Woodrow Wilson has been stolen from a London antiques dealer .
The 14-carat gold timepiece was taken from a shop in Pierrepont Arcade , Islington , at around 12.30pm on Saturday by a man who pretended he wanted to buy a vase .
His payment was declined and , as the sales assistant returned the vase to its display , he opened a cabinet and snatched the watch .
Police are now trying to track the thief down and have released pictures of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the US president on the front of its case .
On the back , an engraved message reads : `` From the president of the United States for Charles J Lawrenson , master of the British steampship Nubian . ''
It adds that the gift was presented to the captain `` in recognition of his humane services in effecting the rescue at sea on March 7 1914 of the master and crew of the American schooner Julia A Trubee '' .
The owners of the watch are `` very distressed '' at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from Central North Basic Command Unit .
He added : `` The item had been in their family for a long time and I would urge the person who stole it to return it as soon as possible . ''
Anyone with information can call police on 101 quoting CAD 1857/15Dec .
or to remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online .

A pocket watch worth up to £20,000 that was given as a gift by former US president Woodrow Wilson has been stolen from a London antiques dealer.
The 14-carat gold timepiece was taken from a shop in Pierrepont Arcade, Islington, at around 12.30pm on Saturday by a man who pretended he wanted to buy a vase.
His payment was declined and, as the sales assistant returned the vase to its display, he opened a cabinet and snatched the watch.
Image: The watch is more than 100 years old
Police are now trying to track the thief down and have released pictures of the watch, which features the seal of the US president on the front of its case.
On the back, an engraved message reads: "From the president of the United States for Charles J Lawrenson, master of the British steampship Nubian."
Image: The timepiece features an engraved message from US president Woodrow Wilson
It adds that the gift was presented to the captain "in recognition of his humane services in effecting the rescue at sea on March 7 1914 of the master and crew of the American schooner Julia A Trubee".
The owners of the watch are "very distressed" at its theft, said PC Joshua Brown, from Central North Basic Command Unit.
Image: Police want to speak to this man, caught on CCTV
He added: "The item had been in their family for a long time and I would urge the person who stole it to return it as soon as possible."
Anyone with information can call police on 101 quoting CAD 1857/15Dec. or to remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.


skynewsus--2020-12-16--'Take this seriously': Biggest snow storm in years set to hit US east coast

America 's east coast is about to be hit by what could be the biggest winter storm for years , with 50 million people in the path of the snow .
Up to two feet ( 60cm ) of snow is expected to fall along the eastern seaboard , stretching from North Carolina up through New England in the north east .
`` For much of the area , right along the coast , we are going to have a mix of rain , snow and maybe some sleet and freezing rain , '' said Sarah Johnson , a weather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As you get farther inland , you will see more predominant snow . ''
Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio asked people to `` take it seriously '' in a message posted online .
Mr de Blasio added there could wind gusts of up to 50mph and snow cover of 30cm , urging New Yorkers to take precautions ahead of the storm 's arrival .
Salt spreaders and snow ploughs will be in operation across the city , the mayor said , telling commuters to either use public transport , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a message to parents , he told them to `` be ready with an alternative for Thursday in case the snow is bad enough that we have to close the school buildings '' .
Dashing hopes of a snow day , he added that with the introduction of remote learning , children will still be required to study if they have to remain at home , `` whether they 're happy about it or not '' .
The heaviest snowfall is expected across Maryland and Pennsylvania , with places like Boston in Massachusetts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is likely to be the first major storm of the season , which tends to last until around March , threatening the region with disruption for months .

America's east coast is about to be hit by what could be the biggest winter storm for years, with 50 million people in the path of the snow.
Up to two feet (60cm) of snow is expected to fall along the eastern seaboard, stretching from North Carolina up through New England in the north east.
"For much of the area, right along the coast, we are going to have a mix of rain, snow and maybe some sleet and freezing rain," said Sarah Johnson, a weather service meteorologist in New Jersey.
Image: New Yorkers have been told to take the storms seriously
"As you get farther inland, you will see more predominant snow."
Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio asked people to "take it seriously" in a message posted online.
Mr de Blasio added there could wind gusts of up to 50mph and snow cover of 30cm, urging New Yorkers to take precautions ahead of the storm's arrival.
Salt spreaders and snow ploughs will be in operation across the city, the mayor said, telling commuters to either use public transport, or stay at home to work.
In a message to parents, he told them to "be ready with an alternative for Thursday in case the snow is bad enough that we have to close the school buildings".
Dashing hopes of a snow day, he added that with the introduction of remote learning, children will still be required to study if they have to remain at home, "whether they're happy about it or not".
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The heaviest snowfall is expected across Maryland and Pennsylvania, with places like Boston in Massachusetts and Washington DC also being hit hard.
It is likely to be the first major storm of the season, which tends to last until around March, threatening the region with disruption for months.


