newsweek--2020-12-03--LeBron James Praises Stacey Abrams as He Ramps up Georgia Senate Runoffs Involvement

LeBron James has vowed his voting rights organization will `` tackle '' the upcoming Georgia Senate runoffs as part of its ongoing effort to usher in changes in `` communities all over America . ''
The four-time NBA champion launched More Than A Vote alongside former first lady Michelle Obama to address misinformation targeted towards Black voters and to ensure Black Americans were registered to vote in last month 's presidential election .
The organization will resume its efforts ahead of the Georgia Senate runoffs , which are scheduled for January 5 .
`` We 're trying to figure out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can continue to implement change in the communities , '' James said during an appearance on the Uninterrupted podcast on Wednesday night .
`` Not only in my home community of Akron , Ohio , but communities all over America , and hopefully , create change in the world , as well .
`` So we 're looking for opportunities—there 's a huge Senate race that 's going on in Georgia coming up in January , so we 're tackling that . ''
James also praised former Georgia House minority leader Stacey Abrams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ register almost 800,000 new voters in minority communities through her New Georgia Project .
`` Stacey Abrams who is down there , is a monster , '' James added .
`` Shoutout Stacey , you 're unbelievable . ''
Speaking to The New York Times in October , James explained he wanted to use his platform to address the feeling of disenchantment among the Black community , which he suggested stemmed from years of misinformation .
`` We believe that Black people , our community , we 've been pushed away from our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Finals MVP explained .
`` We 've been fed misinformation for many years .
`` And I 'm in a position where I can educate people and , through More Than a Vote , educate people on how important this movement is , and how important their civic duty is .
Not only to empower themselves , but to give back to their community as well . ''
His efforts paid off , as More Than A Vote estimates to have helped almost 300,000 Americans vote across the country , while recruiting over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closely with the Atlanta Hawks , who were among the 23 NBA teams that used their arenas or training facilities as registration site , polling or voting center for the presidential election in November .
The Hawks opened State Farm Arena for early voting on October 12 , the earliest of any NBA team .
Atlanta was also one of 18 NBA franchises to use their arena as polling site on Election Day , as it turned State Farm Arena into a voting precinct in Fulton County , Georgia .
Last month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arena for the crucial runoffs , which will decide the balance of power in the Senate .
Georgia ran two senatorial races last month , with incumbent Republican Senator David Perdue against Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Kelly Loeffler against Democrat Raphael Warnock .
However , with neither candidate in each race securing more than 50 percent of the vote , state law requires the races to be decided by a runoff .
Along with the Golden State Warriors and the Detroit Pistons , the Hawks were one of the NBA teams that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arena as a voting site for future elections .
`` With COVID-19 , franchise CEO Steve Koonin knew there was an opportunity to provide quick , safe voting at the arena , '' Garin Narain , the Hawks VP of Public Relations , said .
`` It [ serving as voting site ] is definitely something we would consider pending potential scheduling issues . ''
The efforts of Abrams and More Than A Vote delivered tangible results in November as turnout increased sharply .
According to data from the National Election Pool and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were cast in Fulton County this year , up from just under 415,000 in 2016 .
While Hillary Clinton barely got past 297,000 votes four years ago in Fulton County , President-elect Joe Biden won just over 381,000 votes this year as he became the first Democrat to win Georgia since 1992 .
James explained More Than A Vote hoped to ride the wave ahead of next month 's runoffs .
`` We 're gon na get behind that and hopefully create change , '' he said .

LeBron James has vowed his voting rights organization will "tackle" the upcoming Georgia Senate runoffs as part of its ongoing effort to usher in changes in "communities all over America."
The four-time NBA champion launched More Than A Vote alongside former first lady Michelle Obama to address misinformation targeted towards Black voters and to ensure Black Americans were registered to vote in last month's presidential election.
The organization will resume its efforts ahead of the Georgia Senate runoffs, which are scheduled for January 5.
"We're trying to figure out ways, right now, that we can continue to implement change in the communities," James said during an appearance on the Uninterrupted podcast on Wednesday night.
"Not only in my home community of Akron, Ohio, but communities all over America, and hopefully, create change in the world, as well.
"So we're looking for opportunities—there's a huge Senate race that's going on in Georgia coming up in January, so we're tackling that."
James also praised former Georgia House minority leader Stacey Abrams, who has been credited for helping register almost 800,000 new voters in minority communities through her New Georgia Project.
"Stacey Abrams who is down there, is a monster," James added. "Shoutout Stacey, you're unbelievable."
Speaking to The New York Times in October, James explained he wanted to use his platform to address the feeling of disenchantment among the Black community, which he suggested stemmed from years of misinformation.
"We believe that Black people, our community, we've been pushed away from our civic duty," the four-time NBA Finals MVP explained. "We've been fed misinformation for many years.
"And I'm in a position where I can educate people and, through More Than a Vote, educate people on how important this movement is, and how important their civic duty is. Not only to empower themselves, but to give back to their community as well."
His efforts paid off, as More Than A Vote estimates to have helped almost 300,000 Americans vote across the country, while recruiting over 42,000 poll workers.
The organization worked closely with the Atlanta Hawks, who were among the 23 NBA teams that used their arenas or training facilities as registration site, polling or voting center for the presidential election in November.
The Hawks opened State Farm Arena for early voting on October 12, the earliest of any NBA team. Atlanta was also one of 18 NBA franchises to use their arena as polling site on Election Day, as it turned State Farm Arena into a voting precinct in Fulton County, Georgia.
Last month, the Hawks confirmed they would use the arena for the crucial runoffs, which will decide the balance of power in the Senate.
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up prior to the start of Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The Lakers defeated the Heat to win a first NBA title in 10 years. Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty
Georgia ran two senatorial races last month, with incumbent Republican Senator David Perdue against Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Kelly Loeffler against Democrat Raphael Warnock.
However, with neither candidate in each race securing more than 50 percent of the vote, state law requires the races to be decided by a runoff.
Along with the Golden State Warriors and the Detroit Pistons, the Hawks were one of the NBA teams that told Newsweek they would consider using their arena as a voting site for future elections.
"With COVID-19, franchise CEO Steve Koonin knew there was an opportunity to provide quick, safe voting at the arena," Garin Narain, the Hawks VP of Public Relations, said.
"It [serving as voting site] is definitely something we would consider pending potential scheduling issues."
The efforts of Abrams and More Than A Vote delivered tangible results in November as turnout increased sharply.
According to data from the National Election Pool and Edison Research, just over 518,000 votes were cast in Fulton County this year, up from just under 415,000 in 2016.
While Hillary Clinton barely got past 297,000 votes four years ago in Fulton County, President-elect Joe Biden won just over 381,000 votes this year as he became the first Democrat to win Georgia since 1992.
James explained More Than A Vote hoped to ride the wave ahead of next month's runoffs.
"We're gonna get behind that and hopefully create change," he said.


newsweek--2020-12-03--Eric Garcetti's L.A. Stay-At-Home Order Blasted By Californians

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti 's new stay-at-home order has received a backlash on social media regarding the several exemptions that come with it .
Several Twitter users called Garcetti out for not imposing tighter restrictions and for the confusion around some of the rules under the new lockdown order .
Claudia Peschiutta , a reporter for Southern California 's KNX 1070 radio station , tweeted : `` Maybe we should just called this the stay at home as much as possible order . ''
Jeremiah Dobruck , a breaking news editor at California 's Long Beach Post , described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order , '' in a post on Twitter .
Author Don Winslow noted : `` The time for Los Angeles to act was months ago .
You chose policies that spread the virus .
You bent to pressure , refused to enforce orders and people died as a direct result of your lack of leadership .
That 's the truth and history will record it . ''
Actress Kristy Swanson tweeted : `` [ California Gov .
Gavin ] Newsom probably did n't like all the hypocrisy press he 's been getting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the headlines he made Garcetti take one for the team .
All eyes on LA now . ''
Garcetti 's latest order follows an updated Los Angeles County Health Officer Order , which went into effect across the county last week from November 30 .
Alex Stone , an ABC News Radio correspondent in California , noted : `` Confusion in LA over Mayor Garcetti 's updated stay at home order mandating people remain at home .
The mayor 's office tells us nothing new is happening .
All they did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year to mirror the county 's order from days ago .
Nothing new in LA tonight . ''
Elise Hu , a host at TED Talks Daily based in Los Angeles , tweeted : `` Man , what a mess .
City of LA issued an alert that says all are 'hereby ordered to remain in their homes , ' but clarifies that actually the order is the same as LA County 's .
Can leave to go work , shop , exercise ... '' Maybe a city govt should read back its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times before blasting it to phones And maybe we should take a break from using 'hereby ' given its laughable uses this election season , '' Hu noted in another tweet .
User @ IAMSadeSellers said : `` LA City is shutting down except it is n't shutting down but you better shelter in place and no Garcetti is n't going to pay you a dime for losing your job but you will get fined $ 500 if you 're caught breaking the order but EDD is providing $ 300/week oh ya and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a tweet that has received at least 496 likes since it was first posted on Thursday .
User @ jamieloftusHELP said : `` Calling garcetti useless and inefficient is too kind .
he 's actively harmful .
he 's a coward who is desperately trying to make it SEEM like he 's taking action to protect people , then reveals in the fine print that he only gives a f*** about protecting big money .
f*** .
YOU , '' in a tweet has received at least 1,000 likes since it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contacted the mayor 's office for comment .
The latest stay-at-home order comes as total confirmed cases in California approach 1.3 million , with 414,549 total confirmed infections in Los Angeles , as of Thursday , according to Johns Hopkins University .
Los Angeles County has seen a `` recent substantial rise in COVID-19 cases , hospitalizations and deaths , '' the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in the updated health order issued on November 28 .
`` Over the last five ( 5 ) calendar days , the County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases per day .
Between November 13-27 , 2020 , hospitalizations of confirmed COVID-19 patients have increased by 101 percent to 1,893 .
`` The Health Officer expects both the number of new cases and hospitalizations to continue to rapidly increase over the next 21 days .
Without rapid public health interventions , continued and substantial increases in both cases and hospitalizations will stress the health care system .
This stress will limit the availability of Intensive Care Unit beds for non-COVID-19 hospitalizations , '' the order warned .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reach around 34,370 by Christmas , while the state 's total death count is could hit 21,462 on the same day , according to the latest projections by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation ( IHME ) at the University of Washington .
These figures are expected to be reached with `` continued easing of social distancing mandates '' and if `` mandates are not reimposed , '' according to the IHME .
The novel coronavirus has infected more than 64.6 million people since it was first reported in Wuhan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have died worldwide and more than 41.5 million have recovered as of Thursday , according to Johns Hopkins University .
The graphic below , produced by Statista , shows the number of current COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S .

