newsweek--2020-12-24--Sidney Powell Wants to Fight for Donald Trump—But His Aides Won't Let Her, She Says

President Donald J. Trump says he wants a lawyer to probe `` election theft , '' but the president 's leading candidate , Sidney Powell , says she has been barred from the White House by the president 's own chief of staff .
While Powell and the president discussed the role last Friday in a contentious four-and-a-half-hour Oval Office meeting , she says , insiders opposed her appointment , sometimes shouting defiantly at the president .
Powell 's on-the-record account reveals a White House riven by internal feuding , and a growing divide between the president 's most senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
By Saturday morning , Powell says , the president 's most senior aides had declined to give her a Secret Service-issued pass to come and go from the West Wing .
`` I 've been blocked from speaking to or communicating with the president since I left the Oval Office on Friday night , '' she says , `` by apparently everyone around him . ''
During the Zenger interview , conducted on video in a 7th-floor suite at the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC , Powell said she has had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18 meeting .
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany declined to comment on the record about whether any senior officials , including Chief of Staff Mark R. Meadows , National Security Advisor Robert C. O'Brien and White House Counsel Pat A. Cipollone , have intervened to keep Powell out of the White House .
All three participated in Friday 's meeting , which devolved into chaos and finger-pointing about who was—or was not—serving Trump 's interests .
Powell confirmed that former National Security Advisor Gen. Michael T. Flynn accompanied her to the Oval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyer Rudolph S. Giuliani participated via telephone .
Other aides walked in and out of the Oval Office periodically ; they could not be identified by Zenger 's reporting .
A message to Giuliani seeking comment was not returned .
Asked to confirm Giuliani took part , his attorney Bob Costello said , `` I do n't know the answer to that . ''
Trump said Tuesday in a videotaped statement that he would `` pursue every legal and constitutional option available to stop the theft of the presidential election . ''
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone that thinks a strong , fast , and fair Special Counsel is not needed , IMMEDIATELY .
This was the most corrupt election in the history of our Country , and it must be closely examined ! ''
Only the U.S. attorney general can appoint a special counsel , but the president can appoint a special White House counsel who would have more limited powers and protections .
Does Sidney Powell have that job ?
`` That is a good question ! ''
she told Zenger News , laughing .
She says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that senior officials from the Office of White House Counsel have prevented her from presenting the president with paperwork to make it official .
Meanwhile , she says , Meadows and others have blocked permission for her to visit the executive mansion or its nearby buildings .
Senior officials have `` thrown sand in the gears '' of actions the president asked her to carry out , she says .
Powell challenged the accuracy of the anonymous accounts that appeared in major news outlets .
There was no talk of `` martial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seize ballot machines , she said , or holding a second round of elections in swing states .
`` I can tell you for sure , '' she said , `` that was not discussed in the Oval Office Friday night . ''
Flynn said his recollection of the meeting matches Powell 's .
`` No one talked about martial law , no matter what some of the news reports say , '' he told Zenger .
While not considered for a special counsel role , Powell said the president wanted to appoint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` special '' role inside the same Office of White House Counsel that was running interference .
`` I am not a Robert Mueller-style special counsel , '' she says , but `` there was a discussion about me being a special White House counsel . ''
Such an appointment would hand Powell a top-level security clearance and 24-hour access to the White House , and likely put her in the same office suite as the White House Counsel—privileges she says some of the men who work closest to the Oval Office do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It has not come to pass , '' Powell says , `` because it seems it was blocked after Friday night , or undone , or I 'm not sure what you 'd call it '' by senior White House staff including , she suggested , Meadows and Cipollone .
Cipollone , Meadows and O'Brien argued strenuously against hiring Powell , she says , and warned of sharply negative reactions among the Washington-based press corps , and among members of Congress whose support Trump would need in the coming weeks if he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election results that made former Vice President Joseph R. Biden his successor-in-waiting .
Powell said intramural feuding squanders time that could be spent on investigations and court filings .
`` Sidney is a fantastic advocate , '' Flynn said .
`` You know how POTUS says you should never give up no matter what ?
That 's Sidney .
And that 's fantastic .
We need more like her . ''
Powell says her small team of privately funded attorneys are `` still collecting evidence through firehoses , '' and that `` thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and given sworn statements '' about irregularities they say they witnessed on Election Day .
Powell declined to provide any new evidence of voter fraud , instead referring to previously published claims in a binder of material her staff provided to Zenger News two hours before Wednesday 's interview .
( You can read it here . )
Powell cited reports by the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in October 2020 warning that Iran-backed hackers were `` likely intent on influencing and interfering with the U.S .
elections . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying the unnamed Iranians had infiltrated election websites and stolen voter registration data , later launching a `` mass dissemination of voter intimidation emails to U.S .
citizens . ''
That same agency issued a Nov. 12 statement that `` [ t ] he November 3rd election was the most secure in American history '' —apparently undercutting Powell 's claims .
A similar federal report also cast doubt .
`` There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes , changed votes , or was in any way compromised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the inter-agency Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council .
That panel , formed in 2017 as claims swirled that Russia had infiltrated the 2016 election to benefit Trump , includes officials from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency , the U.S. Election Assistance Commission , the National Association of Secretaries of State , the National Association of State Election Directors ( NASED ) , the nonprofit Democracy Works and Electronic Registration Information Center and companies whose hardware and software are used in U.S. elections .
Powell on Wednesday did point to a little-known opinion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Totenberg , whom she mistakenly referred to as Nina Totenberg—the name of the National Public Radio host .
Judge Totenberg , who sits on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia , cited a risk of `` stealth vote alteration or operational interference '' in touchscreen voting devices sold by Dominion Voting Systems if they are not properly audited .
Those risks `` are neither hypothetical nor remote under the current circumstances , '' Totenberg wrote , adding that the machines can `` deprive voters of their cast votes '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ codes , making any potential manipulation invisible to voters `` at least until any portions of the system implode because of system breach , breakdown , or crashes . ''
Powell says those exact kinds of crashes during vote-counting allowed Democratic election officials to begin `` backfilling their vote [ totals ] with fraudulent ballots '' while Dominion machines were disabled .
`` We can definitely show that the election system was sufficiently tampered with , with the aid of foreign influence , to flip any number of states , '' she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the potential fraud Judge Totenberg identified in October materialized as actual fraud in November .
Powell wants Trump to order federal authorities to secure voting machines from both Republican- and Democrat-heavy districts in swing states , conduct forensic audits , and find out whether any of them were connected to the Internet on Election Day .
Such Internet connections might allow remote actors to tamper with vote totals in real time .
Ballots on such Internet-linked machines , she says , are `` invalid . ''
As Americans prepared to mark Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach Florida : `` VOTER FRAUD IS NOT A CONSPIRACY THEORY , IT IS A FACT !
!
! ''

