COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — 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 don’t appear to be connected, nor do the people have a history of recent travel, 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 this variant now surging in other countries shows that “the fight against this deadly virus is far from over,” Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC 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.”

The two people infected with this variant are adults; one is from South Carolina’s Lowcountry and the other from the Pee Dee region, the state said, while withholding other information to protect their privacy.

Viruses are constantly mutating, with coronavirus variants circulating around the globe, but scientists are primarily concerned with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/infectious-diseases-coronavirus-pandemic-12d1f000ed9601f99c1c7c08e020ba7b">the emergence of three of them</a>. Other variants first reported in the United Kingdom and Brazil were previously confirmed in the U.S. Researchers believe these three variants may spread more easily, and predicted it was only a matter of time before they appeared here.

Also, scientists last week reported preliminary but troubling signs that some of the recent mutations may modestly curb the effectiveness of two current vaccines, although they stressed that the shots still protect against the disease. And there are signs that some of the new mutations may undermine tests for the virus and reduce the effectiveness of certain treatments.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">coronavirus</a>&nbsp;has already sickened millions and killed more than 400,000 people in the United States.

While some European countries do extensive genetic testing to detect these variants, the U.S. has done very little of this detective work. But scientists have been been quickly trying to do more, and they’re spotting these apparently more contagious variants as they do.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported at least 315 cases of the U.K.-discovered variant in the United States. Those reports have come from at least 28 states, and health officials believe it could become the dominant strain in the U.S. by March. That variant has been reported in at least 70 countries.

The first U.S. case of the variant found in Brazil was announced earlier this week by health officials in Minnesota. It was a person who recently traveled to that South American nation. That version of the virus has popped up in more than a half-dozen countries.

The variant first found in South Africa was detected in October. It since then has been found in at least 30 other countries.

Some tests suggest the South African and Brazilian variants may be less susceptible to antibody drugs or antibody-rich blood from COVID-19 survivors, both of which help people fight off the virus.

Health officials also worry that if the virus changes enough, people might get COVID-19 a second time.

President Joe Biden on Monday reinstated COVID-19 travel restrictions on most non-U.S. travelers from Brazil, the U.K. and South Africa. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that Americans do not travel at this time.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — 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 don’t appear to be connected, nor do the people have a history of recent travel, 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 this variant now surging in other countries shows that “the fight against this deadly virus is far from over,” Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC 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.”The two people infected with this variant are adults; one is from South Carolina’s Lowcountry and the other from the Pee Dee region, the state said, while withholding other information to protect their privacy.Viruses are constantly mutating, with coronavirus variants circulating around the globe, but scientists are primarily concerned with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/infectious-diseases-coronavirus-pandemic-12d1f000ed9601f99c1c7c08e020ba7b">the emergence of three of them</a>. Other variants first reported in the United Kingdom and Brazil were previously confirmed in the U.S. Researchers believe these three variants may spread more easily, and predicted it was only a matter of time before they appeared here.Also, scientists last week reported preliminary but troubling signs that some of the recent mutations may modestly curb the effectiveness of two current vaccines, although they stressed that the shots still protect against the disease. And there are signs that some of the new mutations may undermine tests for the virus and reduce the effectiveness of certain treatments.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">coronavirus</a>&nbsp;has already sickened millions and killed more than 400,000 people in the United States.While some European countries do extensive genetic testing to detect these variants, the U.S. has done very little of this detective work. But scientists have been been quickly trying to do more, and they’re spotting these apparently more contagious variants as they do.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported at least 315 cases of the U.K.-discovered variant in the United States. Those reports have come from at least 28 states, and health officials believe it could become the dominant strain in the U.S. by March. That variant has been reported in at least 70 countries.The first U.S. case of the variant found in Brazil was announced earlier this week by health officials in Minnesota. It was a person who recently traveled to that South American nation. That version of the virus has popped up in more than a half-dozen countries.The variant first found in South Africa was detected in October. It since then has been found in at least 30 other countries.Some tests suggest the South African and Brazilian variants may be less susceptible to antibody drugs or antibody-rich blood from COVID-19 survivors, both of which help people fight off the virus.Health officials also worry that if the virus changes enough, people might get COVID-19 a second time.President Joe Biden on Monday reinstated COVID-19 travel restrictions on most non-U.S. travelers from Brazil, the U.K. and South Africa. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that Americans do not travel at this time.

Virus variant from South Africa detected in US for 1st time

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Democratic lawmakers in South Dakota will push for a statewide mask mandate, like the one imposed by some cities and most of the state’s reservations to rein in the coronavirus outbreak. 