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti's new stay-at-home order has received a backlash on social media regarding the several exemptions that come with it. Several Twitter users called Garcetti out for not imposing tighter restrictions and for the confusion around some of the rules under the new lockdown order.
Claudia Peschiutta, a reporter for Southern California's KNX 1070 radio station, tweeted: "Maybe we should just called this the stay at home as much as possible order."
Jeremiah Dobruck, a breaking news editor at California's Long Beach Post, described the latest measure as "The use-good-judgement-when-you-go-out order," in a post on Twitter.
Author Don Winslow noted: "The time for Los Angeles to act was months ago. You chose policies that spread the virus. You bent to pressure, refused to enforce orders and people died as a direct result of your lack of leadership. That's the truth and history will record it."
Maybe we should just called this the stay at home as much as possible order — Claudia Peschiutta (@ReporterClaudia) December 3, 2020
Actress Kristy Swanson tweeted: "[California Gov. Gavin] Newsom probably didn't like all the hypocrisy press he's been getting. So in order to take his name out of the headlines he made Garcetti take one for the team. All eyes on LA now."
Garcetti's latest order follows an updated Los Angeles County Health Officer Order, which went into effect across the county last week from November 30.
Alex Stone, an ABC News Radio correspondent in California, noted: "Confusion in LA over Mayor Garcetti's updated stay at home order mandating people remain at home. The mayor's office tells us nothing new is happening. All they did was update the order from earlier this year to mirror the county's order from days ago. Nothing new in LA tonight."
The time for Los Angeles to act was months ago.
You chose policies that spread the virus.
You bent to pressure, refused to enforce orders and people died as a direct result of your lack of leadership.
That's the truth and history will record it.https://t.co/B1WezSp1u4 — Don Winslow (@donwinslow) December 3, 2020
Elise Hu, a host at TED Talks Daily based in Los Angeles, tweeted: "Man, what a mess. City of LA issued an alert that says all are 'hereby ordered to remain in their homes,' but clarifies that actually the order is the same as LA County's. Can leave to go work, shop, exercise...
Man, what a mess. City of LA issued an alert that says all are "hereby ordered to remain in their homes," but clarifies that actually the order is the same as LA County's. Can leave to go work, shop, exercise... https://t.co/4Z60cntlxy — Elise Hu (@elisewho) December 3, 2020
"Maybe a city govt should read back its emergency alert texts at least a couple times before blasting it to phones And maybe we should take a break from using 'hereby' given its laughable uses this election season," Hu noted in another tweet.
User @IAMSadeSellers said: "LA City is shutting down except it isn't shutting down but you better shelter in place and no Garcetti isn't going to pay you a dime for losing your job but you will get fined $500 if you're caught breaking the order but EDD is providing $300/week oh ya and your rent is due BYE," in a tweet that has received at least 496 likes since it was first posted on Thursday.
User @jamieloftusHELP said: "Calling garcetti useless and inefficient is too kind. he's actively harmful. he's a coward who is desperately trying to make it SEEM like he's taking action to protect people, then reveals in the fine print that he only gives a f*** about protecting big money. f***. YOU," in a tweet has received at least 1,000 likes since it was first shared on Thursday.
Newsweek has contacted the mayor's office for comment.
Confusion in LA over Mayor Garcetti's updated stay at home order mandating people remain at home. The mayor's office tells us nothing new is happening.All they did was update the order from earlier this year to mirror the county's order from days ago.Nothing new in LA tonight. — Alex Stone (@astoneabcnews) December 3, 2020
The latest stay-at-home order comes as total confirmed cases in California approach 1.3 million, with 414,549 total confirmed infections in Los Angeles, as of Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Los Angeles County has seen a "recent substantial rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths," the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in the updated health order issued on November 28.
"Over the last five (5) calendar days, the County of Los Angeles is averaging over 4,500 newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases per day. Between November 13-27, 2020, hospitalizations of confirmed COVID-19 patients have increased by 101 percent to 1,893.
"The Health Officer expects both the number of new cases and hospitalizations to continue to rapidly increase over the next 21 days. Without rapid public health interventions, continued and substantial increases in both cases and hospitalizations will stress the health care system. This stress will limit the availability of Intensive Care Unit beds for non-COVID-19 hospitalizations," the order warned.
The daily case tally in California is expected to reach around 34,370 by Christmas, while the state's total death count is could hit 21,462 on the same day, according to the latest projections by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington.
These figures are expected to be reached with "continued easing of social distancing mandates" and if "mandates are not reimposed," according to the IHME.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti speaks at a Los Angeles County health department press conference regarding the COVID-19 outbreak on March 4 in Los Angeles, California. The mayor's latest stay-at-home order issued on Wednesday has received a storm of backlash on social media. Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
The wider picture
The novel coronavirus has infected more than 64.6 million people since it was first reported in Wuhan, China.
More than 1.4 million people have died worldwide and more than 41.5 million have recovered as of Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The graphic below, produced by Statista, shows the number of current COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S.


newsweek--2020-12-03--PS5 Restock Updates for Antonline, Target, Costco, Best Buy, Walmart and More

The PlayStation 5 continues to be elusive , with some retailers restocking the console with little warning and the few consoles available selling out almost immediately .
Target dropped some PS5 consoles in the early hours of Thursday morning and while some gamers got lucky , the restock quickly sold out .
Find out below how to keep a track of PS5 restocks and which retailers are likely to have consoles soon .
The PS5 console is currently unavailable at Amazon .
Antonline was selling a PS5 bundle that came with an extra PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller , Marvel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Demon 's Souls , Sackboy : A Big Adventure , and The Last of Us Part II Standard Edition PS4 , for $ 829.94 , but it has now sold out .
Antonline will be announcing any restocks on its Twitter profile at @ Antonlinecom so keep an eye out for updates .
The PS5 and the digital edition are both sold out at Best Buy .
Costco is out of stock of the PS5 .
When Costco sold the PS5 initially , it was limited to one per customer and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be worth bearing this in mind if and when Costco restocks the console .
There are dozens of PS5 consoles listed on eBay , but many cost hundreds of dollars more than the original price , with the most expensive listing being for nearly $ 10,000 .
Additionally , buyers should be wary of scams on eBay , with some scammers selling just the PS5 box or an image of the console .
GameStop appears to be completely sold out of the PS5 console .
The PlayStation 5 is unavailable to buy on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sell out of the consoles in store over Black Friday weekend .
Both PS5 consoles are out of stock at PlayStation Direct though PlayStation has said there will be more stock by the end of the year .
Thousands of PlayStation 5 consoles have been sold on Stock X , with the lowest price sold at $ 651 and the highest at $ 1,310 .
Stock X could be a good option if you 're desperate to get the console quickly and do not mind spending more than the original asking price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PS5 are part of the reason it 's so difficult to purchase the console .
Target quietly restocked the PS5 in the early hours of Thursday morning but seemed to sell out online very quickly .
Target seems to still have some PS5 consoles in stock but availability varies by store .
For example , according to PopFindr , a few stores in or near Los Angeles each appear to have 12 consoles in stock .
If PopFindr 's information is accurate , these PS5 consoles should be able to be purchased via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , according to the Target website , the PS5 consoles are widely sold out , even after Thursday 's drop .
Use the PopFindr app as a guide and if it suggests there are Target stores with some in stock near your , check the app and call the store before turning up .
The PS5 console is out of stock at Walmart .
Newsweek has affiliate partnerships .
If you make a purchase using our links , we may earn a share of the sale .

