Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of :
Founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame and jck. Alumni editors include (but not limited to) Interceptor 7, Man Oh Man, wader, Neon Vincent, palantir, Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse (RIP), ek hornbeck (RIP), ScottyUrb, Doctor RJ, BentLiberal, Oke (RIP) and jlms qkw.
OND is a regular community feature on Daily Kos, consisting of news stories from around the world, sometimes coupled with a daily theme, original research or commentary. Editors of OND impart their own presentation styles and content choices, typically publishing each day near 12:00 AM Eastern Time.
Please feel free to share your articles and stories in the comments.
Virus variant from South Africa detected in US for 1st time
A new coronavirus variant identified in South Africa has been found in the United States for the first time, with two cases diagnosed in South Carolina, state health officials said Thursday.
The two cases were discovered in adults in different regions of the state and do not appear to be connected. Neither of the people infected has traveled recently, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control said.
“That’s frightening,” because it means there could be more undetected cases within the state, said Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious diseases physician at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. “It’s probably more widespread.”
The arrival of the variant shows that “the fight against this deadly virus is far from over,” Dr. Brannon Traxler, South Carolina’s interim public health director, said in a statement. “While more COVID-19 vaccines are on the way, supplies are still limited. Every one of us must recommit to the fight by recognizing that we are all on the front lines now. We are all in this together.”
State lawmakers are pushing to curb governors’ virus powers
Irritated by the sweeping use of executive orders during the COVID-19 crisis, state lawmakers around the U.S. are moving to curb the authority of governors and top health officials to impose emergency restrictions such as mask rules and business shutdowns.
The push is underway in such states as Arizona, Michigan, Ohio, Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana and Pennsylvania, where legislators are seeking a constitutional amendment to strip the governor of many of his emergency powers.
Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Wayne Langerholc said the amendment would “make it unequivocally clear that our General Assembly is a co-equal branch ... that we are not a monarchy and that our voices matter.”
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and some of his counterparts around the country have argued that they need authority to act quickly and decisively against the fast-changing threat.
COVID-19 savages U.S. economy, 2020 performance worst in 74 years
The U.S. economy contracted at its deepest pace since World War Two in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic depressed consumer spending and business investment, pushing millions of Americans out of work and into poverty.
Though a recovery is underway, momentum slowed significantly as the year wound down amid a resurgence in coronavirus infections and exhaustion of nearly $3 trillion in relief money from the government. The moderation is likely to persist at least through the first three months of 2021.
The economy’s prospects hinge on the distribution of vaccines to fight the virus. President Joe Biden has unveiled a recovery plan worth $1.9 trillion, but some lawmakers have balked at the price tag soon after the government provided nearly $900 billion in additional stimulus in late December.
MAGA Supporter Arrested Yards From Capitol With Gun, Ammo, ‘Stop the Steal’ Paperwork
A 71-year-old MAGA supporter obsessed with baseless theories that the 2020 election was rigged has been arrested after authorities allegedly found him parked near the U.S. Capitol with a gun, 20 rounds of ammunition, “Stop the Steal” paperwork and a list of lawmakers.
Dennis Westover, of South Charleston, West Virginia, was arrested on several charges, including possession of unregistered ammunition and unlawful possession of a firearm, at 1:58 p.m. on Wednesday by U.S. Capitol Police, according to a public incident report obtained by The Daily Beast. He pleaded not guilty in D.C. Superior Court on Thursday afternoon and a judge ordered his release.
Police found Westover’s car parked “in the middle of an intersection” just a few hundred feet from where lawmakers and staffers can enter the sprawling Rayburn House Office building, authorities said.
Brokerages limit trading in GameStop, sparking outcry
Robinhood and other retail brokerages are taking steps to tamp down the speculative frenzy surrounding companies such as GameStop, but the actions only sparked more volatility and an outcry from users of the platforms and some members of Congress that small investors are being treated unfairly.
GameStop stock has rocketed from below $20 earlier to close around $350 Wednesday as a volunteer army of investors on social media challenged big institutions who had placed market bets that the stock would fall.
The action was even wilder Thursday: The stock swung between $112 and $483. At midday it was down 27% at $255.
Robinhood said Thursday investors would only be able to sell their positions and not open new ones in some cases, and Robinhood will try to slow the amount of trading using borrowed money.
General Motors sets goal of going largely electric by 2035
General Motors has set a goal of making the vast majority of the vehicles it produces electric by 2035, and the entire company carbon neutral, including operations, five years after that.
The Detroit automaker’s push into electric vehicles has gone into overdrive this year.