Sen. Reynold Nesiba, of Sioux Falls, plans to introduce legislation on the mandate Thursday. 

South Dakota Democratic Vice Chairwoman Nikki Gronli says the bill will mirror Sioux Falls’ ordinance. 

Gronli says since Sioux Falls passed the mandate in November, the city has seen a sharp decline in positive cases and hospitalizations.

 Gov. Kristi Noem has defended her hands-off approach to managing the pandemic and doesn’t wear a mask.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Democratic lawmakers in South Dakota will push for a statewide mask mandate, like the one imposed by some cities and most of the state’s reservations to rein in the coronavirus outbreak. Sen. Reynold Nesiba, of Sioux Falls, plans to introduce legislation on the mandate Thursday. South Dakota Democratic Vice Chairwoman Nikki Gronli says the bill will mirror Sioux Falls’ ordinance. Gronli says since Sioux Falls passed the mandate in November, the city has seen a sharp decline in positive cases and hospitalizations. Gov. Kristi Noem has defended her hands-off approach to managing the pandemic and doesn’t wear a mask.

South Dakota Democrats will push for statewide mask mandate

KANSAS CITY —The FBI has identified and located Jane Doe 43, a girl who may have critical information on the identity of a child victim in an ongoing sexual exploitation investigation.

She was not located within the FBI Kansas City Division territory.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details due to the ongoing investigation.

KANSAS CITY —The FBI is seeking the public’s assistance across the nation with obtaining identifying information regarding an unknown girl who may have critical information pertaining to the identity of a child victim in an ongoing sexual exploitation investigation, according to a release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Kansas City.

Operation Rescue Me represents a strategic partnership between the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Violent Crime Section, Child Exploitation Operational Unit and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Operation Rescue Me began in 2008, and is an aggressive program which focuses on utilizing image analysis to determine the identities of child victims depicted in child exploitation material.

Image analysis methods used by Operation Rescue Me concentrate on items seen in the backgrounds of child pornography videos or images. Analysts attempt to answer four basic questions that will hopefully lead to the identification and rescue of child victims:

1) What useful clues are there in the background? (What’s visible on the walls, are there distinct clothes or commercial labels visible?)

2) Can a time frame for when the pictures were taken be determined?

3) What is the physical location of the children in the photos? (Country, state, hotel room, etc.)

The FBI utilizes many clues to identify where a child may be held. The identification of items sold exclusively in certain areas, or at certain stores which can be seen in the background of various images has led to the successful rescue of numerous child victims. Additional techniques, such as isolating audio clips from videos to identify any names which can be heard, or even the dialect of language which is being spoken, have also led to the eventual rescue of abused children. Through the careful scrutiny of child pornography images, the FBI has been able to use clues as small as a glimpse of a vehicle’s color seen in a reflection of one of its mirrors to rescue children from dangerous child predators.

Since inception, Operation Rescue Me has led to the identification of over 800 child victims. The program continues to attempt to rescue those still in need

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611766448647.png" alt="Image courtesy FBI Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy FBI Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The FBI has identified and located Jane Doe 43, a girl who may have critical information on the identity of a child victim in an ongoing sexual exploitation investigation.She was not located within the FBI Kansas City Division territory.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details due to the ongoing investigation.------------KANSAS CITY —The FBI is seeking the public’s assistance across the nation with obtaining identifying information regarding an unknown girl who may have critical information pertaining to the identity of a child victim in an ongoing sexual exploitation investigation, according to a release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Kansas City.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611766324614.png" alt="Jane Doe 43 Image FBI" />
 <figcaption>Jane Doe 43 Image FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>Operation Rescue Me represents a strategic partnership between the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Violent Crime Section, Child Exploitation Operational Unit and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Operation Rescue Me began in 2008, and is an aggressive program which focuses on utilizing image analysis to determine the identities of child victims depicted in child exploitation material.Image analysis methods used by Operation Rescue Me concentrate on items seen in the backgrounds of child pornography videos or images. Analysts attempt to answer four basic questions that will hopefully lead to the identification and rescue of child victims:1) What useful clues are there in the background? (What’s visible on the walls, are there distinct clothes or commercial labels visible?)2) Can a time frame for when the pictures were taken be determined?3) What is the physical location of the children in the photos? (Country, state, hotel room, etc.)4) Who are the children in the photos?No clue is too small.The FBI utilizes many clues to identify where a child may be held. The identification of items sold exclusively in certain areas, or at certain stores which can be seen in the background of various images has led to the successful rescue of numerous child victims. Additional techniques, such as isolating audio clips from videos to identify any names which can be heard, or even the dialect of language which is being spoken, have also led to the eventual rescue of abused children. Through the careful scrutiny of child pornography images, the FBI has been able to use clues as small as a glimpse of a vehicle’s color seen in a reflection of one of its mirrors to rescue children from dangerous child predators.Since inception, Operation Rescue Me has led to the identification of over 800 child victims. The program continues to attempt to rescue those still in need

UPDATE: FBI IDs, locates girl in sex exploitation investigation 

DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is recalling over 354,000 Pathfinder SUVs worldwide because the brake lights can stay on all the time. It's the second recall for the same problem. 