The PlayStation 5 continues to be elusive, with some retailers restocking the console with little warning and the few consoles available selling out almost immediately.
Target dropped some PS5 consoles in the early hours of Thursday morning and while some gamers got lucky, the restock quickly sold out. Find out below how to keep a track of PS5 restocks and which retailers are likely to have consoles soon.
Amazon PS5 Restock
The PS5 console is currently unavailable at Amazon.
Antonline PS5 Restock
Antonline was selling a PS5 bundle that came with an extra PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition, Demon's Souls, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and The Last of Us Part II Standard Edition PS4, for $829.94, but it has now sold out.
Antonline will be announcing any restocks on its Twitter profile at @Antonlinecom so keep an eye out for updates.
Best Buy PS5 Restock
The PS5 and the digital edition are both sold out at Best Buy.
Costco PS5 Restock
Costco is out of stock of the PS5. When Costco sold the PS5 initially, it was limited to one per customer and was available for members only. It may be worth bearing this in mind if and when Costco restocks the console.
The PS5 continues to sell out immediately after every restock. Sony
eBay PS5
There are dozens of PS5 consoles listed on eBay, but many cost hundreds of dollars more than the original price, with the most expensive listing being for nearly $10,000. Additionally, buyers should be wary of scams on eBay, with some scammers selling just the PS5 box or an image of the console.
GameStop PS5 Restock
GameStop appears to be completely sold out of the PS5 console. The PlayStation 5 is unavailable to buy on the GameStop website and the stores seemed to sell out of the consoles in store over Black Friday weekend.
PlayStation Direct PS5 Restock
Both PS5 consoles are out of stock at PlayStation Direct though PlayStation has said there will be more stock by the end of the year.
StockX PS5
Thousands of PlayStation 5 consoles have been sold on Stock X, with the lowest price sold at $651 and the highest at $1,310. Stock X could be a good option if you're desperate to get the console quickly and do not mind spending more than the original asking price. However, scalpers who resell the PS5 are part of the reason it's so difficult to purchase the console.
Target PS5 Drop
Target quietly restocked the PS5 in the early hours of Thursday morning but seemed to sell out online very quickly.
Target seems to still have some PS5 consoles in stock but availability varies by store. For example, according to PopFindr, a few stores in or near Los Angeles each appear to have 12 consoles in stock. If PopFindr's information is accurate, these PS5 consoles should be able to be purchased via the Target app and picked up in-store.
However, according to the Target website, the PS5 consoles are widely sold out, even after Thursday's drop. Use the PopFindr app as a guide and if it suggests there are Target stores with some in stock near your, check the app and call the store before turning up.
Walmart PS5 Restock
The PS5 console is out of stock at Walmart.
Newsweek has affiliate partnerships. If you make a purchase using our links, we may earn a share of the sale.


newsweek--2020-12-03--Rashida Tlaib Leads Democrat Charge for Stimulus Checks as Wage Disparity Rockets

Rep. Rashida Tlaib ( D-MI ) continues to voice her desire for further stimulus checks to be distributed as other Democrats tout such payments , highlighting their inclusion in proposals previously passed by the House of Representatives .
Tlaib previously spoke of further economic impact payments being `` critical , '' in comments made after the latest bipartisan bill proposal—which excludes them—was outlined .
`` The next COVID-19 relief bill must include direct payments to people , '' she said in a recent tweet .
Her latest comments on the matter came alongside a report which showed a disparity in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and bottom 90 percent of earners .
Tlaib shared a message from Democratic congressman-elect Jamaal Bowman , who will represent New York 's 16th District , who posted figures from the Economic Policy Institute on this point and said : `` Stop looting us . ''
The congresswoman wrote : `` Someone better be getting those stimulus checks ready to send .
The people need it now . ''
The report showed that between 1979 and 2019 , wages for the top one percent grew by 160.3 percent .
And for the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent .
Meanwhile , the research showed wage growth in the same period for the bottom 90 percent of earners was 26 percent .
Tlaib 's comments on stimulus come with other Democrat representatives having highlighted such payments , referring to the HEROES Act—which first passed the House in May before an updated version did so in October .
Each version included direct payments .
Rep. Pramila Jayapal ( D-WA ) called for this legislation to be voted on by the Senate without delay , with it having met push back from GOP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It has now been TWO months since the House passed a relief package that would distribute stimulus checks , reinstate the $ 600/week of expanded unemployment , send grants to businesses , and renew eviction moratoriums , '' she tweeted .
`` The Senate should vote on it TODAY .
No more delays . ''
Rep. Marcia Fudge ( D-OH ) also backed the HEROES Act being voted on , referencing stimulus checks in this call .
`` The House has passed legislation to extend unemployment aid , provide another round @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses .
Twice , '' she wrote on Twitter .
`` It 's time for the Senate to pass the HEROES Act and help struggling families during this crisis .
`` Do the right thing . ''
Referencing 200 days having passed since the HEROES Act was first passed by the House , on May 15 , Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. ( D-NJ ) wrote on Twitter on Wednesday : `` Today marks 200 days [ since ] McConnell Republicans have refused pass new stimulus checks for Americans .
`` 200 days of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing about it except approving some more rightwing judges . ''
Newsweek has contacted the lawmakers above for further comment in regard to stimulus checks .
A bipartisan bill outlining $ 908 billion in support has gained support from Democrat figureheads , though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) indicated he thought it was a waste of time when asked about the proposal .
The debate over further stimulus comes with confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. throughout the pandemic having surpassed 13 million .
The graphic below , from Statista @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to the virus as of December 2 , compared to other peaks in this figure .

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) continues to be vocal among progressive Democrats pushing for direct stimulus checks to be distributed, highlighting their inclusion in proposals previously passed by the House of Representatives.
Tlaib spoke of further economic impact payments being "critical" in comments after the latest bipartisan proposal excluded them.
This has received support from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) as a basis for negotiations, who offered support in "the spirit of compromise," as well as Joe Biden.
A spokesperson for Schumer said he and Pelosi believe this should be used as a starting point for further talks with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
In a recent tweet, Tlaib said: "The next COVID-19 relief bill must include direct payments to people."
Her latest comments came alongside a report which showed a disparity in wage growth between the top 1 percent and bottom 90 percent of earners.
Tlaib shared a message from Democratic congressman-elect Jamaal Bowman, who will represent New York's 16th District, showing figures from the Economic Policy Institute on this point and said: "Stop looting us."
The congresswoman wrote: "Someone better be getting those stimulus checks ready to send. The people need it now."
Someone better be getting those stimulus checks ready to send. The people need it now. https://t.co/ohGPNtvVyj — Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) December 3, 2020
The report showed that between 1979 and 2019, wages for the top one percent grew by 160.3 percent. And for the top 0.1 percent of earners, by 345.2 percent.
Meanwhile, the research showed wage growth in the same period for the bottom 90 percent of earners was 26 percent.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, D-MI, speaks to supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders at a campaign event in Clive, Iowa, on January 31, 2020. She has made calls for further stimulus checks to be sent out amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
Tlaib and other Democratic representatives have highlighted such payments by referring to the HEROES Act—which first passed the House in May before an updated version passed in October. Each version included direct payments.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) called for this legislation to be voted on by the Senate without delay, with it having met pushback from GOP lawmakers in the upper chamber so far.
"It has now been TWO months since the House passed a relief package that would distribute stimulus checks, reinstate the $600/week of expanded unemployment, send grants to businesses, and renew eviction moratoriums," she tweeted. "The Senate should vote on it TODAY. No more delays."
Read more With Americans Unconvinced Stimulus is Coming, Bipartisan Bill Gains Ground With Americans Unconvinced Stimulus is Coming, Bipartisan Bill Gains Ground
Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH) also backed the HEROES Act being voted on, referencing stimulus checks in this call.
"The House has passed legislation to extend unemployment aid, provide another round of stimulus checks, and support small businesses. Twice," she wrote on Twitter.
"It's time for the Senate to pass the HEROES Act and help struggling families during this crisis. Do the right thing."
Referencing 200 days having passed since the HEROES Act was first passed by the House, on May 15, Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ) wrote on Twitter on Wednesday: "Today marks 200 days [since] McConnell Republicans have refused pass new stimulus checks for Americans.
"200 days of McConnell Republicans watching Americans suffer and doing nothing about it except approving some more rightwing judges."
Newsweek has contacted the lawmakers above for further comment in regard to stimulus checks.
A bipartisan bill outlining $908 billion in support, not including stimulus checks, has gained support from Democrat figureheads, though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) indicated he thought it was a waste of time when asked about the proposal.
The debate over further stimulus comes with confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. throughout the pandemic having surpassed 13 million.
The graphic below, from Statista, shows the number of people hospitalized due to the virus as of December 2, compared to other peaks in this figure.
Statista
Update 12/3/20, 8:50 a.m. ET: This article and its headline were updated to reflect the context of Pelosi, Schumer and Biden endorsing a bipartisan stimulus deal which did not include direct payments. This article was updated to add comment from Schumer's spokesperson.