skynewsus--2020-12-16--Mackenzie Scott gives over £3bn to charity in four months

The ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has donated more than £3bn ( $ 4bn ) to frontline charities helping in the pandemic in four months , she has revealed .
In a blog post Mackenzie Scott , who was previously known as Mackenzie Bezos , said she was inspired by the philanthropic efforts of others during the coronavirus pandemic .
In July , the 50-year-old donated £1.32 ( $ 1.7bn ) to 116 charities , taking her total donations for the year to almost £4.5bn ( $ 6bn ) .
`` This pandemic has been a wrecking ball in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she wrote in a blog post on Medium .
`` Economic losses and health outcomes alike have been worse for women , for people of color and for people living in poverty .
`` Meanwhile , it has substantially increased the wealth of billionaires . ''
The money has gone to more than 380 organisations across the US , handpicked from a list of nearly 6,500 .
Her divorce from the world 's richest man , Mr Bezos , in 2019 left her with a 4 % stake in Amazon , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time .
However , thanks to an increase in online shopping in the pandemic , she has seen her wealth balloon this year from £17bn ( $ 23.6bn ) to £45bn ( $ 60.7bn ) , according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index .
Ms Mackenzie said the money had gone to `` communities facing high projected food insecurity , high measures of racial inequity , high local poverty rates , and low access to philanthropic capital '' .
She added : `` These 384 carefully selected teams have dedicated their lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and serving real people face-to-face at bedsides and tables , in prisons and courtrooms and classrooms , on streets and hospital wards and hotlines and frontlines of all types and sizes , day after day after day .
`` They were told that the entire commitment would be paid upfront and left unrestricted in order to provide them with maximum flexibility .
`` The responses from people who took the calls often included personal stories and tears . ''
Ms Mackenzie worked with a team of advisers to identify areas of need and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year she signed the Giving Pledge - a commitment , set up by Bill and Melinda Gates - for the world 's wealthiest to dedicate their wealth to worthy causes .
Amid the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement , Ms Scott has given money to racial equality non-profit organisations .

The ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has donated more than £3bn ($4bn) to frontline charities helping in the pandemic in four months, she has revealed.
In a blog post Mackenzie Scott, who was previously known as Mackenzie Bezos, said she was inspired by the philanthropic efforts of others during the coronavirus pandemic.
In July, the 50-year-old donated £1.32 ($1.7bn) to 116 charities, taking her total donations for the year to almost £4.5bn ($6bn).
"This pandemic has been a wrecking ball in the lives of Americans already struggling," she wrote in a blog post on Medium.
"Economic losses and health outcomes alike have been worse for women, for people of color and for people living in poverty.
"Meanwhile, it has substantially increased the wealth of billionaires."
Image: Her divorce from the world's richest man left Ms Scott with a 4% stake in Amazon
The money has gone to more than 380 organisations across the US, handpicked from a list of nearly 6,500.
Ms Scott is the world's 18th richest person.
Her divorce from the world's richest man, Mr Bezos, in 2019 left her with a 4% stake in Amazon, which was worth £27.8bn ($36bn) at the time.
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However, thanks to an increase in online shopping in the pandemic, she has seen her wealth balloon this year from £17bn ($23.6bn) to £45bn ($60.7bn), according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Ms Scott said the money had gone to "communities facing high projected food insecurity, high measures of racial inequity, high local poverty rates, and low access to philanthropic capital".
She added: "These 384 carefully selected teams have dedicated their lives to helping others, working and volunteering and serving real people face-to-face at bedsides and tables, in prisons and courtrooms and classrooms, on streets and hospital wards and hotlines and frontlines of all types and sizes, day after day after day.
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
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"They were told that the entire commitment would be paid upfront and left unrestricted in order to provide them with maximum flexibility.
"The responses from people who took the calls often included personal stories and tears."
Ms Scott worked with a team of advisers to identify areas of need and help her distribute the funds.
Last year she signed the Giving Pledge - a commitment, set up by Bill and Melinda Gates - for the world's wealthiest to dedicate their wealth to worthy causes.
Amid the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement, Ms Scott has given money to racial equality non-profit organisations.