Attorney Sidney Powell speaks to the press about various lawsuits related to the 2020 election, inside the Republican National Committee headquarters on November 19, 2020 in Washington, DC. On Friday, Powell told Howie Carr that she has "a lot" of evidence to support her claims of voter fraud. Drew Angerer/Getty
President Donald J. Trump says he wants a lawyer to probe "election theft," but the president's leading candidate, Sidney Powell, says she has been barred from the White House by the president's own chief of staff.
While Powell and the president discussed the role last Friday in a contentious four-and-a-half-hour Oval Office meeting, she says, insiders opposed her appointment, sometimes shouting defiantly at the president. Powell's on-the-record account reveals a White House riven by internal feuding, and a growing divide between the president's most senior staff and his most devoted outside supporters.
By Saturday morning, Powell says, the president's most senior aides had declined to give her a Secret Service-issued pass to come and go from the West Wing. "I've been blocked from speaking to or communicating with the president since I left the Oval Office on Friday night," she says, "by apparently everyone around him."
During the Zenger interview, conducted on video in a 7th-floor suite at the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC, Powell said she has had no contact with Trump since the Dec. 18 meeting.
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany declined to comment on the record about whether any senior officials, including Chief of Staff Mark R. Meadows, National Security Advisor Robert C. O'Brien and White House Counsel Pat A. Cipollone, have intervened to keep Powell out of the White House. All three participated in Friday's meeting, which devolved into chaos and finger-pointing about who was—or was not—serving Trump's interests. Powell confirmed that former National Security Advisor Gen. Michael T. Flynn accompanied her to the Oval Office.
O'Brien and Trump's personal lawyer Rudolph S. Giuliani participated via telephone. Other aides walked in and out of the Oval Office periodically; they could not be identified by Zenger's reporting. A message to Giuliani seeking comment was not returned. Asked to confirm Giuliani took part, his attorney Bob Costello said, "I don't know the answer to that."
Trump said Tuesday in a videotaped statement that he would "pursue every legal and constitutional option available to stop the theft of the presidential election." He tweeted Wednesday, "I disagree with anyone that thinks a strong, fast, and fair Special Counsel is not needed, IMMEDIATELY. This was the most corrupt election in the history of our Country, and it must be closely examined!" Only the U.S. attorney general can appoint a special counsel, but the president can appoint a special White House counsel who would have more limited powers and protections.
After seeing the massive Voter Fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election, I disagree with anyone that thinks a strong, fast, and fair Special Counsel is not needed, IMMEDIATELY. This was the most corrupt election in the history of our Country, and it must be closely examined! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2020
Does Sidney Powell have that job? "That is a good question!" she told Zenger News, laughing. She says she was verbally offered the job, but that senior officials from the Office of White House Counsel have prevented her from presenting the president with paperwork to make it official.
Meanwhile, she says, Meadows and others have blocked permission for her to visit the executive mansion or its nearby buildings. Senior officials have "thrown sand in the gears" of actions the president asked her to carry out, she says.
Powell challenged the accuracy of the anonymous accounts that appeared in major news outlets. There was no talk of "martial law," or sending soldiers to seize ballot machines, she said, or holding a second round of elections in swing states. "I can tell you for sure," she said, "that was not discussed in the Oval Office Friday night."
Flynn said his recollection of the meeting matches Powell's. "No one talked about martial law, no matter what some of the news reports say," he told Zenger.
While not considered for a special counsel role, Powell said the president wanted to appoint her to something less ambitious: a "special" role inside the same Office of White House Counsel that was running interference. "I am not a Robert Mueller-style special counsel," she says, but "there was a discussion about me being a special White House counsel."
Such an appointment would hand Powell a top-level security clearance and 24-hour access to the White House, and likely put her in the same office suite as the White House Counsel—privileges she says some of the men who work closest to the Oval Office do not want her to have.
"It has not come to pass," Powell says, "because it seems it was blocked after Friday night, or undone, or I'm not sure what you'd call it" by senior White House staff including, she suggested, Meadows and Cipollone.
Cipollone, Meadows and O'Brien argued strenuously against hiring Powell, she says, and warned of sharply negative reactions among the Washington-based press corps, and among members of Congress whose support Trump would need in the coming weeks if he had any hope of reversing the November 3 election results that made former Vice President Joseph R. Biden his successor-in-waiting.
Powell said intramural feuding squanders time that could be spent on investigations and court filings. "Sidney is a fantastic advocate," Flynn said. "You know how POTUS says you should never give up no matter what? That's Sidney. And that's fantastic. We need more like her."
Powell says her small team of privately funded attorneys are "still collecting evidence through firehoses," and that "thousands and thousands of people have stepped forward and given sworn statements" about irregularities they say they witnessed on Election Day. Powell declined to provide any new evidence of voter fraud, instead referring to previously published claims in a binder of material her staff provided to Zenger News two hours before Wednesday's interview. (You can read it here.)
Powell cited reports by the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in October 2020 warning that Iran-backed hackers were "likely intent on influencing and interfering with the U.S. elections." One report was updated on Election Day, saying the unnamed Iranians had infiltrated election websites and stolen voter registration data, later launching a "mass dissemination of voter intimidation emails to U.S. citizens."
That same agency issued a Nov. 12 statement that "[t]he November 3rd election was the most secure in American history"—apparently undercutting Powell's claims.
A similar federal report also cast doubt. "There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised," said the executive committee of the inter-agency Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council. That panel, formed in 2017 as claims swirled that Russia had infiltrated the 2016 election to benefit Trump, includes officials from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, the National Association of Secretaries of State, the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED), the nonprofit Democracy Works and Electronic Registration Information Center and companies whose hardware and software are used in U.S. elections.
Powell on Wednesday did point to a little-known opinion issued Oct. 11 by federal judge Amy Totenberg, whom she mistakenly referred to as Nina Totenberg—the name of the National Public Radio host. Judge Totenberg, who sits on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, cited a risk of "stealth vote alteration or operational interference" in touchscreen voting devices sold by Dominion Voting Systems if they are not properly audited.
Those risks "are neither hypothetical nor remote under the current circumstances," Totenberg wrote, adding that the machines can "deprive voters of their cast votes" by storing data in unverified digital QR codes, making any potential manipulation invisible to voters "at least until any portions of the system implode because of system breach, breakdown, or crashes."
Powell says those exact kinds of crashes during vote-counting allowed Democratic election officials to begin "backfilling their vote [totals] with fraudulent ballots" while Dominion machines were disabled. "We can definitely show that the election system was sufficiently tampered with, with the aid of foreign influence, to flip any number of states," she says.
Powell did not provide any evidence that the potential fraud Judge Totenberg identified in October materialized as actual fraud in November.
Powell wants Trump to order federal authorities to secure voting machines from both Republican- and Democrat-heavy districts in swing states, conduct forensic audits, and find out whether any of them were connected to the Internet on Election Day. Such Internet connections might allow remote actors to tamper with vote totals in real time.
Ballots on such Internet-linked machines, she says, are "invalid."
As Americans prepared to mark Christmas Eve on Thursday, Trump tweeted from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach Florida: "VOTER FRAUD IS NOT A CONSPIRACY THEORY, IT IS A FACT!!!"


newsweek--2020-12-24--Ravi Zacharias, Christianity's Top Apologist, Sexually Abused Spa Workers

A noted Christian apologist was responsible for repeatedly engaging in sexual misconduct before dying earlier this year , his former ministry has admitted .
Ravi Zacharias , a preacher and lecturer who authored dozens of books defending Christian beliefs , was posthumously accused of sexually abusing multiple women at spas over several years , a few months after his May death from cancer in Atlanta , Georgia .
On Wednesday , the ministry he founded , Ravi Zacharias International Ministries ( RZIM ) , released an interim report from an independent investigation it had contracted from Atlanta law firm Miller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were made .
`` Sadly , the interim investigation update indicates this assessment of Ravi 's behavior to be true—that he did indeed engage in sexual misconduct , '' the executive committee of RZIM 's board of directors wrote in a statement .
`` This misconduct is deeply troubling and wholly inconsistent with the man Ravi Zacharias presented both publicly and privately to so many over more than four decades of public ministry . ''
`` We are heartbroken at learning this but feel it necessary to be transparent and to inform our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this time , even while the investigation continues , '' they continued .
`` We are devastated for those who have suffered from Ravi 's misconduct and for the pain that they are enduring . ''
Although the interim report does not provide specific details of Zacharias ' alleged misconduct , it does conclude that he `` engaged in sexual misconduct over the course of many years '' based on interviews with massage therapists who spoke `` candidly and in great detail '' and a `` review of documents and electronic data .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two spas that he co-owned in the Atlanta area .
Anna Adesanya , who managed one of the spas from 2009 to 2013 , told World magazine that one of her employees had complained about the preacher asking for `` more than a massage , '' before she was fired when word of the complaint reached Zacharias .
At least one of the spa 's co-owners had also questioned Zacharias ' motivation for investing in the spa .
`` If you said to me , a preacher is invested in a spa , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did this man take an interest in a spa ? '
'' Juanita Bonds , a former co-owner of the spa , told the magazine .
`` I ca n't make church and spa work no kind of way . ''
A September report from Christianity Today described Zacharias ' alleged sexual abuse and assault of three anonymous women who had worked at the spas as massage therapists .
Zacharias reportedly made inappropriate comments and requests for sex , while also exposing himself and touching or groping the workers without their consent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of one of the women more than 50 times . ''
Prior to the investigation , RZIM had dismissed the allegations against Zacharias as false .
They also backed up their founder 's denial of a 2017 allegation from Lori Anne Thompson , a Canadian woman who said that Zacharias had sent her inappropriate text messages including request for nude photographs .
The same year , Zacharias was accused of falsifying his academic credentials .
He stopped referring to himself as `` Dr. Zacharias '' after admitting that his doctorates were honorary , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The RZIM board says that the investigation of their former leader is ongoing and they expect the full report to be released in `` January or February , '' vowing to `` speak more comprehensively to all concerned after the completion of the investigation . ''
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany praised Zacharias during a press conference following his death in May , while Vice President Mike Pence attended and spoke at his funeral .
President Donald Trump also praised the deceased preacher , saying that he had been `` instrumental in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come to know the love and mercy of Jesus Christ '' by attempting to make `` the intellectual case for Christianity . ''
Newsweek reached out to RZIM for comment .