newsweek--2020-12-03--Joe Biden Has Gained More Than 8 Million Twitter Followers Since Election Day

President-elect Joe Biden 's Twitter follower count surged this month after his win against Donald Trump in the presidential election .
Millions of users on the social network have flocked to Biden 's account over the past 30 days , ahead of his inauguration next month .
While his profile had roughly 12 million followers around election day , the count has since topped 20 million .
According to data from analytics platform Factba.se , Biden 's Twitter account had 12,056,660 followers on November 3 .
At the time of writing , on December 3 , the president-elect had 20,447,338 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8.4 million accounts .
At the same time , Trump 's Twitter feed appears to be on the opposite trajectory , losing hundreds of thousands of followers over the past month as his time in the White House comes to an end .
However , Trump 's profile still dominates Biden 's in terms of overall size , with the president still boasting a massive 88.7 million followers .
Since November 17 , when Trump reached his peak subscriber count of 88,964,791 , the president has lost over 185,700 followers , while Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , data suggests Trump has lost more than 200,000 followers in total .
While analytics websites show small discrepancies in exact numbers , the findings were broadly backed up by Social Blade , a social media monitoring tool .
It found that over the past 30 days Biden 's Twitter page had attracted nearly 8.6 million followers .
While massive numbers are recorded , it should be noted that both accounts are likely to be subject to some `` bot '' activity , meaning not all users will be real or active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its systems do not analyze for bot behavior .
Since losing to his Democratic opponent , Trump has used his Twitter profile to spread misinformation about the election , suggesting without evidence that the results were rigged against him and that ballot-counting machines had been manipulated .
His legal team , spearheaded by Rudy Giuliani , has launched a series of lawsuits in an attempt to challenge the outcome of the vote , an approach that has proven ineffective so far .
Twitter has continued to put labels on posts with `` disputed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is set for January 20 , has chosen a different tactic , sharing Twitter posts with a more optimistic tone , pledging to give America a fresh start and to better combat the health crisis entwined with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic .
`` My message to everyone struggling right now is this : Help is on the way , '' Biden said via his Twitter feed on December 1 , attracting more than 500,000 likes .
As previously reported this week , President-elect Biden had also gone more than a week without directly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , data shows that Trump 's feed had contained more than a dozen references to Biden since November 24 .

President-elect Joe Biden's Twitter follower count surged this month after his win against Donald Trump in the presidential election.
Millions of users on the social network have flocked to Biden's account over the past 30 days, ahead of his inauguration next month. While his profile had roughly 12 million followers around election day, the count has since topped 20 million.
According to data from analytics platform Factba.se, Biden's Twitter account had 12,056,660 followers on November 3. At the time of writing, on December 3, the president-elect had 20,447,338, which is a rise of about 8.4 million accounts.
At the same time, Trump's Twitter feed appears to be on the opposite trajectory, losing hundreds of thousands of followers over the past month as his time in the White House comes to an end. However, Trump's profile still dominates Biden's in terms of overall size, with the president still boasting a massive 88.7 million followers.
Since November 17, when Trump reached his peak subscriber count of 88,964,791, the president has lost over 185,700 followers, while Biden has gained 1.4 million. Since election day, data suggests Trump has lost more than 200,000 followers in total.
While analytics websites show small discrepancies in exact numbers, the findings were broadly backed up by Social Blade, a social media monitoring tool. It found that over the past 30 days Biden's Twitter page had attracted nearly 8.6 million followers.
While massive numbers are recorded, it should be noted that both accounts are likely to be subject to some "bot" activity, meaning not all users will be real or active. Factba.se tweeted on November 30 that its systems do not analyze for bot behavior.
Since losing to his Democratic opponent, Trump has used his Twitter profile to spread misinformation about the election, suggesting without evidence that the results were rigged against him and that ballot-counting machines had been manipulated.
His legal team, spearheaded by Rudy Giuliani, has launched a series of lawsuits in an attempt to challenge the outcome of the vote, an approach that has proven ineffective so far. Twitter has continued to put labels on posts with "disputed" claims.
Biden, whose inauguration is set for January 20, has chosen a different tactic, sharing Twitter posts with a more optimistic tone, pledging to give America a fresh start and to better combat the health crisis entwined with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
"My message to everyone struggling right now is this: Help is on the way," Biden said via his Twitter feed on December 1, attracting more than 500,000 likes.
As previously reported this week, President-elect Biden had also gone more than a week without directly mentioning Trump by name. In comparison, data shows that Trump's feed had contained more than a dozen references to Biden since November 24.


newsweek--2020-12-03--'Grey's Anatomy' Season 17: Will Meredith Grey Die?

Grey 's Anatomy Season 17 has mostly seen Meredith Grey ( played by Ellen Pompeo ) unconscious since collapsing in the hospital parking lot in the premiere of the ABC medical drama .
Initially , this just seemed like a way to bring back Patrick Dempsey as McDreamy ( or should that be `` dream McDreamy '' ) , but ABC is about to air Episode 4 and she has still not woken up .
In fact , the Grey 's Anatomy Season 17 , Episode 4 promo seemed to hint that Meredith 's condition is worse than ever .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of the last episode , we hear Dr. Amelia Shepherd ( Caterina Scorsone ) say , `` Meredith 's not improving ... they ca n't wake her . ''
The voiceover then says , `` Meredith 's life hangs in the balance . ''
This has left fans wondering whether the show is getting ready to do the unthinkable and kill off Meredith Grey in Episode 5 , set to air on Thursday , December 3 .
Though the character has had plenty of brushes with death over the last 17 seasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coma ) , recent comments made by Pompeo should give fans particular reasons to worry .
In Variety in October , the actor said : `` We do n't know when the show is really ending yet .
But the truth is , this year could be it .
I mean , this is the last year of my contract right now .
I do n't know that this is the last year , but it could very well could be . ''
However , the fact that Meredith is in a coma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean that she is going to be fine in the end .
After all , Grey 's creator Shonda Rhimes had said that the show will end when Pompeo wants to leave , and a ) there has been no announcement that the show is ending and b ) fans are likely to be very unhappy if Meredith 's final episodes on the show just see her sleeping until she dies .
Plus , in typical Grey 's Anatomy fashion , there is a love triangle afoot that Meredith eventually needs to wake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to TVLine about the triangle between Meredith , DeLuca ( Giacomo Gianniotti ) and Cormac Hayes ( Richard Flood ) , Vernoff said : `` I do n't know if I think that DeLuca is rising to a level of dark and twisty and life experience that makes him somehow a [ suitably ] mature partner for Meredith .
Or if all that Hayes has been through in his life already makes him her equal .
I am delighted to have such a conundrum . ''
In fact , Meredith 's near-death experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this plot .
DeLuca is currently nursing her back to health , and nothing is going to kindle their love more than if he can literally bring her back to life .
However , while Meredith is in her unconscious state , the show is making the most of the chance to bring back another dead character .
The Grey 's Season 17 , Episode 5 trailer ended by teasing that , `` another person from her past returns . ''
Fans will have to tune in to ABC , however , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and see who that ghost of Grey 's past might be .
Grey 's Anatomy Season 17 airs Thursdays at 9 p.m .
ET / 8 p.m. CT on ABC .

Grey's Anatomy Season 17 has mostly seen Meredith Grey (played by Ellen Pompeo) unconscious since collapsing in the hospital parking lot in the premiere of the ABC medical drama. Initially, this just seemed like a way to bring back Patrick Dempsey as McDreamy (or should that be "dream McDreamy"), but ABC is about to air Episode 4 and she has still not woken up.
In fact, the Grey's Anatomy Season 17, Episode 4 promo seemed to hint that Meredith's condition is worse than ever. In that trailer, released at the end of the last episode, we hear Dr. Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) say, "Meredith's not improving...they can't wake her." The voiceover then says, "Meredith's life hangs in the balance."
This has left fans wondering whether the show is getting ready to do the unthinkable and kill off Meredith Grey in Episode 5, set to air on Thursday, December 3. Though the character has had plenty of brushes with death over the last 17 seasons (this is not even her first coma), recent comments made by Pompeo should give fans particular reasons to worry.
In Variety in October, the actor said: "We don't know when the show is really ending yet. But the truth is, this year could be it. I mean, this is the last year of my contract right now. I don't know that this is the last year, but it could very well could be."
Meredith Grey is currently in a coma on 'Grey's Anatomy,' leaving fans worried that she will die. ABC
However, the fact that Meredith is in a coma this early in the season does probably mean that she is going to be fine in the end. After all, Grey's creator Shonda Rhimes had said that the show will end when Pompeo wants to leave, and a) there has been no announcement that the show is ending and b) fans are likely to be very unhappy if Meredith's final episodes on the show just see her sleeping until she dies.
Plus, in typical Grey's Anatomy fashion, there is a love triangle afoot that Meredith eventually needs to wake up to be part of. Speaking to TVLine about the triangle between Meredith, DeLuca (Giacomo Gianniotti) and Cormac Hayes (Richard Flood), Vernoff said: "I don't know if I think that DeLuca is rising to a level of dark and twisty and life experience that makes him somehow a [suitably] mature partner for Meredith. Or if all that Hayes has been through in his life already makes him her equal. I am delighted to have such a conundrum."
In fact, Meredith's near-death experience might actually be a wider part of this plot. DeLuca is currently nursing her back to health, and nothing is going to kindle their love more than if he can literally bring her back to life.
However, while Meredith is in her unconscious state, the show is making the most of the chance to bring back another dead character. The Grey's Season 17, Episode 5 trailer ended by teasing that, "another person from her past returns." Fans will have to tune in to ABC, however, to get the latest on Meredith's health and see who that ghost of Grey's past might be.
Grey's Anatomy Season 17 airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT on ABC.