GM has already announced that it will invest $27 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles in the next five years, a 35% increase over plans made before the pandemic. It will offer 30 all-electric models worldwide by the middle of the decade. By the end of 2025, 40% of its U.S. models will be battery electric vehicles. The company plans to include crossovers, SUVs, sedans and trucks in its electric vehicle lineup.
GM said Thursday that it will source 100% renewable energy to power its U.S. sites by 2030 and global sites by 2035. That’s five years faster than its previously announced global goal.
Watch SSC Tuatara break the top speed record, seems for sure this time
SSC just completed a third attempt at taking the record for the fastest production car in the world. The first attempt was marred by controversy after controversy (video footage inconsistencies and GPS calibration issues). The second attempt never really got off the ground due to problems with the car. Third time’s the charm, right?
According to SSC, yes, it is. Jerod Shelby and the SSC team are once again saying the Tuatara beat the Koenigsegg Agera RS for fastest production car in the world. This time, the margins are much closer, though. SSC says this latest attempt ended with a two-way average of 282.9 mph, which is just 5 mph more than the Koenigsegg’s two-way average of 277.9 mph.
The top speed runs took place on the Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An initial northbound run saw the Tuatara hit 279.7 mph, and in the southbound run, it hit 286.1 mph.
there is a 5 minute video in the article of this car
Tiger undergoes rare hip replacement surgery at Illinois zoo
A 10-year-old Amur tiger with arthritis underwent hip replacement surgery at a zoo outside Chicago on Wednesday, and her surgical team is confident the procedure will add years to her life.
Veterinarians at Brookfield Zoo noted that, like humans, animals routinely develop degenerative problems in their joints as they age. When the tiger, Malena, arrived at the zoo last year, she had already been diagnosed with arthritis of the hip and was receiving pain relief medications.
“We’re hopeful that by doing the surgery now, we’re able to really get on top of this arthritis and keep her comfortable so that she’s able to live a good quality life for many years down the road,” said Dr. Michael Adkesson, of the Chicago Zoological Society.
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Cook, of the University of Missouri, who led the surgery team, said the 6.5-hour surgery was very challenging and took longer than expected. But he said the operation was a success and that the tiger seemed to have full range of motion in her hip after the procedure.
A new White House under Biden: Discipline, diversity, dogs and social distancing
On the morning of Jan. 20, hours before Joe Biden arrived at the White House as the 46th U.S. president, a clear plexiglass shield was erected at the guard’s desk at the entrance to the West Wing housing the executive offices.
It was a small but noticeable sign that things were changing: COVID-19 protections missing during Donald Trump’s last year in office would be a regular part of White House life in the Biden administration.
From required mask-wearing to a new public information approach, the Democrat’s steady hand-on-the-tiller style marks an abrupt change from the bombast and volatility under the Republican Trump, a businessman and former reality TV star.
New York prosecutor says state undercounted nursing home COVID deaths by up to 50%
New York state’s health department may have undercounted the COVID-19 death toll in state nursing home residents by as much as 50%, according to a report released by the state attorney general’s office on Thursday.
The report, issued while the state prosecutor’s office continues to investigate nursing homes’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, indicated that some facilities underreported deaths to the state health department. It also found that the health department did not count the deaths of nursing home residents who were transferred to and died in hospitals in some cases.
“As the pandemic and our investigations continue, it is imperative that we understand why the residents of nursing homes in New York unnecessarily suffered at such an alarming rate,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.
Pelosi says more security needed for U.S. Congress against 'enemy within'
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday lawmakers would probably need more funding for security as the “the enemy is within” the House, following a warning by the Homeland Security Department of heightened threats.
The Senate is preparing to conduct its second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump on a charge of inciting insurrection in a fiery speech Jan. 6 before hundreds of his supporters stormed the Capitol building in a bid to stop the certification of President Joe Biden’s election victory. Five people, including a police officer, died in the violence.
The Department of Homeland Security did not cite specific threats in its bulletin, which was issued on Wednesday, but it did say some “domestic violent extremists” may feel emboldened by the Capitol rampage.
Biden Just Repealed One Of Trump's Major Anti-Abortion Policies
President Joe Biden repealed a major anti-abortion policy instated by the Trump administration by executive order Thursday afternoon, making it easier for organizations abroad to receive the funding they need to provide reproductive healthcare services.
The policy — known primarily as the “global gag rule” or the Mexico City policy — banned international groups that receive US aid from performing, facilitating, or even discussing abortion.