A noted Christian apologist was responsible for repeatedly engaging in sexual misconduct before dying earlier this year, his former ministry has admitted.
Ravi Zacharias, a preacher and lecturer who authored dozens of books defending Christian beliefs, was posthumously accused of sexually abusing multiple women at spas over several years, a few months after his May death from cancer in Atlanta, Georgia. On Wednesday, the ministry he founded, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM), released an interim report from an independent investigation it had contracted from Atlanta law firm Miller & Martin PLLC shortly after the accusations were made.
"Sadly, the interim investigation update indicates this assessment of Ravi's behavior to be true—that he did indeed engage in sexual misconduct," the executive committee of RZIM's board of directors wrote in a statement. "This misconduct is deeply troubling and wholly inconsistent with the man Ravi Zacharias presented both publicly and privately to so many over more than four decades of public ministry."
"We are heartbroken at learning this but feel it necessary to be transparent and to inform our staff, donors, and supporters at this time, even while the investigation continues," they continued. "We are devastated for those who have suffered from Ravi's misconduct and for the pain that they are enduring."
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany praises Christian apologist and preacher Ravi Zacharias after his death at a press conference in Washington, D.C. on May 20, 2020. Alex Wong/Getty
Although the interim report does not provide specific details of Zacharias' alleged misconduct, it does conclude that he "engaged in sexual misconduct over the course of many years" based on interviews with massage therapists who spoke "candidly and in great detail" and a "review of documents and electronic data."
Zacharias allegedly abused multiple employees at two spas that he co-owned in the Atlanta area. Anna Adesanya, who managed one of the spas from 2009 to 2013, told World magazine that one of her employees had complained about the preacher asking for "more than a massage," before she was fired when word of the complaint reached Zacharias. At least one of the spa's co-owners had also questioned Zacharias' motivation for investing in the spa.
"If you said to me, a preacher is invested in a spa, I would think, 'Why? Why did this man take an interest in a spa?'" Juanita Bonds, a former co-owner of the spa, told the magazine. "I can't make church and spa work no kind of way."
A September report from Christianity Today described Zacharias' alleged sexual abuse and assault of three anonymous women who had worked at the spas as massage therapists. Zacharias reportedly made inappropriate comments and requests for sex, while also exposing himself and touching or groping the workers without their consent. He also allegedly "masturbated in front of one of the women more than 50 times."
Prior to the investigation, RZIM had dismissed the allegations against Zacharias as false. They also backed up their founder's denial of a 2017 allegation from Lori Anne Thompson, a Canadian woman who said that Zacharias had sent her inappropriate text messages including request for nude photographs. The same year, Zacharias was accused of falsifying his academic credentials. He stopped referring to himself as "Dr. Zacharias" after admitting that his doctorates were honorary, according to The New York Times.
The RZIM board says that the investigation of their former leader is ongoing and they expect the full report to be released in "January or February," vowing to "speak more comprehensively to all concerned after the completion of the investigation."
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany praised Zacharias during a press conference following his death in May, while Vice President Mike Pence attended and spoke at his funeral. President Donald Trump also praised the deceased preacher, saying that he had been "instrumental in helping millions of people around the world come to know the love and mercy of Jesus Christ" by attempting to make "the intellectual case for Christianity."
Newsweek reached out to RZIM for comment.


newsweek--2020-12-24--USPS Agrees to Expedite Georgia Voters' Mail Ballots Ahead of Runoff Elections

The United States Postal Service ( USPS ) has agreed to provisions that stipulate timely and efficient transport of Georgia 's mail ballots in the final weeks leading up to its runoff elections .
In a formal accord established between the federal agency and civil rights groups pushing for voter equity , including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Vote Forward , USPS pledged to abide by terms that aim to reduce delays and ensure all ballots cast are counted .
Roughly 2 million votes have already been cast in Georgia ahead of the state 's January 5 runoff contests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to gain a majority in the U.S. Senate .
Incumbent Republican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler are campaigning to defend their seats against their respective Democratic challengers , Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock , in the aftermath of November 's races .
In Georgia , contests move into runoffs when no candidate receives a plurality of popular votes during an initial election .
The new agreement , filed Wednesday night , requires postal workers to expedite delivery of mail ballots that it identifies at processing facilities from January 2 through January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's runoff races .
This `` express '' route is meant to ensure overnight delivery to local elections departments .
Additional terms oblige the Postal Service to expedite ballots from a printing facility in Albany , New York , to their respective destinations at Georgia residences ; perform daily facility sweeps to locate any parcels that were misplaced ; and deliver completed ballots cast in Atlanta directly to the district 's election board .
USPS also agreed to continue following court-ordered instructions effected previously , as the bureau nears the end of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its services .
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic gave way to an influx of absentee ballots cast across the country this year , given concerns about transmission risks associated with in-person gatherings .
An overhaul of procedural changes within USPS over the summer , which followed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy 's appointment to the agency 's chief role , subsequently prompted criticism and unease in light of its election responsibilities .
The changes quickly led to widespread delays and sparked accusations from civilians and lawmakers alike , who suggested they came as a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting by mail .
Following a wave of lawsuits , DeJoy announced that USPS would halt further modifications until after Election Day .
The agency defended its integrity against the summer 's criticism , and continued to do the same in language that appeared in Wednesday 's agreement concerning Georgia .
`` USPS denies that it has in any way impeded the timely delivery of Election Mail and also denies that any additional measures USPS will implement under this agreement beyond those contemplated and being implemented pursuant to the December 8 and December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms related to Georgia 's mail ballots ] are necessary to ensure the expeditious and secure delivery of ballots , '' attorneys stated in one of the agreement 's opening paragraphs .
A USPS spokesperson echoed that sentiment in a statement sent to Newsweek on Thursday , which reaffirmed the agency 's commitment to `` the timely and secure delivery of Election Mail for the Georgia runoff . ''
The statement said that while USPS is unable to comment on pending lawsuits pertaining to election mail , `` it remains our view that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justified by the facts or supported by the applicable law . ''

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has agreed to provisions that stipulate timely and efficient transport of Georgia's mail ballots in the final weeks leading up to its runoff elections.
In a formal accord established between the federal agency and civil rights groups pushing for voter equity, including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Vote Forward, USPS pledged to abide by terms that aim to reduce delays and ensure all ballots cast are counted.
Hot off the press in our #USPS suit: We just filed in court an agreement requiring USPS to implement key measures to prioritize and expedite the delivery of ballots for the Georgia Runoff elections. @NAACP_LDF @Public_Citizen @NAACP. pic.twitter.com/qSGx6Ayqck — Sam Spital (@SamSpital) December 24, 2020
Roughly 2 million votes have already been cast in Georgia ahead of the state's January 5 runoff contests, which will determine whether Democrats are able to gain a majority in the U.S. Senate. Incumbent Republican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler are campaigning to defend their seats against their respective Democratic challengers, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, in the aftermath of November's races. In Georgia, contests move into runoffs when no candidate receives a plurality of popular votes during an initial election.
The new agreement, filed Wednesday night, requires postal workers to expedite delivery of mail ballots that it identifies at processing facilities from January 2 through January 4, on the eve of Georgia's runoff races. This "express" route is meant to ensure overnight delivery to local elections departments.
Additional terms oblige the Postal Service to expedite ballots from a printing facility in Albany, New York, to their respective destinations at Georgia residences; perform daily facility sweeps to locate any parcels that were misplaced; and deliver completed ballots cast in Atlanta directly to the district's election board.
USPS also agreed to continue following court-ordered instructions effected previously, as the bureau nears the end of a national election cycle that depended heavily on its services.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic gave way to an influx of absentee ballots cast across the country this year, given concerns about transmission risks associated with in-person gatherings. An overhaul of procedural changes within USPS over the summer, which followed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's appointment to the agency's chief role, subsequently prompted criticism and unease in light of its election responsibilities.
The changes quickly led to widespread delays and sparked accusations from civilians and lawmakers alike, who suggested they came as a result of President Donald Trump's opposition to voting by mail. Following a wave of lawsuits, DeJoy announced that USPS would halt further modifications until after Election Day. The agency defended its integrity against the summer's criticism, and continued to do the same in language that appeared in Wednesday's agreement concerning Georgia.
The U.S. Postal Service agreed to comply with a set of terms established by civil rights organizations, including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, to ensure Georgia voters' mail-in ballots are counted ahead of January's runoff elections. Mail-in ballots sit in containers from the US Postal Service waiting to be processed by election workers at the Salt Lake County election office in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 29, 2020 GEORGE FREY/AFP via Getty Images
"USPS denies that it has in any way impeded the timely delivery of Election Mail and also denies that any additional measures USPS will implement under this agreement beyond those contemplated and being implemented pursuant to the December 8 and December 14, 2020 memoranda [establishing the terms related to Georgia's mail ballots] are necessary to ensure the expeditious and secure delivery of ballots," attorneys stated in one of the agreement's opening paragraphs.
A USPS spokesperson echoed that sentiment in a statement sent to Newsweek on Thursday, which reaffirmed the agency's commitment to "the timely and secure delivery of Election Mail for the Georgia runoff." The statement said that while USPS is unable to comment on pending lawsuits pertaining to election mail, "it remains our view that none of the Election Mail lawsuits are justified by the facts or supported by the applicable law."


newsweek--2020-12-24--More Than Half of Americans Would Support National One-Month Lockdown: Poll

Most Americans would support a one-month-long lockdown in order to curb the spread of COVID-19 , recent poll data indicated .
As the U.S. enters what President-elect Joe Biden has referred to as a `` dark winter , '' cases of COVID-19 have increased nationwide .
In response , some states have enacted business closures and restrictions in the number of individuals that can gather together .
Despite the ongoing COVID threat , Biden has said that his coronavirus response plan does not include a nationwide lockdown .
`` I 'm not going to shut down the economy , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm going to shut down the virus . ''
`` There is no circumstance which I can see that would require a total national shutdown , '' Biden told reporters .
`` I think that would be counterproductive . ''
Despite Biden 's reluctance , some Americans believe that staying at home for one month may not be such a bad idea .
According to a poll released by Vox and Data for Progress on Thursday , 52 percent of likely voters said they would support a one-month lockdown .
That poll result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouGov poll in which 64 percent of Americans would support a temporary lockdown in their states .
While 87 percent of Democrats polled would be in favor of the lockdown , only 30 percent of Republicans that participated in the poll supported the idea .
Newsweek reached out to the Biden transition team for comment .
Locking down the entire U.S. during the COVID-19 surge may not happen , according to infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci .
`` We 're not going to get a national lockdown , '' Fauci told CNN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think that 's very clear .
But I think what we 're going to start seeing in the local levels , be they governors or mayors or people at the local level , will do , as you said , very surgical-type of restrictions , which are the functional equivalent of a local lockdown . ''
California 's rise in cases caused Governor Gavin Newsom to institute stay-at-home orders in December that affected approximately 98 percent of the state 's population .
Newsom 's decision was based on the number of beds available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state .
If the ICU capacity in a region fell below 15 percent , the region went on lockdown .
Newsom indicated that many regions of the state , where the stay-at-home orders were slated to expire in December , would have to wait a little longer for the lockdown to end .
`` Based upon all the data , '' Newsom said , `` it 's very likely that we 're going to extend the stay at home order . ''
According to the California Department of Public Health , capacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.1 percent .
Only 1,373 ICU beds were available statewide .
As of Thursday , the U.S. had reported 18,586,874 positive cases of COVID-19 with 328,095 fatalities attributed to the virus , according to information from Johns Hopkins University .