newsweek--2020-12-03--Fox News' Eric Shawn Pulls Apart Trump's Voter Fraud Claims for 2nd Time in Four Days

For the second time in a matter of days , Fox News ' anchor Eric Shawn has debunked claims of election fraud made by President Donald Trump .
As some hosts at Fox News help the president amplify claims of election fraud , Shawn is among members of the network pushing against the unsubstantiated assertions .
On Sunday , Shawn responded to claims the election was rigged that Trump had made on the network only hours earlier during an interview with Maria Bartiromo .
Shawn told viewers on America 's News Headquarters that many GOP officials and other experts say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rigged ballot were `` false and unsubstantiated . ''
On Wednesday , Shawn returned to the theme during a segment captioned `` Investigating Trump 's Voter Fraud claims , '' on that day that Trump gave a 46-minute video address and repeated claims of corruption , machine tampering and mysterious votes appearing .
During an on-air factcheck and citing election officials , Shawn rejected the claims made by Trump and his allies of a `` massive dump of votes '' which boosted numbers for President-elect Joe Biden .
`` Election officials say it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shawn told host Martha MacCallum .
`` They say there 's no nefarious big batch for Biden , just votes they insist are being counted properly as the law requires . ''
He said that spikes of votes did occur in the battleground state of Pennsylvania .
This was raised during a makeshift hearing in Gettysburg on November 25 held by Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani .
But Shawn said that election officials told him that the spikes were due to how big batches of votes were entered into the computers and that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be reported in a short timeframe .
`` Describing it as evidence of fraudulent voting showed either a woeful ignorance of election administration basics or an intentionally false statement intended to mislead the public , '' Shawn said , citing the office of Pennsylvania secretary Kathy Boockvar .
He went on to say that none of the thousands of officials and election workers across the country `` reported any massive fraud or anything with these spikes . ''
McCallum also raised the claims made by truck driver Jesse Morgan on the Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had driven hundreds of thousands of ballots from New York to Pennsylvania on October 21 .
But citing election officials , Shawn said that claims completed ballots had been driven across state lines and had disappeared `` just can not happen . ''
`` Every ballot , they say , is matched to a voter and they double check it and they confirm .
They say you just ca n't simply get hundreds of thousands of fake ballots or sign ballots somehow into the system , '' he said .
Newsweek has contacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graphic provided by Statista shows the amount of money spent in the last six U.S. elections .

For the second time in a matter of days, Fox News' anchor Eric Shawn has debunked claims of election fraud made by President Donald Trump.
As some hosts at Fox News help the president amplify claims of election fraud, Shawn is among members of the network pushing against the unsubstantiated assertions.
On Sunday, Shawn responded to claims the election was rigged that Trump had made on the network only hours earlier during an interview with Maria Bartiromo. Shawn told viewers on America's News Headquarters that many GOP officials and other experts say that the president's claims of a rigged ballot were "false and unsubstantiated."
On Wednesday, Shawn returned to the theme during a segment captioned "Investigating Trump's Voter Fraud claims," on that day that Trump gave a 46-minute video address and repeated claims of corruption, machine tampering and mysterious votes appearing.
During an on-air factcheck and citing election officials, Shawn rejected the claims made by Trump and his allies of a "massive dump of votes" which boosted numbers for President-elect Joe Biden.
President Donald Trump on the south lawn of the White House on November 29, 2020 in Washington, DC. Fox News anchor Eric Shawn debunked Trump's claims of election fraud in an on-air factcheck. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
"Election officials say it is not what he implies," Shawn told host Martha MacCallum. "They say there's no nefarious big batch for Biden, just votes they insist are being counted properly as the law requires."
He said that spikes of votes did occur in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. This was raised during a makeshift hearing in Gettysburg on November 25 held by Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
But Shawn said that election officials told him that the spikes were due to how big batches of votes were entered into the computers and that it was standard for large numbers of votes to be reported in a short timeframe.
"Describing it as evidence of fraudulent voting showed either a woeful ignorance of election administration basics or an intentionally false statement intended to mislead the public," Shawn said, citing the office of Pennsylvania secretary Kathy Boockvar.
He went on to say that none of the thousands of officials and election workers across the country "reported any massive fraud or anything with these spikes."
MacCallum also raised the claims made by truck driver Jesse Morgan on the Fox News' program Hannity who said he had driven hundreds of thousands of ballots from New York to Pennsylvania on October 21.
But citing election officials, Shawn said that claims completed ballots had been driven across state lines and had disappeared "just cannot happen."
"Every ballot, they say, is matched to a voter and they double check it and they confirm. They say you just can't simply get hundreds of thousands of fake ballots or sign ballots somehow into the system," he said. Newsweek has contacted the Trump campaign for comment.
This graphic provided by Statista shows the amount of money spent in the last six U.S. elections.
STATISTA
This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Martha MacCallum's surname in the 11th paragraph.


newsweek--2020-12-03--Unknown COVID Vaccine Side Effects May Appear After Millions Immunized—But Benefits Outweigh Risks

The potential rare , and long-term side effects of COVID vaccines may emerge—if they do at all—after millions of people are immunized , experts have told Newsweek .
However , they stressed the benefits of getting vaccinated against a virus that has killed over 1.4 million people worldwide and is still raging in many countries by far outweighs the risks .
COVID vaccines by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies Pfizer/BioNTech , Moderna , and AstraZeneca are the current front-runners for roll-out in the West .
Phase 3 trials have found the former two to be 95 percent effective against COVID , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two full doses , and 90 percent after half a dose and a full dose .
On Wednesday , the United Kingdom made history by becoming the first Western country to licence a COVID vaccine , after its independent medicine regulator gave the green light for the Pfizer vaccine to be rolled out .
The government expects to start vaccinating high-risk groups from early next week .
In the U.S. , Pfizer and Moderna have applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for their COVID vaccines to be authorized for emergency use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in December .
What are the side effects of the Pfizer/ , , and vaccines ?
The side effects for any vaccine fall into two categories , the mild , short-term effects that fade within a few days , sore arms , and potential severe side effects , like allergies or autoimmune diseases .
Generally , most side effects show up within two months after a person is immunized , meaning anything severe would have likely shown up in trial COVID vaccine participants by now , experts told Newsweek .
The short-term side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the site of injection , fatigue , muscle and joint pains , and headaches .
Pfizer/BioNTech have reported fatigue and headaches as common side effects .
AstraZeneca 's shot can trigger similar side effects to Moderna and Pfizer 's , as well as feeling feverish .
These are a welcome sign that the body 's immune response has kicked in .
What do we know about the long-term , or rare side effects ?
Experts told Newsweek that it is possible that long-term or rare side effects may emerge after millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be known if and when the FDA or other health bodies authorize the vaccines , said William Moss , director of the International Vaccine Access Center Executive at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health .
That is why scientists , manufacturers and officials will keep an eye on side effects after vaccines are rolled out .
Howard K. Koh , former assistant secretary for health under President Barack Obama professor of the practice of public health leadership at the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health said : `` Monitoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assuring trust and confidence in any vaccine . ''
But by definition , rare side effects are just that , `` rare , '' said Alessandro Sette , professor at the Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research at La Jolla Institute for Immunology .
And it may be difficult to identify whether a problem is due to a vaccine , or if a person has fallen ill for an untreated reason .
`` Some adverse health effects seen may be due to coincidence and not vaccine-associated , '' said Professor Peter Chin-Hong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francisco .
Al Edwards , associate professor in the pharmacy department at the University of Reading , U.K. , said : `` no-one ever stops monitoring the safety of medicines—all medicines not just vaccines—even after trials end and rollout starts .
We do n't generally expect any long-term side effects of vaccines . ''
It is also important to remember that the safety thresholds for vaccine approval are higher than other medical interventions , such as drugs , because they are being put into people who are healthy .
Edwards went on : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and could be surprises but generally speaking , vaccines have never been safer than they are now because we are so much better at the advanced manufacturing needed to make them clean , controlled , pure and very refined in composition , storage , distribution and administration . ''
Catching is more risky than getting a vaccine The academics who spoke to Newsweek were emphatic that the benefits of getting a COVID vaccine far outweigh the potential risks .
Edward Hutchinson , a scientist at the Centre for Virus Research at the U.K. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Unless you are part of a clinical trial , if you ever get a vaccine it was licensed because its benefits were shown to outweigh its risks .
When you make a choice about vaccination for yourself or your family , it is really important to remember that there are real risks that come with choosing not to get vaccinated , and these are likely to be much , much greater than any risk from having the vaccination .
`` We now know that the risks from having these COVID vaccines are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems when they were given to many thousands of volunteers .
On the other hand , we know that the risk of catching SARS-CoV-2 [ COVID ] is currently very high . ''
Even those not at risk of developing serious COVID , such as the young or those without underlying health conditions such as diabetes or heart problems , should consider getting vaccinated .
`` If you have a mild dose of the virus you could end up passing it on to someone else and making them seriously , even fatally ill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , do you want to live like this forever ?
Vaccination is the only way that we can control the spread of this disease while living our lives normally again , '' said Hutchinson .
His comments comes at a time when COVID is burning through the the U.S. , with experts forecasting that U.S. may be hit by the equivalent of a 9/11 per day by Christmas in terms of deaths .
Already , over 270,000 people in the U.S. have died .
Moss said : `` Given that we are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not under control in the United States , and this is a potentially deadly infection , I think it is wise to get the vaccine as soon as it becomes available given the efficacy data .
In my view , the benefits outweigh the risks , particularly for those at high risk of infection and severe disease who will be the first to receive the vaccines . ''
Professor Prakash Nagarkatti , an immunologist at University of South Carolina , held a similar view .
`` The vaccine should be taken as soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you are in the vulnerable population .
The more number of people taking the vaccine , the better is the spread of herd immunity which can eradicate COVID-19 so that we can lead a normal life again , '' he said .

