promoearn: Moderna COVID-19 vaccine moves closer

Thursday, December 17

Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine gets FDA review, federal judge to hear arguments in Georgia absentee ballot lawsuit and more things to start your Thursday.

Happy Thursday, Daily Briefing readers! It's Jane, with this Friday eve's news.

Moderna's vaccine against COVID-19 will likely be approved by a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee, as more high profile figures test positive for the virus. A new lawsuit challenging the election processes in Georgia heads to court. And if you live in the Northeast, prepare yourself for "an overabundance of hazards," courtesy of a blockbuster winter storm.

Here's Thursday's news:

Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine gets FDA committee review

A second COVID-19 vaccine likely will receive a thumbs up Thursday from an advisory committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which authorized the first one a week ago. This time, the committee is reviewing a vaccine made by Cambridge, Massachusetts, biotech Moderna, with similar technology and results as the one it supported last week by Pfizer and its German collaborator, BioNTech. A clinical trial in 30,000 volunteers showed that the Moderna vaccine is more than 94% effective in preventing COVID-19, including serious disease. If the FDA committee gives its OK, the vaccine will go to the FDA commissioner for his approval, likely Friday. An independent advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is planning this weekend to consider adding the vaccine to the national adult vaccine schedule, and if they sign off, it will go to the CDC director for his approval. The Moderna vaccine is expected to arrive in states Monday.

•	Coronavirus updates: 'Explosive' surge in California; NFL to honor frontline health care workers
•	Interior Secretary David Bernhardt tests positive for COVID-19, goes into quarantine
•	France's President Emmanuel Macron tests positive for COVID-19
•	Fact check: Thalidomide, COVID-19 vaccine comparisons are misleading
•	Side effects? Your vaccine questions, answered
•	FDA says Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine vials may hold extra 'obtainable' doses
•	Roadkill moose fed Alaska families for years. Then COVID-19 came
•	'What's a heater gonna do when it's 30 degrees': Restaurants face bleak winter in COVID-19

Federal judge to hear arguments in Georgia absentee ballot lawsuit

A federal judge in Augusta will hear arguments Thursday in a new lawsuit challenging election processes used in Georgia for the presidential election, attempting to alter them ahead of Jan. 5 runoffs for the U.S. Senate. Among other things, the lawsuit filed by the 12th Congressional District Republican Committee contends that the use of absentee ballots and ballot drop boxes enable massive voter fraud – though the boxes are monitored on video 24 hours a day. The suit is one of the latest in a string of what have been unsuccessful cases challenging the integrity of the presidential election in Georgia and echoing President Donald Trump's baseless claim that voter fraud cost him the election.

•	A quick guide: Trump's lawsuits dispute election results as presidency is called for Biden
•	'It really is over now': The 24 hours that likely thwarted Trump's effort to overturn the election

Winter storm expected to pound East Coast with more snow

More heavy snow is expected to fall across the Northeast on Thursday days after the start of the U.S. vaccination campaign and in the thick of a virus surge that has throngs of people seeking tests daily. On Wednesday, the National Weather Service said the storm was "set to bring an overabundance of hazards from the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast," including freezing rain and ice in the mid-Atlantic, heavy snow in the New York City area and southern New England, strong winds and coastal flooding, and possibly even severe thunderstorms and some tornadoes in North Carolina's Outer Banks. A crash in Pennsylvania killed two people and involved dozens of vehicles on a major highway Wednesday afternoon, police said, while issuing a reminder to only travel if "absolutely necessary."

•	Airlines cancel 1,200+ flights ahead of winter storm as snow falls on East Coast

Ruling on Russian doping case to be announced

A panel of arbitrators rules Thursday on whether Russia can keep its name and flag for the Olympics following a high-profile doping case. The panel considered a dispute between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and its Russian affiliate after WADA found that drug testing data from a Moscow laboratory had been deleted or altered. WADA is seeking a ban on Russia's flag, anthem and team name at next year's postponed Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 Beijing Games, and other major sporting events such as the World Cup.

More news you need to know:

•	Florida blames mothers when men batter them – then takes away their children
•	Trump administration cuts $200M in health care funds to California over abortion regulations
•	Rep. Ocasio-Cortez says Democrats need new leadership in Congress
•	Betsy DeVos tells Education Department employees to 'resist' Biden administration, report says
•	Chicago lawyers attempted to block release of video showing police handcuffing innocent, naked woman
•	'We're against everything they stand for': LGBTQ-owned clothing company Verillas pushes back after Proud Boys wear its kilts
•	Bye, Bye 2020! More than half of Americans are optimistic about their finances in 2021 after rough year

HBO Max is finally coming to Roku devices

WarnerMedia has reached a deal to bring the HBO Max streaming service to Roku's popular video devices and the app will be available starting Thursday, nearly six months after HBO Max launched. Roku devices are the favorite choice for consumers to stream net video services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime on their TVs, with 100.2 million viewers, or about 34.6% of all U.S. internet users, according to research firm eMarketer. The announcement comes ahead of the impending debut of next week's highly anticipated "Wonder Woman 1984" on HBO Max. Interest in HBO Max skyrocketed this month when Warner Bros. announced plans to release all of its 2021 movies — including "The Matrix 4," "Dune" and "The Suicide Squad" on the service the same day as theaters.

•	Cord cutters rejoice: More first-run streaming coming to your living room
•	Review: 'Wonder Woman 1984' is a rousing, retro throwback to Reeve's 'Superman'
•	'They've made a mess': Director Nolan decries Warner Bros. plan to stream 2021 movies on HBO Max

And finally: Golfer snatches ball stuck on Florida alligator's tail 🐊

This isn't for the faint hearted: This brave man grabbed a golf ball that had somehow gotten lodged on the tail of an alligator at a Florida golf course. Will there be a happy ending for both golfer and gator? Find out here.

Contributing: The Associated Press