Most Americans would support a one-month-long lockdown in order to curb the spread of COVID-19, recent poll data indicated.
As the U.S. enters what President-elect Joe Biden has referred to as a "dark winter," cases of COVID-19 have increased nationwide. In response, some states have enacted business closures and restrictions in the number of individuals that can gather together. Despite the ongoing COVID threat, Biden has said that his coronavirus response plan does not include a nationwide lockdown.
"I'm not going to shut down the economy," Biden said in November. "I'm going to shut down the virus."
"There is no circumstance which I can see that would require a total national shutdown," Biden told reporters. "I think that would be counterproductive."
Despite Biden's reluctance, some Americans believe that staying at home for one month may not be such a bad idea. According to a poll released by Vox and Data for Progress on Thursday, 52 percent of likely voters said they would support a one-month lockdown.
That poll result jibes with the results of a November YouGov poll in which 64 percent of Americans would support a temporary lockdown in their states. While 87 percent of Democrats polled would be in favor of the lockdown, only 30 percent of Republicans that participated in the poll supported the idea.
Newsweek reached out to the Biden transition team for comment.
Recent polls show a majority of Americans would support a temporary lockdown to slow the spread of COVID-19. iStock/Getty
Locking down the entire U.S. during the COVID-19 surge may not happen, according to infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci.
"We're not going to get a national lockdown," Fauci told CNN in a November interview. "I think that's very clear. But I think what we're going to start seeing in the local levels, be they governors or mayors or people at the local level, will do, as you said, very surgical-type of restrictions, which are the functional equivalent of a local lockdown."
California's rise in cases caused Governor Gavin Newsom to institute stay-at-home orders in December that affected approximately 98 percent of the state's population. Newsom's decision was based on the number of beds available in intensive care units in regions of the state. If the ICU capacity in a region fell below 15 percent, the region went on lockdown.
Newsom indicated that many regions of the state, where the stay-at-home orders were slated to expire in December, would have to wait a little longer for the lockdown to end. "Based upon all the data," Newsom said, "it's very likely that we're going to extend the stay at home order."
According to the California Department of Public Health, capacity in ICUs across the state was only 1.1 percent. Only 1,373 ICU beds were available statewide.
As of Thursday, the U.S. had reported 18,586,874 positive cases of COVID-19 with 328,095 fatalities attributed to the virus, according to information from Johns Hopkins University.


newsweek--2020-12-24--Kevin Spacey Returns With a Third Christmas Eve Video and Folks Aren't Happy

It 's that time of year again .
For the third year in a row on Christmas Eve , Kevin Spacey has shared a mysterious YouTube video and tweeted about it on his otherwise dormant account .
`` 1-800 XMAS , '' he wrote on Thursday morning with a YouTube clip .
`` That 's right .
What would Christmas Eve be without a message from me ? ''
he said at the start of the two-minute video , sitting on a park bench .
In 2018 and 2019 , the disgraced actor also shared a video on December 24 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his House of Cards character , Frank Underwood .
This year 's video was more of a PSA , in which he vaguely speaks about how difficult a year it 's been .
Spacey said that he 's been able to be there for many people , but in the same vein , his ability to be supportive has been beyond his abilities .
`` Heartbreakingly , so many have been talking about things getting so bad for them , that they 've been contemplating taking their own lives , '' he says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out there who 's struggling or contemplating that idea , please , please do not take that step . ''
`` If you feel there 's no path for you , '' he adds , `` I promise you there is a path . ''
Spacey then wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a great 2021 .
The video concludes with Spacey sharing the suicide hotline phone number , along with the number for substance abuse mental health hotline .
As of publishing , the video has been viewed over 78K times .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by seeing yet another Spacey Christmas Eve video .
`` This is a terrible tradition , '' one person wrote .
`` Having to cancel my queued tweet about how Christmas Eve marks a year without Kevin Spacey .
I guess he 's the new Santa , '' another said .
`` It 's not as good as his first two Xmas Eve videos sadly , '' a third noted .
Basically , folks were uninterested in Spacey keeping up this annual Christmas Eve video drop .
In October 2017 , actor Anthony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to 1986 .
At the time of the alleged incident , Rapp was only 14 .
Spacey shared a statement on Twitter , noting that he did n't remember the encounter .
However , he said that if he did act as Rapp described , he offered him `` the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior . ''
Not long after Rapp 's allegation was made , 14 others came forward , accusing him of sexual misconduct , USA Today noted .
Eight of them worked on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severed all ties with Spacey , removing him from the political drama series and other projects , according to Variety .
Ridley Scott also reshot Spacey 's scenes in the 2017 film All the Money in the , World following the allegations , and subbed in Christopher Plummer .
In 2018 , Spacey was charged with sexual assault in Nantucket , Massachusetts , but the case was dropped , according to The New York Times .
The following year , prosecutors dropped another case against Spacey , when the accuser refused to testify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December 2019 , the estate of a dead massage therapist who accused Spacey of sexual misconduct `` voluntarily dismissed '' the lawsuit `` with prejudice , '' according to the Times .
The therapist had filed the suit in January 2019 , but died September that year , leaving the estate 90 days to sort it out .
Most recently , the Times noted that he was accused in a September 2020 lawsuit of allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage boy in the 1980s .
If you have thoughts of suicide , confidential help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Suicide Prevention Lifeline .
Call 1-800-273-8255 .
The line is available 24 hours every day .

It's that time of year again. For the third year in a row on Christmas Eve, Kevin Spacey has shared a mysterious YouTube video and tweeted about it on his otherwise dormant account. "1-800 XMAS," he wrote on Thursday morning with a YouTube clip. "That's right. What would Christmas Eve be without a message from me?" he said at the start of the two-minute video, sitting on a park bench.
In 2018 and 2019, the disgraced actor also shared a video on December 24, speaking directly to the camera as his House of Cards character, Frank Underwood.
This year's video was more of a PSA, in which he vaguely speaks about how difficult a year it's been. Spacey said that he's been able to be there for many people, but in the same vein, his ability to be supportive has been beyond his abilities. "Heartbreakingly, so many have been talking about things getting so bad for them, that they've been contemplating taking their own lives," he says.
Spacey continues: "To anyone out there who's struggling or contemplating that idea, please, please do not take that step."
"If you feel there's no path for you," he adds, "I promise you there is a path." Spacey then wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a great 2021.
The video concludes with Spacey sharing the suicide hotline phone number, along with the number for substance abuse mental health hotline. As of publishing, the video has been viewed over 78K times.
Actor Kevin Spacey leaves Nantucket District Court after being arraigned on sexual assault charges on January 7, 2019 in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Scott Eisen/Getty Images
Folks on Twitter appeared unimpressed and exhausted by seeing yet another Spacey Christmas Eve video. "This is a terrible tradition," one person wrote. "Having to cancel my queued tweet about how Christmas Eve marks a year without Kevin Spacey. I guess he's the new Santa," another said.
"It's not as good as his first two Xmas Eve videos sadly," a third noted.
Basically, folks were uninterested in Spacey keeping up this annual Christmas Eve video drop.
It’s not as good as his first two Xmas Eve videos sadly https://t.co/smux2TeWfm — Big Dumb Man ⁽²⁰⁰³⁾ (@charles95gray) December 24, 2020
Having to cancel my queued tweet about how Christmas Eve marks a year without Kevin Spacey. I guess he’s the new Santa https://t.co/o7vxy0FRYS — Jackson Tucker (@JacksonATucker) December 24, 2020
This is a terrible tradition https://t.co/EdKJKvO3K6 — A Mr. Chau Christmas🎄 (@Srirachachau) December 24, 2020
Less visually dramatic than past years but the verbiage is still 1000x bizarro land https://t.co/u6KUf8VaJg — Russell Miller (@MrMillerRussell) December 24, 2020
The third film in a series is always the weakest https://t.co/xFxttV6Jl6 — The Scenes Enthusiast (@HarambaGamba) December 24, 2020
It's that time of the year https://t.co/fqPWlYXzeI — 'Earl' Turlet (@alfredobofa) December 24, 2020
Not this shit again https://t.co/qRvVUWjcjq — Harris (@TheHarryboi) December 24, 2020
the prophecy is once again fulfilled. been looking forward to my kevin spacey christmas video all year https://t.co/hwQEoKqQsN — ratt sonic (@SonnackBoom) December 24, 2020
In October 2017, actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of sexual misconduct dating back to 1986. At the time of the alleged incident, Rapp was only 14.
Spacey shared a statement on Twitter, noting that he didn't remember the encounter. However, he said that if he did act as Rapp described, he offered him "the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior."
Not long after Rapp's allegation was made, 14 others came forward, accusing him of sexual misconduct, USA Today noted. Eight of them worked on House of Cards with Spacey. Netflix severed all ties with Spacey, removing him from the political drama series and other projects, according to Variety. Ridley Scott also reshot Spacey's scenes in the 2017 film All the Money in the, World following the allegations, and subbed in Christopher Plummer.
In 2018, Spacey was charged with sexual assault in Nantucket, Massachusetts, but the case was dropped, according to The New York Times. The following year, prosecutors dropped another case against Spacey, when the accuser refused to testify, The Boston Globe reported. In December 2019, the estate of a dead massage therapist who accused Spacey of sexual misconduct "voluntarily dismissed" the lawsuit "with prejudice," according to the Times. The therapist had filed the suit in January 2019, but died September that year, leaving the estate 90 days to sort it out. Most recently, the Times noted that he was accused in a September 2020 lawsuit of allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage boy in the 1980s.
If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours every day.