skynewsus--2020-12-16--Mysterious storm on Neptune abruptly reverses direction

A mysterious dark storm on Neptune has been spotted abruptly reversing its direction by astronomers using NASA 's Hubble Space Telescope , something they say has never been observed before .
The storm , which is wider than the Atlantic Ocean , has been raging in the gas giant 's northern hemisphere since at least 2018 , and was slowly drifting towards the planet 's equator where such storms are expected to dissipate .
But instead of going gently to its death , and to the surprise of observers , the vortex suddenly changed direction by August 2020 and doubled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time the Hubble , which is the only telescope which has the sharpness and sensitivity in the visible spectrum of light to track these elusive features , has ever seen this kind of atmospheric behaviour .
Adding to the mystery , Hubble spotted another smaller dark spot in January of this year which appeared near the larger storm .
The scientists suspect it may have been a piece of the giant vortex that broke off and drifted away before disappearing .
`` We are excited about these observations because this smaller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dark spot 's disruption process , '' said Dr Michael Wong of the University of California at Berkeley .
`` This is a process that 's never been observed .
We have seen some other dark spots fading away , and they 're gone , but we 've never seen anything disrupt , even though it 's predicted in computer simulations , '' Dr Wong added .
The large storm is 4,600 miles across ( 7,400km ) - more than the distance from London to Miami - and is only the fourth dark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 1993 .
Two other storms were discovered by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1989 , but they had disappeared by the time Hubble swivelled round to monitor them .
`` It 's still a mystery how these storms form , but this latest giant dark vortex is the best studied so far , '' said NASA .
`` The storm 's dark appearance may be due to an elevated dark cloud layer , and it could be telling astronomers about the storm 's vertical structure .
`` Another unusual feature of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companion clouds around it , which were present in Hubble images taken when the vortex was discovered in 2018 , '' NASA added .
`` Apparently , the clouds disappeared when the vortex halted its southward journey .
The bright clouds form when the flow of air is perturbed and diverted upward over the vortex , causing gases to likely freeze into methane ice crystals .
`` The lack of clouds could be revealing information on how spots evolve , '' the researchers added .

A mysterious dark storm on Neptune has been spotted abruptly reversing its direction by astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, something they say has never been observed before.
The storm, which is wider than the Atlantic Ocean, has been raging in the gas giant's northern hemisphere since at least 2018, and was slowly drifting towards the planet's equator where such storms are expected to dissipate.
But instead of going gently to its death, and to the surprise of observers, the vortex suddenly changed direction by August 2020 and doubled back to the north.
Image: The smaller spot, as observed by Hubble. Pic: NASA
It is the first time the Hubble, which is the only telescope which has the sharpness and sensitivity in the visible spectrum of light to track these elusive features, has ever seen this kind of atmospheric behaviour.
Adding to the mystery, Hubble spotted another smaller dark spot in January of this year which appeared near the larger storm. The scientists suspect it may have been a piece of the giant vortex that broke off and drifted away before disappearing.
"We are excited about these observations because this smaller dark fragment is potentially part of the dark spot's disruption process," said Dr Michael Wong of the University of California at Berkeley.
"This is a process that's never been observed. We have seen some other dark spots fading away, and they're gone, but we've never seen anything disrupt, even though it's predicted in computer simulations," Dr Wong added.
The large storm is 4,600 miles across (7,400km) - more than the distance from London to Miami - and is only the fourth dark spot that Hubble has observed on Neptune since 1993.
Two other storms were discovered by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1989, but they had disappeared by the time Hubble swivelled round to monitor them.
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"It's still a mystery how these storms form, but this latest giant dark vortex is the best studied so far," said NASA.
"The storm's dark appearance may be due to an elevated dark cloud layer, and it could be telling astronomers about the storm's vertical structure.
"Another unusual feature of the dark spot is the absence of bright companion clouds around it, which were present in Hubble images taken when the vortex was discovered in 2018," NASA added.
"Apparently, the clouds disappeared when the vortex halted its southward journey. The bright clouds form when the flow of air is perturbed and diverted upward over the vortex, causing gases to likely freeze into methane ice crystals.
"The lack of clouds could be revealing information on how spots evolve," the researchers added.


skynewsus--2020-12-16--Ghislaine Maxwell requests $28.5m bail package involving armed guards