The potential rare, and long-term side effects of COVID vaccines may emerge—if they do at all—after millions of people are immunized, experts have told Newsweek. However, they stressed the benefits of getting vaccinated against a virus that has killed over 1.4 million people worldwide and is still raging in many countries by far outweighs the risks.
COVID vaccines by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca are the current front-runners for roll-out in the West. Phase 3 trials have found the former two to be 95 percent effective against COVID, with the latter 62 percent effective after two full doses, and 90 percent after half a dose and a full dose.
On Wednesday, the United Kingdom made history by becoming the first Western country to licence a COVID vaccine, after its independent medicine regulator gave the green light for the Pfizer vaccine to be rolled out. The government expects to start vaccinating high-risk groups from early next week. In the U.S., Pfizer and Moderna have applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for their COVID vaccines to be authorized for emergency use. It is hoped distribution may start in December.
What are the side effects of the Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca COVID vaccines?
The side effects for any vaccine fall into two categories, the mild, short-term effects that fade within a few days, sore arms, and potential severe side effects, like allergies or autoimmune diseases.
Generally, most side effects show up within two months after a person is immunized, meaning anything severe would have likely shown up in trial COVID vaccine participants by now, experts told Newsweek.
The short-term side effects for the Moderna vaccine include soreness at the site of injection, fatigue, muscle and joint pains, and headaches. Pfizer/BioNTech have reported fatigue and headaches as common side effects. AstraZeneca's shot can trigger similar side effects to Moderna and Pfizer's, as well as feeling feverish. These are a welcome sign that the body's immune response has kicked in.
What do we know about the long-term, or rare side effects?
Experts told Newsweek that it is possible that long-term or rare side effects may emerge after millions of people are immunized. These won't be known if and when the FDA or other health bodies authorize the vaccines, said William Moss, director of the International Vaccine Access Center Executive at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. That is why scientists, manufacturers and officials will keep an eye on side effects after vaccines are rolled out.
Howard K. Koh, former assistant secretary for health under President Barack Obama professor of the practice of public health leadership at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said: "Monitoring and reporting those outcomes are critical to assuring trust and confidence in any vaccine."
A stock image shows a vaccine being prepared for injection. COVID vaccines will soon be rolled out in the U.K. Getty
But by definition, rare side effects are just that, "rare," said Alessandro Sette, professor at the Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research at La Jolla Institute for Immunology.
And it may be difficult to identify whether a problem is due to a vaccine, or if a person has fallen ill for an untreated reason. "Some adverse health effects seen may be due to coincidence and not vaccine-associated," said Professor Peter Chin-Hong an infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco.
Al Edwards, associate professor in the pharmacy department at the University of Reading, U.K., said: "no-one ever stops monitoring the safety of medicines—all medicines not just vaccines—even after trials end and rollout starts. We don't generally expect any long-term side effects of vaccines."
Read more America's COVID Deaths May Be Equivalent to a 9/11 Every Day by Christmas America's COVID Deaths May Be Equivalent to a 9/11 Every Day by Christmas
It is also important to remember that the safety thresholds for vaccine approval are higher than other medical interventions, such as drugs, because they are being put into people who are healthy.
Edwards went on: "There are still 'unknown unknowns' and could be surprises but generally speaking, vaccines have never been safer than they are now because we are so much better at the advanced manufacturing needed to make them clean, controlled, pure and very refined in composition, storage, distribution and administration."
Catching COVID is more risky than getting a vaccine
The academics who spoke to Newsweek were emphatic that the benefits of getting a COVID vaccine far outweigh the potential risks.
Edward Hutchinson, a scientist at the Centre for Virus Research at the U.K.'s University of Glasgow, said: "Unless you are part of a clinical trial, if you ever get a vaccine it was licensed because its benefits were shown to outweigh its risks. When you make a choice about vaccination for yourself or your family, it is really important to remember that there are real risks that come with choosing not to get vaccinated, and these are likely to be much, much greater than any risk from having the vaccination.
"We now know that the risks from having these COVID vaccines are so small they didn't cause serious problems when they were given to many thousands of volunteers. On the other hand, we know that the risk of catching SARS-CoV-2 [COVID] is currently very high."
Even those not at risk of developing serious COVID, such as the young or those without underlying health conditions such as diabetes or heart problems, should consider getting vaccinated.
"If you have a mild dose of the virus you could end up passing it on to someone else and making them seriously, even fatally ill. Finally, and this is important, do you want to live like this forever? Vaccination is the only way that we can control the spread of this disease while living our lives normally again," said Hutchinson.
His comments comes at a time when COVID is burning through the the U.S., with experts forecasting that U.S. may be hit by the equivalent of a 9/11 per day by Christmas in terms of deaths. Already, over 270,000 people in the U.S. have died.
Moss said: "Given that we are in the midst of a pandemic that is not under control in the United States, and this is a potentially deadly infection, I think it is wise to get the vaccine as soon as it becomes available given the efficacy data. In my view, the benefits outweigh the risks, particularly for those at high risk of infection and severe disease who will be the first to receive the vaccines."
Professor Prakash Nagarkatti, an immunologist at University of South Carolina, held a similar view. "The vaccine should be taken as soon as it is offered to you especially if you are in the vulnerable population. The more number of people taking the vaccine, the better is the spread of herd immunity which can eradicate COVID-19 so that we can lead a normal life again," he said.


newsweek--2020-12-03--Sidney Powell's Ties to QAnon Movement Explained

Sidney Powell , the former campaign lawyer for President Donald Trump , has seemingly further cemented her ties to the QAnon movement , while continuing to make unproven claims about the election results .
On Tuesday night , Powell shared a stage at a `` Stop the Steal '' rally in Georgia alongside her new ally Lin Wood , an attorney who is also representing the alleged Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse .
The rally caused outrage after Wood suggested Trump supporters abstain from voting in the crucial upcoming Georgia runoffs on January 5 as Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support .
`` Do n't you give it to them .
Why would you go back and vote in another rigged election for god 's sake !
Fix it !
You got ta fix it , '' Wood said .
Wood , who has repeatedly claimed the election was rigged and helped spread misinformation about voter fraud , has the hashtag # WWG1WGA—an abbreviation of the QAnon slogan `` where we go one we go all—in his Twitter bio .
On Monday , Powell also cited an affidavit from Ron Watkins , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement , in her latest lawsuit challenging the election results .
Watkins is the former administrator of the controversial messageboard site 8Kun , originally known as 8Chan .
Users of 8Chan emigrated en masse from 4chan , where the base of the QAnon conspiracy theory first appeared in late 2017 as a result of cryptic messages posted there by a mysterious figure known as `` Q '' .
The coded messages or `` drops '' would be interpreted by QAnon followers to form what would evolve into the radical claims made by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep state . ''
Q 's messages then began appearing on 8Kun .
Despite Q posting thousands of times over the past few years , Q 's messages have only been sent three times since Election Day , much to the heartache of many devout QAnon followers .
November 3 also just so happens to be the same day Watkins announced he was stepping down as admin from 8Kun , prompting speculation that he himself is the figure behind QAnon .
He denies these claims .
In Powell 's lawsuit , Watkins does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed in Georgia .
Instead , he states that voting machines `` may enable voter fraud by unethical officials , '' which he believes is `` within the realm of possibility . ''
On Twitter , Watkins has repeatedly pushed claims that Dominion Voting Systems machines used in the election were part of a conspiracy to cost Trump the election .
This is not the first time that Powell has been linked to QAnon .
She rose to prominence as the attorney for former national security advisor Michael Flynn .
The recently pardoned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the QAnon movement ever since he took a makeshift oath of office in his backyard that ended with the line `` where we go one we go all . ''
Flynn also has hashtags used by the QAnon movement in his Twitter bio .
In the past , Powell has appeared on QAnon-supporting YouTube shows , as well as frequently retweeting QAnon Twitter accounts .
Powell has also tweeted using the hashtags # TheStormIsComing and # TheStorm—a reference to the moment that QAnon supporters think Trump will start taking down the `` deep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Powell 's current Twitter profile avatar is a picture of her along with Flynn and a not-so-subtle lightning storm appearing over the White House .
Powell appears to have embraced QAnon 's backing of her slogan `` release the Kraken . ''
The Kraken was the name given to her lawsuits , which she said would prove fraud was committed in Georgia and Michigan .
The lawsuits were later found to contain a series of typos , repeated debunked claims and no substantial evidence .
Elsewhere , a joint Twitter account between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspended just a few days after it was created .
It is unclear why Twitter suspended the account .
Twitter and Powell have been contacted for comment .