newsweek--2020-12-24--'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' Cast: Where are They Now?

In the 31 years since its release , National Lampoon 's Christmas Vacation has earned the distinction of being a holiday classic .
A lot has happened in those three decades , of course , including with the cast that helped make the comedy so memorable in the first place .
Before we get to the cast , though , let 's talk about the title .
Yes , it 's true , there 's no actual vacation in the film .
It 's a holdover from the two previous films in the franchise , National Lampoon 's Vacation ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European Vacation ( not so much ) .
Like those films , Christmas Vacation tells the story of the all-American family , the Griswolds .
As Clark Griswold , Chase found one of his most memorable screen characters—a hapless , bumbling , but well-intentioned father that many viewers found very relatable .
Since Christmas Vacation , Chase starred in a series of mostly forgettable films in the 1990s like Memoirs of an Invisible Man and Cops & Robbersons .
He also reprised Clark in Vegas Vacation in 1997 , which did n't find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The former Saturday Night Live star 's most high-profile role post-Christmas Vacation was likely as a racist , sexist tycoon on the TV cult classic Community .
( His role mirrored his offscreen personality a little too much , according to some , including co-star Donald Glover . )
Chase also had a memorable cameo in Hot Tub Time Machine ( 2010 ) , and a not-so-memorable one as ( once again ) Clark Griswold in the ill-conceived 2015 National Lampoon 's Vacation installment starring Ed Helms entitled ...
Vacation .
His most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee , a straight-to-Amazon sequel of Crocodile Dundee .
Ellen Griswold managed to be both a mother figure and a sex symbol , due to the casting of D'Angelo .
She 's mainly stuck with supporting roles after the Vacation franchise , which notable parts in American History X and Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay .
She also had a recurring role on HBO 's Entourage , as well as made appearances on Law & Order : Special Victims Unit and Cougar Town .
Offscreen , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 1997 to 2003 , with whom she had twins .
An entire book could be written about Quaid 's life after playing the husband of Ellen 's cousin in Vacation , and that would just cover his real-life exploits .
To keep it brief , he and his wife Evi have been involved in a a series of controversies that have led to widespread speculation regarding their mental health .
For several years , they lived on the run—mainly in Canada—due to unpaid hotel bills ( among other things ) , all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online claiming they were being hunted by a secretive crime group , the Hollywood Star Whackers , that kills off celebrities .
Before Vacation , though , Quaid was a highly respected actor who acted in the 1970s dramas The Last Picture Show and Midnight Express .
Post-Vacation , he carried on in comedy for a time with films like Kingpin before turning in a prominent supporting role in 2005 's Brokeback Mountain .
Sadly , the beginnings of his criminal misadventures soon followed with the cancelled theatrical production Lone Star Love in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuse during the rehearsals from that show resulted in him getting banned for life by the Actors ' Equity Association , and his life has seen countless bizarre turns ever since .
Lewis actually played the third Audrey Griswold , following Dana Barron and Dana Hill from the first two films .
( The producers felt having younger kids was essential to the Griswold story . )
It 's funny to think this now , but Lewis was unknown at the time of Christmas Vacation .
Only two years later , she turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Niro in Cape Fear , which was followed by a slew of critical and commercial hits .
What 's Eating Gilbert Grape , Natural Born Killers and From Dusk till Dawn all followed .
While she was n't able to sustain that hot streak of the 1990s , she has since fronted the rock band Juliette and The Licks off-and-on since 2003 with modest success .
Galecki took over the role of son Russ Griswold , following in the steps of Anthony Michael Hall and Jason Lively .
While he never made much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a bona fide TV star thanks to Roseanne in the 1990s and then for his part as Dr. Leonard Hofstadter on the hit The Big Bang Theory , which ran from 2007 until 2019 .
Currently , he can be seen in a recurring role on the Roseanne spin-off , The Conners .
Diane Ladd as Clark 's mother .
Though Ladd was arguably a bigger star pre-Vacation thanks to a role in Roman Polanski 's 1974 film Chinatown and an Oscar-nominated part in Alice Does n't Live Here Anymore ( also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Primary Colors ( 1998 ) and 28 Days ( 2000 ) .
Doris Roberts as Ellen 's mother .
Although she enjoyed a long and successful career before Christmas Vacation , Roberts is best known for her 1996-2005 run as the matriarch on Everybody Loves Raymond .
Sadly , she passed away in 2016 at the age of 90 .
And who can forget Julia Louis-Dreyfus ?
She was fresh off a run on the poorly-received 1980s Saturday Night Live cast when she landed the part of an obnoxious New Yorker in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked back since .
First was a little show called Seinfeld , then The New Adventures of Old Christine , and then her Emmy-winning portrayal of Selina Meyer on the HBO hit Veep .
In January 2020 , she signed a multi-year deal with Apple TV+ to serve as an executive producer and a star on new projects .
Most recently , she emceed the final night of 2020 's Democratic National Convention .

In the 31 years since its release, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation has earned the distinction of being a holiday classic. A lot has happened in those three decades, of course, including with the cast that helped make the comedy so memorable in the first place.
Before we get to the cast, though, let's talk about the title. Yes, it's true, there's no actual vacation in the film. It's a holdover from the two previous films in the franchise, National Lampoon's Vacation (another classic) and National Lampoon's European Vacation (not so much). Like those films, Christmas Vacation tells the story of the all-American family, the Griswolds.
Chevy Chase
As Clark Griswold, Chase found one of his most memorable screen characters—a hapless, bumbling, but well-intentioned father that many viewers found very relatable. Since Christmas Vacation, Chase starred in a series of mostly forgettable films in the 1990s like Memoirs of an Invisible Man and Cops & Robbersons. He also reprised Clark in Vegas Vacation in 1997, which didn't find the success as the prior films.
The former Saturday Night Live star's most high-profile role post-Christmas Vacation was likely as a racist, sexist tycoon on the TV cult classic Community. (His role mirrored his offscreen personality a little too much, according to some, including co-star Donald Glover.)
Chase also had a memorable cameo in Hot Tub Time Machine (2010), and a not-so-memorable one as (once again) Clark Griswold in the ill-conceived 2015 National Lampoon's Vacation installment starring Ed Helms entitled...Vacation. His most recent live action movie appearance was in The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee, a straight-to-Amazon sequel of Crocodile Dundee.
Beverly D'Angelo
Ellen Griswold managed to be both a mother figure and a sex symbol, due to the casting of D'Angelo. She's mainly stuck with supporting roles after the Vacation franchise, which notable parts in American History X and Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. She also had a recurring role on HBO's Entourage, as well as made appearances on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Cougar Town. Offscreen, she was in a relationship with Al Pacino from 1997 to 2003, with whom she had twins.
Randy Quaid
An entire book could be written about Quaid's life after playing the husband of Ellen's cousin in Vacation, and that would just cover his real-life exploits. To keep it brief, he and his wife Evi have been involved in a a series of controversies that have led to widespread speculation regarding their mental health.
For several years, they lived on the run—mainly in Canada—due to unpaid hotel bills (among other things), all the while giving interviews and posting videos online claiming they were being hunted by a secretive crime group, the Hollywood Star Whackers, that kills off celebrities.
Before Vacation, though, Quaid was a highly respected actor who acted in the 1970s dramas The Last Picture Show and Midnight Express. Post-Vacation, he carried on in comedy for a time with films like Kingpin before turning in a prominent supporting role in 2005's Brokeback Mountain.
Sadly, the beginnings of his criminal misadventures soon followed with the cancelled theatrical production Lone Star Love in 2007. Allegations of physical and verbal abuse during the rehearsals from that show resulted in him getting banned for life by the Actors' Equity Association, and his life has seen countless bizarre turns ever since.
Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold carving turkey in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.' National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation: Warner Bros.
Juliette Lewis
Lewis actually played the third Audrey Griswold, following Dana Barron and Dana Hill from the first two films. (The producers felt having younger kids was essential to the Griswold story.) It's funny to think this now, but Lewis was unknown at the time of Christmas Vacation.
Only two years later, she turned in an Oscar-nominated performance opposite Robert De Niro in Cape Fear, which was followed by a slew of critical and commercial hits. What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Natural Born Killers and From Dusk till Dawn all followed. While she wasn't able to sustain that hot streak of the 1990s, she has since fronted the rock band Juliette and The Licks off-and-on since 2003 with modest success.
Johnny Galecki
Galecki took over the role of son Russ Griswold, following in the steps of Anthony Michael Hall and Jason Lively. While he never made much headway on the big screen, Galecki is a bona fide TV star thanks to Roseanne in the 1990s and then for his part as Dr. Leonard Hofstadter on the hit The Big Bang Theory, which ran from 2007 until 2019. Currently, he can be seen in a recurring role on the Roseanne spin-off, The Conners.
Notable mentions
Diane Ladd as Clark's mother. Though Ladd was arguably a bigger star pre-Vacation thanks to a role in Roman Polanski's 1974 film Chinatown and an Oscar-nominated part in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (also 1974), she also enjoyed success with Primary Colors (1998) and 28 Days (2000).
Doris Roberts as Ellen's mother. Although she enjoyed a long and successful career before Christmas Vacation, Roberts is best known for her 1996-2005 run as the matriarch on Everybody Loves Raymond. Sadly, she passed away in 2016 at the age of 90.
And who can forget Julia Louis-Dreyfus? She was fresh off a run on the poorly-received 1980s Saturday Night Live cast when she landed the part of an obnoxious New Yorker in Christmas Vacation, and she hasn't looked back since. First was a little show called Seinfeld, then The New Adventures of Old Christine, and then her Emmy-winning portrayal of Selina Meyer on the HBO hit Veep. In January 2020, she signed a multi-year deal with Apple TV+ to serve as an executive producer and a star on new projects. Most recently, she emceed the final night of 2020's Democratic National Convention.