Ghislaine Maxwell has proposed a $ 28.5m ( £21m ) bail package in a bid to be freed from jail this year .
The bail arrangements for Jeffrey Epstein 's former girlfriend would come with armed guards to ensure she stays safe and does not flee a New York residence .
In a bail application filed with the US District Court in Manhattan , Maxwell said she and her husband would post a $ 22.5m ( £16.5m ) bond towards bail , secured by all their assets , with most of the remaining funds coming from friends and family .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn , New York .
She was arrested in an FBI raid at her secluded New Hampshire home in July over claims she played a central role in procuring underage girls for Epstein to abuse in the mid-1990s .
Letters from family and friends supported the bail arguments , claiming Maxwell sought seclusion in December 2019 because of death threats and fears of being found by the public and media .
A security specialist , who offered to contribute one million dollars ( £750,000 ) toward the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maxwell if she is released , said she retreated into a back room of her residence when the FBI approached because she thought reporters had found her .
Her husband was not identified in court papers , but a financial report among the exhibits revealed that they have been married since 2016 and that most of Maxwell 's assets are in a trust controlled by her spouse .
In a letter to support the bail request , he said Maxwell left her family and dropped out of public view , not because she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of `` the intense media frenzy and threats following the arrest and death of Jeffrey Epstein '' .
Lawyers said she is not a flight risk , despite media that have `` ruthlessly vilified her and prejudged her guilt '' in more articles than the comedian Bill Cosby and movie producer Harvey Weinstein got after their arrests .
`` Ms Maxwell vehemently maintains her innocence and is committed to defending herself , '' the lawyers wrote .
Maxwell proposed living under home confinement with an acquaintance in New York City , with 24-hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed to waive extradition from the United Kingdom and France , where she holds citizenships , in a bid to alleviate concerns that she would flee New York .
Maxwell is due to face trial in July on charges that she recruited three teenage girls for Epstein to abuse in the mid-1990s .
She denies the charges .

Ghislaine Maxwell has proposed a $28.5m (£21m) bail package in a bid to be freed from jail this year.
The bail arrangements for Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend would come with armed guards to ensure she stays safe and does not flee a New York residence.
In a bail application filed with the US District Court in Manhattan, Maxwell said she and her husband would post a $22.5m (£16.5m) bond towards bail, secured by all their assets, with most of the remaining funds coming from friends and family.
The 58-year-old British socialite is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, New York.
She was arrested in an FBI raid at her secluded New Hampshire home in July over claims she played a central role in procuring underage girls for Epstein to abuse in the mid-1990s.
Letters from family and friends supported the bail arguments, claiming Maxwell sought seclusion in December 2019 because of death threats and fears of being found by the public and media.
A security specialist, who offered to contribute one million dollars (£750,000) toward the bail package and to provide security for Maxwell if she is released, said she retreated into a back room of her residence when the FBI approached because she thought reporters had found her.
Her husband was not identified in court papers, but a financial report among the exhibits revealed that they have been married since 2016 and that most of Maxwell's assets are in a trust controlled by her spouse.
In a letter to support the bail request, he said Maxwell left her family and dropped out of public view, not because she was avoiding law enforcement, but because of "the intense media frenzy and threats following the arrest and death of Jeffrey Epstein".
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Lawyers said she is not a flight risk, despite media that have "ruthlessly vilified her and prejudged her guilt" in more articles than the comedian Bill Cosby and movie producer Harvey Weinstein got after their arrests.
"Ms Maxwell vehemently maintains her innocence and is committed to defending herself," the lawyers wrote.
Maxwell proposed living under home confinement with an acquaintance in New York City, with 24-hour security and electronic surveillance.
She also agreed to waive extradition from the United Kingdom and France, where she holds citizenships, in a bid to alleviate concerns that she would flee New York.
A spokesperson for prosecutors declined to comment.
Maxwell is due to face trial in July on charges that she recruited three teenage girls for Epstein to abuse in the mid-1990s. She denies the charges.


skynewsus--2020-12-16--Facebook slams Apple over new privacy measures

Facebook has launched a broadside attack against Apple for a new feature which will allow users to opt-in to whether the apps they use can access their data for advertising purposes .
Apple is expected to introduce the AppTrackingTransparency feature in iOS 14 , giving users what Facebook describes as `` a discouraging prompt '' if any apps such as Facebook 's attempt to track them or access their device 's advertising identifier .
Facebook claims that the feature will harm app developers , small businesses , and is an anti-competitive act designed to benefit Apple 's own advertising features @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it would be joining Fortnite maker Epic Games ' legal fight against Apple , stating it would be providing relevant information regarding how Apple 's policies have adversely impacted the company .
`` Free apps and the entrepreneurs and creators who build them ... rely on advertising to make money , and in turn , provide free content to people - from your morning news to the game you play in line at the coffee shop to that comedy show you watched on Friday night , '' explained Facebook .
Facebook 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Dan Levy , claims that Apple 's own personalised advertising platform was n't subject to the new iOS 14 policy , something which Apple denies - claiming it simply complies with its own policy .
During a press call to go with the announcement - during which Facebook took very few questions - Mr Levy and a colleague claimed Apple 's new policy was about `` control of the entire internet '' .
They claimed Apple was `` trying to take the [ advertising ] world back 10 or 20 years '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about this claim nor did they offer any statements which justified it .
Facebook 's statement says : `` We believe Apple is behaving anti-competitively by using their control of the App Store to benefit their bottom line at the expense of app developers and small businesses .
We continue to explore ways to address this concern . ''
Apple 's new feature was announced at WWDC earlier this year .
It does not block tracking , but requires that users give their permission for developers to track their users - which Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As examples of tracking , Apple gives : 1 .
Displaying targeted advertisements in your app based on user data collected from apps and websites owned by other companies .
2 .
Sharing device location data or email lists with a data broker .
3 .
Sharing a list of emails , advertising IDs , or other IDs with a third-party advertising network .
4 .
Placing third-party software development kits ( SDKs ) in apps that combine data with others to target advertising .
Facebook said : `` While it 's difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and publishers at this point with so many unknowns , in testing we 've seen publishers experience more than a 50 % drop in revenue when personalisation was removed from mobile app ad install campaigns . ''
The social network said this impacts `` not just app developers , but also small businesses that rely on personalised ads to grow '' as they can not target their small advertising budgets towards people likely to buy their products .
`` It does n't do a local wedding planner any good to reach people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it does n't do a small e-commerce outfit selling customised dog leashes any good to reach cat owners . ''