The recall covers certain Pathfinders from the 2013 through 2015 model years. The automaker says a stop lamp relay can get stuck in the on position. 

The problem can limit engine power and let drivers shift out of park or start the engine without a foot on the brake pedal. Dealers will inspect the switch and reposition it if necessary starting in March. They'll also replace a relay. The 2013 and 2014 models were recalled in 2016. 

The latest recall has a new repair and adds the 2015 model year.

DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is recalling over 354,000 Pathfinder SUVs worldwide because the brake lights can stay on all the time. It's the second recall for the same problem. The recall covers certain Pathfinders from the 2013 through 2015 model years. The automaker says a stop lamp relay can get stuck in the on position. The problem can limit engine power and let drivers shift out of park or start the engine without a foot on the brake pedal. Dealers will inspect the switch and reposition it if necessary starting in March. They'll also replace a relay. The 2013 and 2014 models were recalled in 2016. The latest recall has a new repair and adds the 2015 model year.

Nissan recalls 354K Pathfinder SUVs for brake light problem

SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — Apple says it will roll out a new privacy control in the spring to prevent iPhone apps from secretly shadowing people. The delay in its anticipated rollout aims to placate Facebook and other digital services that depend on such data surveillance to help sell ads.

Although Apple didn’t provide a specific date, the general timetable disclosed Thursday means a long-awaited feature known as&nbsp;<a href="https://developer.apple.com/documentation/apptrackingtransparency" target="_blank">App Tracking Transparency</a>&nbsp;will be part of an iPhone software update likely to arrive in late March or some point in April.

After delaying the planned September introduction of the safeguard amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1aa54bad304babfadb947ffe56b0a22d">a Facebook-led outcry</a>, Apple had previously said it would come out early this year. Apple released the latest update as part of Data Privacy Day, which CEO Tim Cook will salute during a speech scheduled Thursday at a technology conference in Europe.

Apple has been holding off to give Facebook and other app makers more time to adjust to a feature that will require iPhone users to give their explicit consent to being tracked. Analysts expect a significant number of users to deny that permission once it requires their assent. Currently, iPhone users are frequently tracked by apps they install unless they take the extra step of going into iPhone settings to prevent it.

Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/media-newspapers-data-privacy-social-media-41d2dd6af12dec367aa3592c728605b7">stepped up its attacks</a>&nbsp;on Apple’s new privacy control last month in a series of full-page ads in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other national newspapers. That campaign suggested some free digital services will be hobbled if they can’t compile personal information to customize ads. On Wednesday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg questioned Apple’s motives with the changes, saying the iPhone maker “has every incentive” to use its own mobile platform to interfere with rivals to its own messaging app.

“Apple may say that they are doing this to help people, but the moves clearly track their competitive interests,” Zuckerberg said.

Google, which also relies on personal data to power the internet’s biggest ad network, hasn’t joined Facebook in its criticism of Apple’s forthcoming controls on tracking. Google profits from being the default search engine on the iPhone, a prized position for which it pays Apple an estimated $9 billion to $12 billion annually.

But Google&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/preparing-developers-and-advertisers-for-policy-updates/" target="_blank">warned in a Wednesday blog post&nbsp;</a>that Apple’s new controls will have a significant impact on ad revenue generated from iPhones in its digital network. Google said a “handful” of its iPhone apps will be affected by the new requirement, but did not identify which ones.

“We remain committed to preserving a vibrant and open app ecosystem where people can access a broad range of ad-supported content with confidence that their privacy and choices are respected,” wrote Christophe Combette, group product manager for Google Ads.