newsweek--2020-12-24--Herd Immunity Can Be Reached if Up to 90 Percent of Americans Receive Vaccine, Fauci Says

Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's leading infectious diseases expert , said that herd immunity in the U.S. could be reached if up to 90 percent of Americans receive a COVID-19 vaccine .
Speaking to The New York Times on Thursday , Fauci , who is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , said , `` We really do n't know what the real number is .
I think the real range is somewhere between 70 to 90 percent .
But I 'm not going to say 90 percent . ''
He added , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here . ''
Earlier in the pandemic , Fauci suggested that a smaller percentage of Americans would have to receive a vaccine to reach herd immunity , a term used to describe widespread protection from the coronavirus across the country .
As the Times noted , Fauci previously said that `` 70 , 75 percent '' of the population would need to be vaccinated for the U.S. to attain herd immunity , but last week he suggested a higher percentage was needed .
`` If you really want true herd immunity , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country ... you want about 75 to 85 percent of the country to get vaccinated , '' Fauci told Vox 's Today , Explained podcast on December 15 .
`` I would say even closer to 85 percent . ''
He made similar comments a day later , during an interview on CNBC 's Healthy Returns livestream .
`` I would think that you would need somewhere between 70 , 75 , maybe 80 percent of the population vaccinated .
The number that I 've been using , again it 's an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why he has increased the vaccine percentage needed to reach herd immunity , Fauci told the Times , `` When polls said only about half of all Americans would take a vaccine , I was saying herd immunity would take 70 to 75 percent .
Then , when newer surveys said 60 percent or more would take it , I thought , I can nudge this up a bit , so I went to 80 , 85 . ''
Fauci 's comments on herd immunity come as Americans are receiving one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Food and Drug Administration .
One of them , developed by Pfizer and German biotech BioNTech , received emergency use authorization from the FDA on December 11 .
The other , developed by Moderna , received the same authorization last week .
As of Thursday , more than 1 million Americans have been inoculated , Robert Redfield , director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , said in a press release .
`` While we celebrate this historic milestone , we also acknowledge the challenging path ahead .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine in the U.S. , but supply will increase in the weeks and months to come , '' Redfield said in the release .
`` The goal is for everyone to be able to easily get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as large enough quantities are available . ''
Newsweek reached out to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for a comment from Fauci but did not receive a response in time for publication .

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious diseases expert, said that herd immunity in the U.S. could be reached if up to 90 percent of Americans receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Speaking to The New York Times on Thursday, Fauci, who is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said, "We really don't know what the real number is. I think the real range is somewhere between 70 to 90 percent. But I'm not going to say 90 percent."
He added, "We need to have some humility here."
Earlier in the pandemic, Fauci suggested that a smaller percentage of Americans would have to receive a vaccine to reach herd immunity, a term used to describe widespread protection from the coronavirus across the country.
As the Times noted, Fauci previously said that "70, 75 percent" of the population would need to be vaccinated for the U.S. to attain herd immunity, but last week he suggested a higher percentage was needed.
"If you really want true herd immunity, where you get a blanket of protection over the country...you want about 75 to 85 percent of the country to get vaccinated," Fauci told Vox's Today, Explained podcast on December 15. "I would say even closer to 85 percent."
He made similar comments a day later, during an interview on CNBC's Healthy Returns livestream. "I would think that you would need somewhere between 70, 75, maybe 80 percent of the population vaccinated. The number that I've been using, again it's an estimate," he said.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, before receiving his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on December 22 in Bethesda, Maryland. Pool/Getty
Asked why he has increased the vaccine percentage needed to reach herd immunity, Fauci told the Times, "When polls said only about half of all Americans would take a vaccine, I was saying herd immunity would take 70 to 75 percent. Then, when newer surveys said 60 percent or more would take it, I thought, I can nudge this up a bit, so I went to 80, 85."
Fauci's comments on herd immunity come as Americans are receiving one of the two COVID-19 vaccines approved this month by the Food and Drug Administration. One of them, developed by Pfizer and German biotech BioNTech, received emergency use authorization from the FDA on December 11. The other, developed by Moderna, received the same authorization last week.
As of Thursday, more than 1 million Americans have been inoculated, Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a press release.
"While we celebrate this historic milestone, we also acknowledge the challenging path ahead. There is currently a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S., but supply will increase in the weeks and months to come," Redfield said in the release. "The goal is for everyone to be able to easily get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as large enough quantities are available."
Newsweek reached out to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for a comment from Fauci but did not receive a response in time for publication.


newsweek--2020-12-24--Tornadoes, Flooding, Snow: Christmas Eve Brings Hazardous Winter Weather to East Coast

A harsh winter storm barreled through the eastern U.S. on Thursday , bringing snow and rain from Georgia to New England , and creating hazardous travel conditions ahead of the Christmas holiday .
Forecasters warned of flooding , harsh winds , and blizzards across the Midwest , New England and the coastal Mid-Atlantic .
By Thursday afternoon , snow had already blanketed the Midwest , with more than eight inches covering Minneapolis .
In Nebraska , a dangerous mix of snow and ice prompted police to respond to more than 250 car crashes or calls for help , the New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a man , woman and child were killed after their car skidded over a median along Interstate 80 and into an oncoming semi-truck .
Further east , forecasters warned that heavy rainfall would eat away at already existing snow that came down in a major winter storm just last week , likely causing flood damage .
`` The rapidly melting snow , which contains approximately 1-3 inches of water will combine with an anticipated 1-3 inches of rain and locally higher amounts from the storm from Christmas Eve to early Christmas Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior meteorologist said in a weather report .
The forecast added that `` the anticipated rainfall , even without the added liquid from melting snow cover , would be heavy enough to trigger flooding in urban and poor drainage areas . ''
In areas across Pennsylvania and New York , forecasters warned that incoming snow and harsh winds could lead to property damages including collapsing roofs , power outages , and trees crashing down in the streets .
In parts of West Virginia , there could be more than an inch of rain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to half a foot of snow in the evening .
Strong winds are expected to move south later this evening , placing nearly 5 million Americans under severe thunderstorm watch across the southeast , as the storm pulls moisture from the Gulf of Mexico .
Parts of North Carolina and South Carolina , including Raleigh , Wilmington , and Myrtle Beach , have been placed under a tornado watch until 10 PM on Thursday night , the National Weather Service ( NWS ) tweeted .
The NWS warned Americans to check their local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are planning to travel .
The brutal winter conditions come on top of pleas from public health experts for Americans to avoid traveling due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) has urged that `` the safest way to celebrate winter holidays is at home with the people who live with you . ''
`` Travel and gatherings with family and friends who do not live with you can increase your chances of getting or spreading COVID-19 or the flu , '' the agency added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ( NIAID ) warned that coronavirus surges could become much worse throughout the country if Americans gather for Christmas .
`` I think January is going to be terrible because you 're going to have the Thanksgiving surge super-imposed upon the Christmas surge .
So it 's entirely conceivable that January could be the worst , '' he previously told Newsweek .
On Wednesday , over one million Americans were screened in airports by the Transportation Security Administration ( TSA ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the pandemic began .
But by Christmas Eve , at least a dozen flights had been canceled , and nearly 200 delayed following the inclement weather .