Facebook has launched a broadside attack against Apple for a new feature which will allow users to opt-in to whether the apps they use can access their data for advertising purposes.
Apple is expected to introduce the AppTrackingTransparency feature in iOS 14, giving users what Facebook describes as "a discouraging prompt" if any apps such as Facebook's attempt to track them or access their device's advertising identifier.
Facebook claims that the feature will harm app developers, small businesses, and is an anti-competitive act designed to benefit Apple's own advertising features.
It comes as Facebook also announces that it would be joining Fortnite maker Epic Games' legal fight against Apple, stating it would be providing relevant information regarding how Apple's policies have adversely impacted the company.
Image: Facebook has heavily criticised Apple
"Free apps and the entrepreneurs and creators who build them... rely on advertising to make money, and in turn, provide free content to people - from your morning news to the game you play in line at the coffee shop to that comedy show you watched on Friday night," explained Facebook.
Facebook's vice president for ads and business products, Dan Levy, claims that Apple's own personalised advertising platform wasn't subject to the new iOS 14 policy, something which Apple denies - claiming it simply complies with its own policy.
During a press call to go with the announcement - during which Facebook took very few questions - Mr Levy and a colleague claimed Apple's new policy was about "control of the entire internet".
They claimed Apple was "trying to take the [advertising] world back 10 or 20 years", although they were not asked questions about this claim nor did they offer any statements which justified it.
Facebook's statement says: "We believe Apple is behaving anti-competitively by using their control of the App Store to benefit their bottom line at the expense of app developers and small businesses. We continue to explore ways to address this concern."
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Apple's new feature was announced at WWDC earlier this year. It does not block tracking, but requires that users give their permission for developers to track their users - which Facebook describes as a "discouraging prompt"
As examples of tracking, Apple gives:
1. Displaying targeted advertisements in your app based on user data collected from apps and websites owned by other companies.
2. Sharing device location data or email lists with a data broker.
3. Sharing a list of emails, advertising IDs, or other IDs with a third-party advertising network.
4. Placing third-party software development kits (SDKs) in apps that combine data with others to target advertising.
Facebook said: "While it's difficult to quantify the impact to content creators and publishers at this point with so many unknowns, in testing we've seen publishers experience more than a 50% drop in revenue when personalisation was removed from mobile app ad install campaigns."
The social network said this impacts "not just app developers, but also small businesses that rely on personalised ads to grow" as they cannot target their small advertising budgets towards people likely to buy their products.
"It doesn't do a local wedding planner any good to reach people who aren't planning a wedding. Likewise, it doesn't do a small e-commerce outfit selling customised dog leashes any good to reach cat owners."
Apple has now responded to Facebook's claims, stating: "We believe that this is a simple matter of standing up for our users. Users should know when their data is being collected and shared across other apps and websites - and they should have the choice to allow that or not.
"App Tracking Transparency in iOS 14 does not require Facebook to change its approach to tracking users and creating targeted advertising, it simply requires they give users a choice."


skynewsus--2020-12-17--Three killed in car crashes as major snowstorm hits US east coast