Sidney Powell, the former campaign lawyer for President Donald Trump, has seemingly further cemented her ties to the QAnon movement, while continuing to make unproven claims about the election results.
On Tuesday night, Powell shared a stage at a "Stop the Steal" rally in Georgia alongside her new ally Lin Wood, an attorney who is also representing the alleged Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse.
The rally caused outrage after Wood suggested Trump supporters abstain from voting in the crucial upcoming Georgia runoffs on January 5 as Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue have "not earned" their support.
"Don't you give it to them. Why would you go back and vote in another rigged election for god's sake! Fix it! You gotta fix it," Wood said.
Wood, who has repeatedly claimed the election was rigged and helped spread misinformation about voter fraud, has the hashtag #WWG1WGA—an abbreviation of the QAnon slogan "where we go one we go all—in his Twitter bio.
On Monday, Powell also cited an affidavit from Ron Watkins, a man with significant ties to the QAnon movement, in her latest lawsuit challenging the election results.
Watkins is the former administrator of the controversial messageboard site 8Kun, originally known as 8Chan. Users of 8Chan emigrated en masse from 4chan, where the base of the QAnon conspiracy theory first appeared in late 2017 as a result of cryptic messages posted there by a mysterious figure known as "Q".
The coded messages or "drops" would be interpreted by QAnon followers to form what would evolve into the radical claims made by the movement involving satanic pedophiles and the "deep state."
Q's messages then began appearing on 8Kun. Despite Q posting thousands of times over the past few years, Q's messages have only been sent three times since Election Day, much to the heartache of many devout QAnon followers.
November 3 also just so happens to be the same day Watkins announced he was stepping down as admin from 8Kun, prompting speculation that he himself is the figure behind QAnon. He denies these claims.
In Powell's lawsuit, Watkins does not directly allege that voter fraud was committed in Georgia. Instead, he states that voting machines "may enable voter fraud by unethical officials," which he believes is "within the realm of possibility."
On Twitter, Watkins has repeatedly pushed claims that Dominion Voting Systems machines used in the election were part of a conspiracy to cost Trump the election.
This is not the first time that Powell has been linked to QAnon.
She rose to prominence as the attorney for former national security advisor Michael Flynn.
The recently pardoned Flynn is seen as a hero in the QAnon movement ever since he took a makeshift oath of office in his backyard that ended with the line "where we go one we go all."
Flynn also has hashtags used by the QAnon movement in his Twitter bio.
In the past, Powell has appeared on QAnon-supporting YouTube shows, as well as frequently retweeting QAnon Twitter accounts.
Powell has also tweeted using the hashtags #TheStormIsComing and #TheStorm—a reference to the moment that QAnon supporters think Trump will start taking down the "deep state" and arrest leading Democrat figures.
Powell's current Twitter profile avatar is a picture of her along with Flynn and a not-so-subtle lightning storm appearing over the White House.
Michael Flynn's new attorney, Sidney Powell, has repeatedly retweeted major QAnon accounts, including one of the 3 people NBC News reported who helped popularize the conspiracy theory. pic.twitter.com/NErSoX04ex — Alex Kaplan (@AlKapDC) June 12, 2019
Powell appears to have embraced QAnon's backing of her slogan "release the Kraken." The Kraken was the name given to her lawsuits, which she said would prove fraud was committed in Georgia and Michigan.
The lawsuits were later found to contain a series of typos, repeated debunked claims and no substantial evidence.
Elsewhere, a joint Twitter account between Powell and Wood called @KrakenWood was suspended just a few days after it was created. It is unclear why Twitter suspended the account.
Twitter and Powell have been contacted for comment.


newsweek--2020-12-03--U.S. Awaits Threatened Iran Retaliation Over Fakhrizadeh Killing, Withdraws Baghdad Embassy Staff

The assassination of top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh threatens has once again spiked tensions in the Middle East with just weeks of President Donald Trump 's term remaining .
Fakhrizadeh—considered the father of Iran 's nuclear project and namechecked by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu years ago—was killed by a team of unidentified assassins on a county road to the east of Tehran last week , despite close Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps protection .
Israel has refused to confirm or deny involvement , per long standing policy , but multiple reports have cited American intelligence officials crediting the Israelis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a serious escalation of the U.S.-Israeli effort to undermine Iran 's nuclear project , which is increasingly unrestrained as the JCPOA ( from which Trump withdrew in 2018 with Israeli backing ) remains stuck in the doldrums .
The U.S. has so far declined to comment , or to clarify whether the Trump administration knew about or approved the attack .
Iran has vowed revenge against all those responsible .
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad—which is regularly targeted by Iranian-backed Iraqi Shiite militias—is now temporarily withdrawing some staff amid security concerns , The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source familiar with the withdrawal .
CNN later confirmed the report citing three anonymous sources familiar with the matter .
The Post said it remains unclear how many staff will be withdrawn .
Its source described the move as `` de-risking . ''
A diplomatic source told CNN the withdrawal would be `` slight , '' noting that the State Department is allowing more staff than usual to take leave .
The withdrawal will continue until after the January 3 anniversary of the U.S. assassination of top Iranian commander Major General Qassem Soleimani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , D.C. and Tehran to the brink of war .
Iran eventually fired ballistic missiles at Iraqi military bases housing American troops , injuring more than 100 .
But an unnamed defense official told CNN that the U.S. still expects more retaliation .
`` They are n't going to give up , '' the source said .
The State Department refused to confirm or deny the reports of a Baghdad drawdown A spokesperson said : `` We do not comment on the details of any adjustments but remain committed to a strong diplomatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ Matthew ] Tueller remains in Iraq and the Embassy in Baghdad continues to operate , '' the spokesperson added .
`` The State Department continually adjusts its diplomatic presence at Embassies and Consulates throughout the world in line with its mission , the local security environment , the health situation , and even the holidays ...
Ensuring the safety of U.S. government personnel , U.S. citizens , and the security of our facilities , remains our highest priority .
Iran has blamed Israel , with the protection and approval of the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harks back to the years before the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal in which several Iranian nuclear scientists were killed by hit squads—allegedly with Israeli and American involvement .
Iranian intelligence now says it has identified the individuals involved in the operation , though has not revealed them publicly and was unable to apprehend any of the attacks or their accessories either at the scene of afterwards .
According to The New York Times , this latest high-profile security lapse has set off a blame game within the regime .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a target for Iran and its proxies .
During the American occupation of the country following the 2003 invasion , hundreds of American soldiers were killed by insurgents using Iranian-supplied weapons .
In more recent years , the Baghdad Embassy and the surrounding `` Green Zone '' have regularly been hit by rockets and other munitions fired by militia groups backed by Tehran .
Convoys carrying American military equipment have also been targeted in IED attacks .
The Iranian regime wields enormous influence in neighboring Iraq , facilitated by the disastrous American invasion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expanded its influence via its militias—which dominate the powerful Popular Mobilization Forces coalition of state-aligned armed groups—during Iraq 's fight against the so-called Islamic State in the north of the country .
Observers have noted that U.S. influence in Iraq has waned further during President Donald Trump 's term , a slide some say was exacerbated by the assassination of Soleimani which prompted some Iraqi lawmakers to demand full American withdrawal from the country .
The State Department has warned it may close the Baghdad Embassy entirely if its security can not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , the facility was overrun and ransacked by Iraqi protesters , assisted by Iranian-backed militia fighters .
The incident was among the reasons cited by administration officials for Soleimani 's assassination weeks later while the commander was in Baghdad .
PMU chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was among those killed alongside Soleimani .
Iraqi President Barham Salih , meanwhile , condemned last week 's assassination and said the government rejects any moves that may disrupt the security and stability of the region , Iranian state media reported .