A harsh winter storm barreled through the eastern U.S. on Thursday, bringing snow and rain from Georgia to New England, and creating hazardous travel conditions ahead of the Christmas holiday.
Forecasters warned of flooding, harsh winds, and blizzards across the Midwest, New England and the coastal Mid-Atlantic. By Thursday afternoon, snow had already blanketed the Midwest, with more than eight inches covering Minneapolis.
In Nebraska, a dangerous mix of snow and ice prompted police to respond to more than 250 car crashes or calls for help, the New York Times reported. In one accident, a man, woman and child were killed after their car skidded over a median along Interstate 80 and into an oncoming semi-truck.
A winter storm hit parts of the Midwest and Eastern U.S. on Christmas Eve. In this photo, heavy snow falls as a snow plow drives across the Hennepin Avenue bridge toward downtown on December 23, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images/Getty
Further east, forecasters warned that heavy rainfall would eat away at already existing snow that came down in a major winter storm just last week, likely causing flood damage.
"The rapidly melting snow, which contains approximately 1-3 inches of water will combine with an anticipated 1-3 inches of rain and locally higher amounts from the storm from Christmas Eve to early Christmas Day," Brett Anderson, an AccuWeather senior meteorologist said in a weather report.
The forecast added that "the anticipated rainfall, even without the added liquid from melting snow cover, would be heavy enough to trigger flooding in urban and poor drainage areas."
In areas across Pennsylvania and New York, forecasters warned that incoming snow and harsh winds could lead to property damages including collapsing roofs, power outages, and trees crashing down in the streets. In parts of West Virginia, there could be more than an inch of rain during the day, mixed with up to half a foot of snow in the evening.
Strong winds are expected to move south later this evening, placing nearly 5 million Americans under severe thunderstorm watch across the southeast, as the storm pulls moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.
Parts of North Carolina and South Carolina, including Raleigh, Wilmington, and Myrtle Beach, have been placed under a tornado watch until 10 PM on Thursday night, the National Weather Service (NWS) tweeted.
The NWS warned Americans to check their local forecast for specific details for those who are planning to travel.
Multiple areas of hazardous weather are expected today across the eastern United States. Heavy snow, flash flooding, and severe thunderstorms are all possible. Check your local forecast at https://t.co/pGx1JRZdMa for specific details and have a plan if you are traveling today. pic.twitter.com/8yceiT4qFF — NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) December 24, 2020
The brutal winter conditions come on top of pleas from public health experts for Americans to avoid traveling due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has urged that "the safest way to celebrate winter holidays is at home with the people who live with you."
"Travel and gatherings with family and friends who do not live with you can increase your chances of getting or spreading COVID-19 or the flu," the agency added.
Earlier this month, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) warned that coronavirus surges could become much worse throughout the country if Americans gather for Christmas.
"I think January is going to be terrible because you're going to have the Thanksgiving surge super-imposed upon the Christmas surge. So it's entirely conceivable that January could be the worst," he previously told Newsweek.
On Wednesday, over one million Americans were screened in airports by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), marking the busiest day of travel since the pandemic began. But by Christmas Eve, at least a dozen flights had been canceled, and nearly 200 delayed following the inclement weather.


newsweek--2020-12-24--The Bizarre Book 'Consensual Hex' Is Getting Dragged for Depicting Real People

Any avid reader knows the feeling of being enthralled by a great novel and getting familiar with a variety of characters that you relate to .
But the feeling is surely very different when it 's your former high school or college friend actually painting a clear portrait of you—and doing so in a negative light .
People claiming to be former confidants of author Amanda Harlowe are urging folks not to buy her new book Consensual Hex , after noting many similarities between themselves and the characters in the book .
Consensual Hex ( from Grand Central Publishing ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the plot on the book 's page on the publisher 's website , the book centers on a Smith College student named Lee , who is raped by an Amherst college frat boy during orientation week .
While taking a course on `` Gender , Power , and Witchcraft , '' she befriends three other young women ( a hipster , a frightened girl and a cool international student ) , who are `` granted a charter for a coven '' and suddenly need to use magic to retrieve a spell book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of which have been using magic to cover up sexual assaults .
`` As Lee 's thirst for revenge on her rapist grows , things spiral out of control , pitting witch against witch as they must wrestle with how far one is willing to go to heal , '' reads the book 's description .
The novel was released on October 6 , but reviews of the book starting pouring in on GoodReads in July , when people who believed the characters were based on them started grilling the novel and Harlowe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again on Wednesday , when author Emmett Nahil , who says he was best friends with Harlowe in high school , said on Twitter that Harlowe based a minor character on him and exaggerated events to make that character more of a villain .
While many authors use real people and experiences as the basis for their work , the book 's critics claim that the details Harlowe included are way too close for comfort .
Nahil claimed in tweets on Wednesday that Harlowe detailed his `` high school job , hobbies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Consensual Hex .
He also called the account `` a horrifyingly twisted version of what the author perceived me to be in high school , '' and slammed Harlowe .
`` This is a racist , extraordinarily lesbiphobic , transphobic book written by a racist , lesbophobic , and transphobic author who truly made their less wealthy Arab 'best friend ' feel like trash throughout adolescence , '' he wrote .
Despite insulting the book , Nahil also acknowledged that other people who knew Harlowe received far worse treatment than he .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ updated multiple times ) on GoodReads came from people who said they knew Harlowe at Smith College .
They wrote that the plot of the book is fictional , but that Harlowe still gave away too many personal details that could reveal the identities of the people who seemingly inspired characters .
Those three reviews on GoodReads—written by people using the names Sunny , Ash , and Izzy—not only rip Consensual Hex as a literary nightmare , but the writers of those reviews claim that they were the obvious inspiration for several of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nahil , the three all say that they lost contact with Harlowe after `` petty drama '' within their friend group .
Sunny alleges that the `` Brooklyn hipster '' character of Luna ( whose name is n't exactly a stretch ) is based on her .
She says that details about her family , sex-life , appearance and the name of her high school ( among other things ) are all included in the book .
Ash , meanwhile , alleges that the international student Charlotte is based on her , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in real life and Charlotte is Korean , the character is an obvious stand-in for her .
Ash claims that amid other `` invasive personal information '' that 's included , her medical history os also laid out .
Despite all of this , Ash expresses some relief in her review that the Charlotte character is `` flat and unimportant to the narrative . ''
The Luna and Gabi characters get it much worse in Ash 's eyes , with the former being reduced to a sexual-fantasy-fulfillment character and the latter being totally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likens Consensual Hex to `` literary revenge porn . ''
She also calls out Harlowe for allegedly painting an unflattering picture of her through the Gabi character .
In the book 's description , Gabi is described as having `` a laundry list of phobias , '' but Izzy does n't seem to find this descriptor cute or endearing , especially after seeking out some of the novel 's passages .
She claims that Harlowe used her personal details with `` no alteration , other than exaggeration to make me seem like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and psychological support for my struggles with mental illness and trauma . ''
These critics also allege that Harlowe used the character of Lee not only as a representation for herself , but also as a way to detail sexual encounters that never happened .
Nahil claims that Harlowe `` creates sexual fantasies about 'Zara [ the character based on him ] ' .
like ... ... .buddy if we made out in high school that 's news to me . ''
In their GoodReads reviews , both Ash and Sunny say that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , requesting that Harlowe make serious changes to the characters , so they would be less identifiable .
They state in their reviews that a legal representative for the publisher told them that Harlowe would make some changes to the details ; they say , though , that they were kept in the dark about which details would be changed .
In the most recent update to her review , Sunny says that she read through a released copy in a Barnes and Noble , and while `` surface-level changes '' look to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about hometowns and high school ) , she claims that other details are still in the book .
She also argues that only some—and not all—of the medical details have been altered .
At the end of the review , Sunny implores readers to not buy Consensual Hex or any book that Harlowe may put out after this .
She then directs her review at Harlowe , asking why she thought it would be okay to lay out her and her friends ' lives in the book .
Sunny also notes that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who allegedly had characters based on them .
Newsweek reached out to Harlowe 's publisher and Emmet Nahil for comment via email , but did not hear back in time for publication .