Three people have been killed in car crashes as a powerful snowstorm sweeps across the east coast of the United States .
Snow warnings are in place for much of the eastern seaboard with more than 50 million people braced for outages and treacherous conditions on the roads .
Up to two feet ( 60cm ) of snow is predicted to fall in some parts , with around 18 inches - two inches per hour - expected from central Pennsylvania into southern New York and New England .
The National Weather Service said the storm was `` set to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the northeast '' .
This includes freezing rain and ice in the mid-Atlantic , heavy snow in the New York City area and southern New England , strong winds with gusts up to 50mph ( 80kmph ) and coastal flooding , as well as severe thunderstorms and even some tornadoes .
Officials throughout the area urged motorists to stay off the roads and residents to stay at home , and some bus and rail services have been suspended .
A crash in Pennsylvania killed two people and involved dozens of vehicles on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police said , while issuing a reminder to only travel if `` absolutely necessary '' .
In Virginia , heavy snow , sleet and freezing rain left several thousands of homes and businesses without power on Wednesday .
State police said that by mid-afternoon , officers had responded to around 200 crashes , including one on Interstate 81 that killed a North Carolina man .
According to the Flightware website , more than 600 flights have been cancelled in or out of the US today .
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , noting it was the first major snowstorm during the pandemic .
It also comes as states are distributing the recently-authorised Pzifer vaccine .
Authorities said they did not expect the vaccine rollout to be disrupted , though some states temporarily shut coronavirus testing centres .
New York City 's mayor , Bill de Blasio , ordered schools to close on Thursday for remote learning , but after changes brought in because of the epidemic , he said it would be different than in past years .
`` I know we all grew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but this year is different , '' de Blasio tweeted .

Three people have been killed in car crashes as a powerful snowstorm sweeps across the east coast of the United States.
Snow warnings are in place for much of the eastern seaboard with more than 50 million people braced for outages and treacherous conditions on the roads.
Up to two feet (60cm) of snow is predicted to fall in some parts, with around 18 inches - two inches per hour - expected from central Pennsylvania into southern New York and New England.
Image: @NYCMayorsOffice tweeted this photo of the snowfall in New York City
The National Weather Service said the storm was "set to bring an overabundance of hazards from the mid-Atlantic to the northeast".
This includes freezing rain and ice in the mid-Atlantic, heavy snow in the New York City area and southern New England, strong winds with gusts up to 50mph (80kmph) and coastal flooding, as well as severe thunderstorms and even some tornadoes.
Image: Snow is cleared in Times Square in New York City, New York
Officials throughout the area urged motorists to stay off the roads and residents to stay at home, and some bus and rail services have been suspended.
A crash in Pennsylvania killed two people and involved dozens of vehicles on a major road on Wednesday afternoon, police said, while issuing a reminder to only travel if "absolutely necessary".
Image: Up to two feet (60cm) of snow is predicted to fall in some parts of the US east coast
In Virginia, heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain left several thousands of homes and businesses without power on Wednesday.
State police said that by mid-afternoon, officers had responded to around 200 crashes, including one on Interstate 81 that killed a North Carolina man.
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Image: The snowstorm comes amid the coronavirus pandemic
According to the Flightware website, more than 600 flights have been cancelled in or out of the US today.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency and closed state offices, noting it was the first major snowstorm during the pandemic.
Image: Children will be waking up to more than a foot of snow in New York City today
It also comes as states are distributing the recently-authorised Pzifer vaccine.
Authorities said they did not expect the vaccine rollout to be disrupted, though some states temporarily shut coronavirus testing centres.
Image: Some COVID-19 testing centres have been temporarily shut due to the severe weather
New York City's mayor, Bill de Blasio, ordered schools to close on Thursday for remote learning, but after changes brought in because of the epidemic, he said it would be different than in past years.
"I know we all grew up with the excitement of snow days, but this year is different," de Blasio tweeted.


skynewsus--2020-12-17--Police video shows terrified woman handcuffed naked in raid on wrong home

Bodycam footage has revealed the moment a woman was handcuffed naked as police mistakenly raided her Chicago home .
Officers broke down social worker Anjanette Young 's door and stormed through her flat shouting `` hands up , hands up '' before she had a chance to dress .
The 50-year-old , who had been getting ready for bed , can be heard screaming and telling police : `` You 've got the wrong house ! ''
.
She was eventually given a duvet to cover herself after officers handcuffed her naked in the February 2019 ordeal .
Chicago mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an emotional news conference on Wednesday .
It comes days after Ms Lightfoot 's administration went to federal court to try to stop Chicago 's WBBM-TV station from airing the footage , but was denied .
`` I am deeply sorry and troubled that her home was invaded and that she had to face the humiliation and trauma that she suffered .
That is just not right , '' Ms Lightfoot said .
`` It simply should not have happened .
And I will make sure that there is full accountability for what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to distance herself from the incident , saying it happened before she took office in May 2019 , and blamed the Civilian Office of Police Accountability ( COPA ) for not releasing the video earlier .
COPA 's investigation , which could include recommendations for disciplining officers , is ongoing .
The footage prompted widespread criticism , including from black state legislators who called it an `` act of racism , gendered violence and yet another violation of a black woman 's dignity and safety '' .
Ms Young 's lawyer said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the raid and described it as `` a very eerily similar situation '' to the one that killed Breonna Taylor in Louisville , Kentucky in March .
Ms Young said on Wednesday that the 21 February 2019 incident was something she will carry with her `` always '' .
She said that having the video in the public sphere was difficult but necessary .
`` I want accountability , '' she told reporters in Chicago .
`` I do n't need social media followers , I do n't need that type of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtained the video as part of her lawsuit against the city .
Chicago had also filed a request to have Ms Young sanctioned for allegedly violating a confidentiality order .
Mayor Lightfoot said that Ms Young should not be punished and that she is a victim .