"The best way to describe [the executive orders] is to undo the damage Trump has done," Biden said as he signed the orders Thursday, sitting at his desk in the Oval Office. "The memorandum reverses my predecessor's attack on women's health access, as we continue to battle COVID-19 it's even more critical Americans have meaningful access to health care."
Six killed in liquid nitrogen leak at Georgia state poultry plant
At least six people were killed and 12 hospitalized on Thursday after a suspected liquid nitrogen leak at a poultry plant in the U.S. state of Georgia, police and fire services officials said.
Five people died at the Foundation Food Group plant in Gainesville, about 60 miles (97 km) northeast of Atlanta, and one died after being transferred to hospital, the officials said.
Nicholas Ancrum, a spokesman for Foundation Food Group, said it appeared a nitrogen line had burst and the cause was under investigation.
“All these folks who came to work today didn’t expect something like this, so please keep them in your prayers,” County Sheriff Gerald Couch said.
Pentagon halts Trump appointments to advisory boards
The Pentagon has suspended the processing of a number of former President Donald Trump’s last-minute appointees to defense advisory boards as the new administration looks to weed out loyalists to the former president.
The move effectively prevents a number of Trump allies, including his 2016 campaign manager Corey Lewandoski and deputy campaign manager David Bossie, from actually serving on panels tasked with providing advice to the defense secretary, at least for the time being.
The news came in an email to advisory board members on Wednesday. The message was obtained by POLITICO and confirmed by two people familiar with the discussions.
1st Private Crew Will Visit Space Station. The Price Tag: $55 Million Each
A crew of private astronauts will pay around $55 million each to spend about eight days at the International Space Station next January in what would be a new step for joint private-public space missions. Axiom Space, a Houston company, says the trip will be led by former NASA astronaut and space station commander Michael López-Alegría.
The proposed Ax-1 mission will use a SpaceX rocket to put three paying customers — American Larry Connor, Canadian Mark Pathy and Israeli Eytan Stibbe – into low-Earth orbit on the space station. All of the trio are wealthy entrepreneurs and investors. The group will be under the command of López-Alegría, who is now an executive at Axiom.
It would be the first time an entirely private mission sends astronauts to the International Space Station. Russia sold the first ride to the station to a private citizen, American businessman Dennis Tito, in 2001.
Bernie Sanders’ Mittens and Memes Help Raise Over $1.8 Million for Charity
The weather for President Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony was blustery, with snow flurries and a wind chill making the temperature like a frigid 33 degrees. Never let it be said that dyed-in-the-wool Vermonter Senator Bernie Sanders doesn’t know how to dress for winter weather.
Along with Amanda Gorman’s stirring poem, Senator Sanders’ now-iconic be-mittened outfit was one of the highlights of the day. Overnight, the look that launched more memes than we can count was pretty much ubiquitous.
The senator’s hunkered-down image—captured by the decorated photographer Brendan Smialowski—has been Photoshopped into classic paintings including Edward Hopper’s ‘Nighthawks’ and Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’. He’s been inserted into contemporary pop culture with winks and nods to ‘Sex and the City’, ‘Twilight’, ‘Game of Thrones’, and ‘Where’s Waldo?’ He’s even been swapped into Sharon Stone’s infamous cross-legged hot seat pose from ‘Basic Instinct’.
Skier in lucky escape after being chased by brown bear down slope
A skier in Romania had a lucky escape when he was chased by a brown bear down the slopes this week with onlookers saying the skier’s quick thinking probably saved his life.
Video of the dramatic moment at the Predeal mountain resort in Romania, where there have been multiple bear sightings in recent years, was captured by shocked eyewitnesses.
During the chase, onlookers tried to distract the bear by whistling and screaming but the skier was saved by his own ingenious maneuver.
“He did a pretty cool move, which is a really safe one when you want to get away from the bear,” Angel Somicu, who had spotted the bear an hour earlier along with another skier, Daniel Jenei, told ABC News. “He dropped his bag off, and, well, the bear was dragged towards the bag.”
Porpoises Rebound in a Big Way Following California Ban on Indiscriminate Fishing Nets
The years between 1987 and 2002 saw many gillnet bans enacted in counties along the California coast, where dead marine animals would wash up on beaches entangled in nets, causing outrage among locals.
Used literally for thousands of years, the gillnet easily catches fish when the fibers snag on the fishes’ gills, but it is also liable to snare other animals like sharks, otters, and seabirds.
The harbor porpoise, which is actually one of the smallest toothed whales on Earth, is a very secretive animal and difficult for marine biologists to count—but there’s been such a marked increase that the success is obvious.
Karin Forney, a marine biologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has been studying them for three decades.