The assassination of top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh threatens has once again spiked tensions in the Middle East with just weeks of President Donald Trump's term remaining.
Fakhrizadeh—considered the father of Iran's nuclear project and namechecked by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu years ago—was killed by a team of unidentified assassins on a county road to the east of Tehran last week, despite close Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps protection.
Israel has refused to confirm or deny involvement, per long standing policy, but multiple reports have cited American intelligence officials crediting the Israelis with the operation.
The assassination marks a serious escalation of the U.S.-Israeli effort to undermine Iran's nuclear project, which is increasingly unrestrained as the JCPOA (from which Trump withdrew in 2018 with Israeli backing) remains stuck in the doldrums.
The U.S. has so far declined to comment, or to clarify whether the Trump administration knew about or approved the attack. Iran has vowed revenge against all those responsible.
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad—which is regularly targeted by Iranian-backed Iraqi Shiite militias—is now temporarily withdrawing some staff amid security concerns, The Washington Post reported Wednesday citing an unnamed source familiar with the withdrawal. CNN later confirmed the report citing three anonymous sources familiar with the matter.
The Post said it remains unclear how many staff will be withdrawn. Its source described the move as "de-risking." A diplomatic source told CNN the withdrawal would be "slight," noting that the State Department is allowing more staff than usual to take leave.
The withdrawal will continue until after the January 3 anniversary of the U.S. assassination of top Iranian commander Major General Qassem Soleimani, which earlier this year brought Washington, D.C. and Tehran to the brink of war.
Iran eventually fired ballistic missiles at Iraqi military bases housing American troops, injuring more than 100. But an unnamed defense official told CNN that the U.S. still expects more retaliation. "They aren't going to give up," the source said.
The State Department refused to confirm or deny the reports of a Baghdad drawdown A spokesperson said: "We do not comment on the details of any adjustments but remain committed to a strong diplomatic partnership with Iraq."
"Ambassador [Matthew] Tueller remains in Iraq and the Embassy in Baghdad continues to operate," the spokesperson added.
"The State Department continually adjusts its diplomatic presence at Embassies and Consulates throughout the world in line with its mission, the local security environment, the health situation, and even the holidays... Ensuring the safety of U.S. government personnel, U.S. citizens, and the security of our facilities, remains our highest priority.
Iran has blamed Israel, with the protection and approval of the U.S., for the Fakhrizadeh assassination, which harks back to the years before the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal in which several Iranian nuclear scientists were killed by hit squads—allegedly with Israeli and American involvement.
Iranian intelligence now says it has identified the individuals involved in the operation, though has not revealed them publicly and was unable to apprehend any of the attacks or their accessories either at the scene of afterwards. According to The New York Times, this latest high-profile security lapse has set off a blame game within the regime.
The U.S. presence in Baghdad has long been a target for Iran and its proxies. During the American occupation of the country following the 2003 invasion, hundreds of American soldiers were killed by insurgents using Iranian-supplied weapons.
In more recent years, the Baghdad Embassy and the surrounding "Green Zone" have regularly been hit by rockets and other munitions fired by militia groups backed by Tehran. Convoys carrying American military equipment have also been targeted in IED attacks.
The Iranian regime wields enormous influence in neighboring Iraq, facilitated by the disastrous American invasion and occupation of the country. Iran expanded its influence via its militias—which dominate the powerful Popular Mobilization Forces coalition of state-aligned armed groups—during Iraq's fight against the so-called Islamic State in the north of the country.
Observers have noted that U.S. influence in Iraq has waned further during President Donald Trump's term, a slide some say was exacerbated by the assassination of Soleimani which prompted some Iraqi lawmakers to demand full American withdrawal from the country.
The State Department has warned it may close the Baghdad Embassy entirely if its security cannot be guaranteed by the Iraqi government.
Last year, the facility was overrun and ransacked by Iraqi protesters, assisted by Iranian-backed militia fighters. The incident was among the reasons cited by administration officials for Soleimani's assassination weeks later while the commander was in Baghdad. PMU chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was among those killed alongside Soleimani.
Iraqi President Barham Salih, meanwhile, condemned last week's assassination and said the government rejects any moves that may disrupt the security and stability of the region, Iranian state media reported.


newsweek--2020-12-03--Adolf Hitler Wins Election in Namibia, Has No Plans for World Domination

Adolf Hitler Uunona has been elected with 85 percent of the vote for a seat on the regional council in the former German colony , where street names , people and places still have German names .
However , Adolf Uunona as he prefers himself to be known , says he wants to assure people that he has no plans for world domination .
He told German tabloid paper Bild : `` My father named me after this man .
He probably did n't understand what Adolf Hitler stood for .
As a child I saw it as a totally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did I understand that this man wanted to conquer the whole world . ''
He appears on the election nomination list as Adolf H. Uunona .
He won the seat on the ticket of the ruling SWAPO party which has ruled Namibia since independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990 .
He also said that while his wife calls him Adolf , it would be too late for him to change his name officially .
`` The fact I have this name does not mean I want to conquer Oshana , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he won the election .
It does n't mean I 'm striving for world domination . ''
He is actually not new to politics , having been a regional councilor for a while , praising a cement company in 2019 for investing more than $ 1m by sending employees to Germany for training , offering internships and job attachments .
He has been a regional councilor for at least 15 years , Namibian electoral records seen by Newsweek show .
Uunona managed to get 1,196 votes in the election compared to 213 for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the regional council .
The SWAPO party which held a two-thirds majority in Parliament from 1994 to 2019 , took 57 percent of the votes across the country , a fall on the previous 83 percent it took in the 2015 regional elections .
Namibia was a German colony from 1884 , however following the First World War the League of Nations mandated South Africa to administer the territory .
Earlier in 2020 , Namibia rejected Germany 's offer of compensation for the mass murder of tens of thousands of indigenous people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1904 and 1908 German occupiers almost destroyed the Herero and Nama peoples in what was then known as the colony of German Southwest Africa .
According to some historians , it was the first genocide of the 20th century .
There were unconfirmed reports that an offer of €10m ( $ 12.1m ) had been made , however Namibia 's president , Hage Geingob , said that the offer `` for reparations made by the German government ... is not acceptable '' and needed to be `` revised '' .
Talks between Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time and Ruprecht Polenz , the German government 's special envoy for the negotiations , did not deny that his side 's offer had been rejected .
`` What matters is that the negotiations are ongoing , and I am still optimistic that a solution can be found , '' he said .
`` Germany wants to live up to its moral and political responsibility . ''

A politician named Adolf Hitler has won a regional election in Namibia.
Adolf Hitler Uunona has been elected with 85 percent of the vote for a seat on the regional council in the former German colony, where street names, people and places still have German names. However, Adolf Uunona as he prefers himself to be known, says he wants to assure people that he has no plans for world domination.
He told German tabloid paper Bild: "My father named me after this man. He probably didn't understand what Adolf Hitler stood for. As a child I saw it as a totally normal name. Only as a teenager did I understand that this man wanted to conquer the whole world."
He appears on the election nomination list as Adolf H. Uunona. He won the seat on the ticket of the ruling SWAPO party which has ruled Namibia since independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990. He also said that while his wife calls him Adolf, it would be too late for him to change his name officially.
"The fact I have this name does not mean I want to conquer Oshana," he said, referring to the region where he won the election. It doesn't mean I'm striving for world domination."
He is actually not new to politics, having been a regional councilor for a while, praising a cement company in 2019 for investing more than $1m by sending employees to Germany for training, offering internships and job attachments. He has been a regional councilor for at least 15 years, Namibian electoral records seen by Newsweek show.
Adolf Hitler is, perhaps unsurprisingly, not a common name any more Twitter/Getty
Uunona managed to get 1,196 votes in the election compared to 213 for his opponent, giving him a seat on the regional council.
The SWAPO party which held a two-thirds majority in Parliament from 1994 to 2019, took 57 percent of the votes across the country, a fall on the previous 83 percent it took in the 2015 regional elections.
Namibia was a German colony from 1884, however following the First World War the League of Nations mandated South Africa to administer the territory.
Earlier in 2020, Namibia rejected Germany's offer of compensation for the mass murder of tens of thousands of indigenous people more than a century ago. Between 1904 and 1908 German occupiers almost destroyed the Herero and Nama peoples in what was then known as the colony of German Southwest Africa.
According to some historians, it was the first genocide of the 20th century. There were unconfirmed reports that an offer of €10m ($12.1m) had been made, however Namibia's president, Hage Geingob, said that the offer "for reparations made by the German government ... is not acceptable" and needed to be "revised".
Talks between Germany and Namibia had been ongoing for some time and Ruprecht Polenz, the German government's special envoy for the negotiations, did not deny that his side's offer had been rejected. "What matters is that the negotiations are ongoing, and I am still optimistic that a solution can be found," he said. "Germany wants to live up to its moral and political responsibility."