 |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Good morning, Daily Briefing readers. In some counties, just half of the spike in deaths during the pandemic is attributed to COVID-19. Researchers say that points to a massive undercount. President Biden will be tested for COVID-19, again, days after an aide he was in close contact with tested positive. And, a SpaceX rocket will arrive at the International Space Station bearing supplies for astronauts – including turkey, green beans and fruitcake. |
| It's Steve and Jane, with Wednesday's news. |
| 🔴 Uncounted: Inaccurate death certificates across the country hide the true toll of COVID-19. |
| 🛳A cruise line didn't provide a COVID test to a symptomatic passenger. After disembarking, she tested positive. |
| 🌪 'When you lose 7, my God': A community says goodbye to a family of seven killed in the Kentucky tornadoes. |
| 🥚 A fossilized dinosaur egg from over 66 million years ago was found to have an embryo inside it of it. Researchers say the discovery creates a link between dinosaurs and modern-day birds. |
| 💉 Vaccinated and test positive? What to know about the omicron variant and COVID for this holiday season. |
| 🎧On today's 5 Things podcast, hear the latest advice on whether you should gather for holidays this month amid a COVID-19 surge. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker. |
| Here's what's happening today: |
President Biden to be tested again for COVID-19 |
| President Joe Biden will be tested for COVID-19 on Wednesday after an initial negative antigen test Sunday and a PCR test Monday. The president was in close contact with a White House aide on Friday who tested positive Monday. The announcement came amid a surge in coronavirus infections driven by the delta variant and as health officials brace for another spike caused by the omicron variant. The unidentified White House aide spent about 30 minutes "in proximity to the president" on Air Force One as Biden flew from South Carolina to Pennsylvania on Friday, according to the statement. |
Newsmakers in their own words: Biden addresses the nation on COVID-19 |
 | | President Joe Biden speaks about the COVID-19 response and vaccinations on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021 at the White House in Washington. | | Associated Press photo; USA TODAY graphic | |
| President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced the purchase of a half-billion, at-home rapid COVID-19 tests and the mobilization of 1,000 military medical personnel to hospitals, as officials confront for a new surge in infections driven by the omicron variant. |
| Biden unveiled the measures as an already-fatigued nation faces rising COVID-19 infections. It also comes as shortages have led to long lines and overwhelmed hospitals in hot spots while Americans crisscross the country for the holiday season. |
| Biden thanked Americans for their "perseverance and courage" and returned to a familiar message: urging Americans to get vaccinated and receive their third booster shot. |
SpaceX rocket brings Christmas gifts, supplies to astronauts at the ISS |
| SpaceX's uncrewed Dragon capsule began its journey toward the International Space Station early Tuesday and arrived Wednesday morning to deliver supplies. Among the 6,500 pounds of cargo and science experiments, some Christmas cheer was included for the ISS astronauts and cosmonauts, according to NASA. Roasted turkey, green beans, smoked seafood and shellfish, fruitcake, and presents for the crew were part of the special delivery. The autonomous capsule will spend about a month docked with the ISS before returning to Earth with waste and science experiment results. |
Just for subscribers: |
| 🦠Omicron doesn't need to ruin the holidays: Here's what you need to know about rapid tests. |
| 🌏Jessica Stern, the State Department's new special diplomatic envoy on LGBTQ rights, is on a mission to advance the cause of LGBTQ people around the world. |
| 🛐 One in four Americans identify as "Nones." Why are millions leaving organized religion? |
| 🚌The pandemic puts school dress codes into perspective: "We want control of our lives." |
| 🩰"Seeing is believing": Few Black ballerinas take the stage. The ones who do open doors. |
| These articles are for USA TODAY subscribers. You can sign up here. Here is all of our subscriber content. |
NBA, NHL take different approaches as both deal with rising COVID cases |