Any avid reader knows the feeling of being enthralled by a great novel and getting familiar with a variety of characters that you relate to. But the feeling is surely very different when it's your former high school or college friend actually painting a clear portrait of you—and doing so in a negative light.
People claiming to be former confidants of author Amanda Harlowe are urging folks not to buy her new book Consensual Hex,after noting many similarities between themselves and the characters in the book.
Consensual Hex (from Grand Central Publishing) is Harlowe's debut novel. According to the plot on the book's page on the publisher's website, the book centers on a Smith College student named Lee, who is raped by an Amherst college frat boy during orientation week. While taking a course on "Gender, Power, and Witchcraft," she befriends three other young women (a hipster, a frightened girl and a cool international student), who are "granted a charter for a coven" and suddenly need to use magic to retrieve a spell book from an Amherst fraternity, the members of which have been using magic to cover up sexual assaults.
"As Lee's thirst for revenge on her rapist grows, things spiral out of control, pitting witch against witch as they must wrestle with how far one is willing to go to heal," reads the book's description.
The novel was released on October 6, but reviews of the book starting pouring in on GoodReads in July, when people who believed the characters were based on them started grilling the novel and Harlowe. The drama came to a head again on Wednesday, when author Emmett Nahil, who says he was best friends with Harlowe in high school, said on Twitter that Harlowe based a minor character on him and exaggerated events to make that character more of a villain.
While many authors use real people and experiences as the basis for their work, the book's critics claim that the details Harlowe included are way too close for comfort.
Nahil claimed in tweets on Wednesday that Harlowe detailed his "high school job, hobbies, and insulted [his] parents" in Consensual Hex. He also called the account "a horrifyingly twisted version of what the author perceived me to be in high school," and slammed Harlowe. "This is a racist, extraordinarily lesbiphobic, transphobic book written by a racist, lesbophobic, and transphobic author who truly made their less wealthy Arab 'best friend' feel like trash throughout adolescence," he wrote.
The dialogue included in the book are RIDICULOUSLY overblown, falsified versions of conversations between us as high schoolers, all framed to make the main character, which is an obvious self-insert, an object of sympathy. — emmett nahil: wrath edition (@_emnays) December 23, 2020
This is a racist, extraordinarily lesbiphobic, transphobic book written by a racist, lesbophobic, and transphobic author who truly made their less wealthy Arab 'best friend' feel like trash throughout adolescence.
Pretty rich to call me a TERF, Miller. — emmett nahil: wrath edition (@_emnays) December 23, 2020
Despite insulting the book, Nahil also acknowledged that other people who knew Harlowe received far worse treatment than he. Three lengthy reviews (which have been updated multiple times) on GoodReads came from people who said they knew Harlowe at Smith College. They wrote that the plot of the book is fictional, but that Harlowe still gave away too many personal details that could reveal the identities of the people who seemingly inspired characters.
Those three reviews on GoodReads—written by people using the names Sunny, Ash, and Izzy—not only rip Consensual Hex as a literary nightmare, but the writers of those reviews claim that they were the obvious inspiration for several of the book's lead characters. Like Nahil, the three all say that they lost contact with Harlowe after "petty drama" within their friend group.
Sunny alleges that the "Brooklyn hipster" character of Luna (whose name isn't exactly a stretch) is based on her. She says that details about her family, sex-life, appearance and the name of her high school (among other things) are all included in the book.
Ash, meanwhile, alleges that the international student Charlotte is based on her, and says that although she is actually white in real life and Charlotte is Korean, the character is an obvious stand-in for her. Ash claims that amid other "invasive personal information" that's included, her medical history os also laid out. Despite all of this, Ash expresses some relief in her review that the Charlotte character is "flat and unimportant to the narrative." The Luna and Gabi characters get it much worse in Ash's eyes, with the former being reduced to a sexual-fantasy-fulfillment character and the latter being totally villain-ized.
In her review, Izzy likens Consensual Hex to "literary revenge porn." She also calls out Harlowe for allegedly painting an unflattering picture of her through the Gabi character. In the book's description, Gabi is described as having "a laundry list of phobias," but Izzy doesn't seem to find this descriptor cute or endearing, especially after seeking out some of the novel's passages. She claims that Harlowe used her personal details with "no alteration, other than exaggeration to make me seem like a monster for the crime of needing emotional and psychological support for my struggles with mental illness and trauma."
These critics also allege that Harlowe used the character of Lee not only as a representation for herself, but also as a way to detail sexual encounters that never happened. Nahil claims that Harlowe "creates sexual fantasies about 'Zara [the character based on him]'. like.......buddy if we made out in high school that's news to me."
In their GoodReads reviews, both Ash and Sunny say that they reached out to Harlowe's publisher, requesting that Harlowe make serious changes to the characters, so they would be less identifiable. They state in their reviews that a legal representative for the publisher told them that Harlowe would make some changes to the details; they say, though, that they were kept in the dark about which details would be changed.
In the most recent update to her review, Sunny says that she read through a released copy in a Barnes and Noble, and while "surface-level changes" look to have been made (such as details about hometowns and high school), she claims that other details are still in the book. She also argues that only some—and not all—of the medical details have been altered.
One paragraph of Sunny's update reads:
Despite these surface changes, this book is still unoriginal, and exploitative, and bad. The main characters are still clearly based on me and my friends, and the non-magic parts of the plot are based on real events. There's still plenty of my personal information in there, including stuff about my sex life and my relationships. There's still plenty of content directly informed by real people's trauma. There's real life, intimate conversations I had with Harlowe, reproduced nearly word for word. The way she talks about my body is still objectifying and awful.
At the end of the review, Sunny implores readers to not buy Consensual Hex or any book that Harlowe may put out after this. She then directs her review at Harlowe, asking why she thought it would be okay to lay out her and her friends' lives in the book. Sunny also notes that she's actually still friends with the other people who allegedly had characters based on them.
Newsweek reached out to Harlowe's publisher and Emmet Nahil for comment via email, but did not hear back in time for publication.


newsweek--2020-12-24--Santa Claus Tracker 2020 Live: Where Is St. Nick Right Now and What Time Will He Be at My House?

Santa Claus is coming to town .
And thanks to NORAD , kids and adults can stay up to date on jolly old St. Nick 's movements as he circumnavigates the globe .
Born out of a child 's accidental call in 1958 , NORAD 's Santa Tracker will continue this year even as America continues to deal with the pandemic .
Modifications were made to accommodate for social distancing , including cutting down on the number of people fielding calls—so it 's possible callers may receive an automated message with Santa 's whereabouts when they phone NORAD .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways people can find out where Santa is at any given time .
One option people have is to visit NORAD 's website , from which people can monitor Santa 's previous whereabouts and his next destination .
The same tracking service is also available via a mobile app from Google Play and Apple 's App Store .
For Santa to jump down the chimney , children must be asleep .
In most countries , he arrives between 9 p.m. and midnight on Christmas Eve .
While NORAD tracks Santa and ensures he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is Santa who decides his route .
Delivering gifts around the world in one night is no easy task and requires a lot of planning to ensure St. Nick has enough time to complete the job .
Historically , he starts at the International Date Line and heads west .
In the past he 's traveled to the South Pacific , New Zealand and Australia before delivering gifts to countries in Asia , Africa , Europe , Canada , the United States , Mexico and Central and South America .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in Gabon , a country on the west coast of Central Africa .
After he 's finished delivering gifts in Gabon , he 'll continue working his way through the continent of Africa before moving on to his next destination .
At the time , he 'd already delivered 3.3 million gifts .
This year , Santa also made a special stop to the International Space Station ( ISS ) in honor of the 20th anniversary of crews living there .
On Wednesday , the Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) cleared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in space and a flight to the space station .
Santa had a spacesuit helmet for his journey , but Space.com noted it may have been an extra precaution because his magic makes it unnecessary for himself and his reindeer .
Lucky for those on the station , famed reindeer Rudolph 's nose lit up the depths of space , giving crew members a special Christmas treat .
While kids wait for nightfall and Santa 's arrival , they can check out different videos of his arrival in various parts of the world @ @ @ @ @

Santa Claus is coming to town. And thanks to NORAD, kids and adults can stay up to date on jolly old St. Nick's movements as he circumnavigates the globe.
Born out of a child's accidental call in 1958, NORAD's Santa Tracker will continue this year even as America continues to deal with the pandemic. Modifications were made to accommodate for social distancing, including cutting down on the number of people fielding calls—so it's possible callers may receive an automated message with Santa's whereabouts when they phone NORAD.
However, there are a number of other ways people can find out where Santa is at any given time. One option people have is to visit NORAD's website, from which people can monitor Santa's previous whereabouts and his next destination. The same tracking service is also available via a mobile app from Google Play and Apple's App Store.
For Santa to jump down the chimney, children must be asleep. In most countries, he arrives between 9 p.m. and midnight on Christmas Eve. While NORAD tracks Santa and ensures he has a safe arrival at each destination, it is Santa who decides his route.
NORAD keeps track of Santa each year and this year is no different. Santa Claus poses for a photo at Bank of America Winter Village in Bryant Park on Wednesday in New York City. Noam Galai/Getty
Delivering gifts around the world in one night is no easy task and requires a lot of planning to ensure St. Nick has enough time to complete the job. Historically, he starts at the International Date Line and heads west. In the past he's traveled to the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia before delivering gifts to countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, Canada, the United States, Mexico and Central and South America.
As of 4 p.m. ET, Santa is in Gabon, a country on the west coast of Central Africa. After he's finished delivering gifts in Gabon, he'll continue working his way through the continent of Africa before moving on to his next destination. At the time, he'd already delivered 3.3 million gifts.
This year, Santa also made a special stop to the International Space Station (ISS) in honor of the 20th anniversary of crews living there. On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cleared Santa's sleigh for launches and landings in space and a flight to the space station.
Santa had a spacesuit helmet for his journey, but Space.com noted it may have been an extra precaution because his magic makes it unnecessary for himself and his reindeer. Lucky for those on the station, famed reindeer Rudolph's nose lit up the depths of space, giving crew members a special Christmas treat.
While kids wait for nightfall and Santa's arrival, they can check out different videos of his arrival in various parts of the world on NORAD's website.