Bodycam footage has revealed the moment a woman was handcuffed naked as police mistakenly raided her Chicago home.
Officers broke down social worker Anjanette Young's door and stormed through her flat shouting "hands up, hands up" before she had a chance to dress.
The 50-year-old, who had been getting ready for bed, can be heard screaming and telling police: "You've got the wrong house!".
She was eventually given a duvet to cover herself after officers handcuffed her naked in the February 2019 ordeal.
Image: The social worker was finally given a cover
Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot apologised to Ms Young during an emotional news conference on Wednesday.
It comes days after Ms Lightfoot's administration went to federal court to try to stop Chicago's WBBM-TV station from airing the footage, but was denied.
"I am deeply sorry and troubled that her home was invaded and that she had to face the humiliation and trauma that she suffered. That is just not right," Ms Lightfoot said.
"It simply should not have happened. And I will make sure that there is full accountability for what took place."
Ms Lightfoot initially tried to distance herself from the incident, saying it happened before she took office in May 2019, and blamed the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) for not releasing the video earlier.
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COPA's investigation, which could include recommendations for disciplining officers, is ongoing.
The footage prompted widespread criticism, including from black state legislators who called it an "act of racism, gendered violence and yet another violation of a black woman's dignity and safety".
Ms Young's lawyer said there had been an attempt to cover up the raid and described it as "a very eerily similar situation" to the one that killed Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky in March.
Ms Young said on Wednesday that the 21 February 2019 incident was something she will carry with her "always".
She said that having the video in the public sphere was difficult but necessary.
Image: Anjanette Young said the incident would stay with her 'always'
"I want accountability," she told reporters in Chicago. "I don't need social media followers, I don't need that type of stuff. Accountability."
Ms Young obtained the video as part of her lawsuit against the city.
Chicago had also filed a request to have Ms Young sanctioned for allegedly violating a confidentiality order.
Mayor Lightfoot said that Ms Young should not be punished and that she is a victim.


skynewsus--2020-12-17--Pfizer vaccine doses thrown away in US after labelling confusion

Hospital pharmacists in the US have been throwing out extra COVID-19 vaccine doses as the country battles with record numbers of infections and deaths .
One in every six doses of the first Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines distributed in the US this week were disposed of due to confusion over labelling , Stat News reported .
On Wednesday , the US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) clarified that extra doses from vials of the vaccine can be used .
The Pfizer vials are supposed to hold five doses , according to the labelling , however US media reported that pharmacists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or even a seventh dose .
But without clear approval from the manufacturer , the extra doses had to be discarded .
The FDA later said in a statement that `` it is acceptable to use every full dose obtainable '' .
`` The FDA is aware that some vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech # COVID19 Vaccine have contained extra product after five doses are obtained .
The agency is working with Pfizer to determine the best path forward , and will share additional updates as we have them , '' the statement said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public health emergency , FDA is advising that it is acceptable to use every full dose obtainable ( the sixth , or possibly even a seventh ) from each vial , pending resolution of the issue . ''
It added : `` However , since the vials are preservative free , it is critical to note that any further remaining product that does not constitute a full dose should not be pooled from multiple vials to create one . ''
The US , the hardest-hit country in the world by the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in infections , reporting 250,000 new cases and a record high of over 3,700 deaths on Wednesday , according to Johns Hopkins University .
The rollout of the first batch of 2.9 million doses of the recently approved Pfizer vaccine is continuing , with shipments heading to 66 more distribution hubs across the country .
Vice President Mike Pence is expected to receive his first jab on Friday , with president-elect Joe Biden getting his first dose next week .
The Moderna vaccine could be the second to win emergency-use approval from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 5.9 million doses of the Moderna vaccine could be allocated next week , according to US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar .

Hospital pharmacists in the US have been throwing out extra COVID-19 vaccine doses as the country battles with record numbers of infections and deaths.
One in every six doses of the first Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines distributed in the US this week were disposed of due to confusion over labelling, Stat News reported.
On Wednesday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clarified that extra doses from vials of the vaccine can be used.
The Pfizer vials are supposed to hold five doses, according to the labelling, however US media reported that pharmacists had found a way for a sixth or even a seventh dose.
But without clear approval from the manufacturer, the extra doses had to be discarded.
The FDA later said in a statement that "it is acceptable to use every full dose obtainable".
"The FDA is aware that some vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech #COVID19 Vaccine have contained extra product after five doses are obtained. The agency is working with Pfizer to determine the best path forward, and will share additional updates as we have them," the statement said.
"At this time, given the public health emergency, FDA is advising that it is acceptable to use every full dose obtainable (the sixth, or possibly even a seventh) from each vial, pending resolution of the issue."
It added: "However, since the vials are preservative free, it is critical to note that any further remaining product that does not constitute a full dose should not be pooled from multiple vials to create one."
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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:44 US COVID-19 vaccine shipments begin
The US, the hardest-hit country in the world by the virus, is currently dealing with a surge in infections, reporting 250,000 new cases and a record high of over 3,700 deaths on Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The rollout of the first batch of 2.9 million doses of the recently approved Pfizer vaccine is continuing, with shipments heading to 66 more distribution hubs across the country.
Vice President Mike Pence is expected to receive his first jab on Friday, with president-elect Joe Biden getting his first dose next week.
Image: The US is experiencing a surge in COVID infections
The Moderna vaccine could be the second to win emergency-use approval from the FDA this week.
An additional 2.9 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 5.9 million doses of the Moderna vaccine could be allocated next week, according to US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.


skynewsus--2020-12-17--New Lockerbie bombing suspect to be charged by the US

The US is expected to unseal charges against another suspect in the 1988 Lockerbie airline bombing which killed 270 people , US media is reporting .
A Libyan intelligence officer identified as Abu Agila Mohammad Masud is in custody in Libya and will be extradited to the US to stand trial , the Wall Street Journal said .
The majority of the victims on the London to New York flight were American citizens .
In 2001 , Libyan intelligence officer Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was the only person convicted of the attack on Pan Am flight 103 after it exploded over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 new case , to be unveiled in the coming days , is likely to be of special significance to the US Attorney General William Barr - who is leaving his position next week - as it is the second time he has overseen charges in connection with the bombing .
He held the same job when the Justice Department indicted Megrahi and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for building a plastic bomb with a timer before hiding it inside a suitcase and planting it on an Air Malta flight .
The suitcase was then transferred to Pan Am flight 103 .
At the time the indictment was unveiled in 1991 , Mr Barr said : `` We will not rest until all those responsible are brought to justice .
We have no higher priority . ''
In 1992 , the UN Security Council imposed arms sales and air travel sanctions against Libya to force Colonel Muammar Gaddafi , the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two suspects .
Fhimah was acquitted , but Megrahi was jailed for life with a minimum term of 27 years .
The sanctions were later lifted after Libya agreed to a $ 2.7bn ( £1.95bn ) compensation deal with the victims ' families .

The US is expected to unseal charges against another suspect in the 1988 Lockerbie airline bombing which killed 270 people, US media is reporting.
A Libyan intelligence officer identified as Abu Agila Mohammad Masud is in custody in Libya and will be extradited to the US to stand trial, the Wall Street Journal said.
The majority of the victims on the London to New York flight were American citizens.
In 2001, Libyan intelligence officer Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was the only person convicted of the attack on Pan Am flight 103 after it exploded over the Scottish town of Lockerbie.
He 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 new case, to be unveiled in the coming days, is likely to be of special significance to the US Attorney General William Barr - who is leaving his position next week - as it is the second time he has overseen charges in connection with the bombing.
He held the same job when the Justice Department indicted Megrahi and a second Libyan, Lamen Khalifa Fhimah, for building a plastic bomb with a timer before hiding it inside a suitcase and planting it on an Air Malta flight.
Image: Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was convicted in 2001, 13 years after the bombing
The suitcase was then transferred to Pan Am flight 103.
At the time the indictment was unveiled in 1991, Mr Barr said: "We will not rest until all those responsible are brought to justice. We have no higher priority."
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In 1992, the UN Security Council imposed arms sales and air travel sanctions against Libya to force Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, the country's then leader, into surrendering the two suspects.
Fhimah was acquitted, but Megrahi was jailed for life with a minimum term of 27 years.
The sanctions were later lifted after Libya agreed to a $2.7bn (£1.95bn) compensation deal with the victims' families.