| Due to the rising number of positive COVID-19 cases, the National Hockey League and the NHL Players' Association agreed to start their Christmas break early. The league will resume practices on Dec. 26 and the regular-season schedule will pick up Dec. 27. Originally, there were 10 games slated for Tuesday, but just one was played as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Vegas Golden Knights. The COVID surge will also keep NHL players out of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, according to a source. An official announcement is expected Wednesday. Meanwhile, National Basketball Association Commissioner Adam Silver said on ESPN Tuesday that his league has examined multiple options but does not yet see a reason to stop or pause the 2021-22 season. Silver's assessment came despite more than 70 players entering health and safety protocols in December. |
 | | With COVID cases surging and NHL games being postponed, the league and players association are pulling the plug on NHL players attending the 2022 Winter Olympics. | | USA TODAY | |
Also on Wednesday: Jury deliberations in the Kim Potter trial continue |
| Jurors in the manslaughter trial of Kim Potter, a former Minnesota police officer who fatally shot 20-year-old Black motorist Daunte Wright during an April traffic stop while yelling "Taser," were to begin their third day of deliberations Wednesday. |
| The jury submitted two questions to the court Tuesday evening after nearly 13 hours of deliberating. The jurors asked the judge for guidance on what to do if they cannot reach a consensus and requested the zip ties on Potter's firearm be removed so the gun could be held outside of the evidence box. |
Ship your Christmas presents ASAP |
| Wednesday is one of the last days to ship gifts if you expect them arrive before Christmas Day with FedEx (FedEx 2day) and UPS (2nd Day Air)."Now is the time to mail your holiday greetings and packages to make sure they reach their intended destination in time for holiday gatherings and celebrations," Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in a statement. This week is expected to be the busiest week of the holiday mailing and shipping season, USPS said, with nearly 2.3 billion pieces of mail, including greeting cards and packages, expected to be processed and delivered. For procrastinators: Retailers' shipping deadlines for online orders vary and many stores will offer curbside and in-store pickup through Christmas Eve. |
Christmas comes early for several new movie releases |
| Whether you want to mask up at a theater or stay more comfortable on your couch at home, several new films are arriving Wednesday. If you like "The Matrix" movies, Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss return for a fourth installment of the sci-fi action saga in "The Matrix Resurrections" (in theaters and on HBO Max). A prequel to the first two "Kingsman" spy flicks, "The King's Man" combines the usual over-the-top antics and a more serious war story. And, "Sing 2" brings one seriously high-profile newcomer to the voice cast for the star-studded animated sequel: Bono as Clay Calloway, a reclusive rock-star lion. |
 | | Keanu Reeves returns as Neo in "The Matrix Resurrections." | | WARNER BROS. PICTURES | |
ICYMI: Some of our top stories yesterday |
| 🏈"Ought to take out of the game": Tom Brady spoke on the hit that cost the Buccaneers' Chris Godwin the rest of season. |
| 🦠Omicron has raced ahead of other variants and is now the dominant version of the coronavirus in the U.S., federal health officials said Monday. |
| 📺"Deeply saddened": Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis spoke on the sexual misconduct allegations recently levied against their former "Sex and the City" co-star, Chris Noth. |
| 🦠Yes, omicron has overtaken delta. No, it's not March 2020. |
📸 Americans face lines, barriers to get COVID tests 📸 |
 | | Children wait with their father as they wait in a line spanning several blocks in order to be tested for COVID-19, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, at a Curative testing kiosk outside an elementary school in northwest Washington. The Washington family said they were testing the children as a precaution due to cold symptoms. | | Jacquelyn Martin, AP | |
| As millions of people seek coronavirus tests before holiday trips to see family and friends, they are encountering familiar challenges of the pandemic – long testing lines and stores often sold out of home tests. |
| Consumers have more testing options than ever but barriers persist. Long lines that were common early in the pandemic have again surfaced at testing sites in several areas. Others who choose the convenience of rapid home tests find the most popular versions are often sold out online and at stores. |
| Head here to see more photos from across the nation as Americans again deal with issues getting COVID-19 tests. |
| |
| |
| |
No comments:
Post a Comment