Apple also released an 11-page report to illustrate how much apps can learn about their users in daily life.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611840359209.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — Apple says it will roll out a new privacy control in the spring to prevent iPhone apps from secretly shadowing people. The delay in its anticipated rollout aims to placate Facebook and other digital services that depend on such data surveillance to help sell ads.Although Apple didn’t provide a specific date, the general timetable disclosed Thursday means a long-awaited feature known as&nbsp;<a href="https://developer.apple.com/documentation/apptrackingtransparency" target="_blank">App Tracking Transparency</a>&nbsp;will be part of an iPhone software update likely to arrive in late March or some point in April.After delaying the planned September introduction of the safeguard amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1aa54bad304babfadb947ffe56b0a22d">a Facebook-led outcry</a>, Apple had previously said it would come out early this year. Apple released the latest update as part of Data Privacy Day, which CEO Tim Cook will salute during a speech scheduled Thursday at a technology conference in Europe.Apple has been holding off to give Facebook and other app makers more time to adjust to a feature that will require iPhone users to give their explicit consent to being tracked. Analysts expect a significant number of users to deny that permission once it requires their assent. Currently, iPhone users are frequently tracked by apps they install unless they take the extra step of going into iPhone settings to prevent it.Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/media-newspapers-data-privacy-social-media-41d2dd6af12dec367aa3592c728605b7">stepped up its attacks</a>&nbsp;on Apple’s new privacy control last month in a series of full-page ads in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other national newspapers. That campaign suggested some free digital services will be hobbled if they can’t compile personal information to customize ads. On Wednesday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg questioned Apple’s motives with the changes, saying the iPhone maker “has every incentive” to use its own mobile platform to interfere with rivals to its own messaging app.“Apple may say that they are doing this to help people, but the moves clearly track their competitive interests,” Zuckerberg said.Google, which also relies on personal data to power the internet’s biggest ad network, hasn’t joined Facebook in its criticism of Apple’s forthcoming controls on tracking. Google profits from being the default search engine on the iPhone, a prized position for which it pays Apple an estimated $9 billion to $12 billion annually.But Google&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/preparing-developers-and-advertisers-for-policy-updates/" target="_blank">warned in a Wednesday blog post&nbsp;</a>that Apple’s new controls will have a significant impact on ad revenue generated from iPhones in its digital network. Google said a “handful” of its iPhone apps will be affected by the new requirement, but did not identify which ones.“We remain committed to preserving a vibrant and open app ecosystem where people can access a broad range of ad-supported content with confidence that their privacy and choices are respected,” wrote Christophe Combette, group product manager for Google Ads.Apple also released an 11-page report to illustrate how much apps can learn about their users in daily life.

Apple to crack down on tracking iPhone users in early spring

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration launched its new level-with-America health briefings Wednesday with a projection that as many as 90,000 more in the U.S. will die from the coronavirus in the next four weeks — a sobering warning as the government strains to improve delivery and injection of vaccines.

The tone of the hourlong briefing was in line with President Joe Biden’s promise to be straight with the nation about the state of the outbreak that has already claimed more than 425,000 U.S. lives. It marked a sharp contrast to what had become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/969eafc8f5cb01e9b3e8fe941b3264eb">the Trump show&nbsp;</a>in the past administration, when public health officials were repeatedly undermined by a president who shared his unproven ideas without hesitation.

The deaths projection wasn’t much different from what Biden himself has said, but nonetheless served as a stark reminder of the brutal road ahead.

“I know this is not news we all want to hear, but this is something we must say so we are all aware,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “If we are united in action we can turn things around.”

The new briefings, set for three times a week, are part of Biden’s attempt to rebuild trust and mobilize Americans to follow health guidance on the coronavirus and to break down public resistance to the vaccine.

Wednesday’s briefing was conducted virtually, with no shortage of technical glitches and audio gaps. Administration officials appeared on Zoom from separate locations, in keeping with the Biden administration’s efforts to model best practices for safe work habits in the pandemic.

One by one, the officials laid out administration efforts to contain the virus, speed vaccinations and bring Americans along with the effort..

“The White House respects and will follow the science, and the scientists will speak independently,” promised Andy Slavitt, a senior administration adviser on the pandemic.

Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus coordinator, said the Biden administration was examining additional ways of speeding vaccine production, a day after the president announced the U.S. plans to provide states with enough doses for 300 million Americans by the end of summer.

But actually injecting those shots is another matter.

“Most states are getting better at putting needles in arms,” Zients said. He called on Congress to swiftly pass Biden’s “American Rescue Plan.” The $1.9 trillion bill, which has given lawmakers in both parties sticker shock, includes $400 billion for measures aimed at controlling the virus, including dramatically increasing the pace of vaccination and ensuring more widespread testing.

Zients noted that the federal Department of Health and Human Services acted Wednesday to make more people available to administer vaccinations. The government will authorize retired nurses and doctors, and professionals licensed in one state will be able to give shots in other states.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said there was reason to be concerned about the impact of some coronavirus mutations on vaccines, but he also said scientists have plenty of options for adjustments to maintain effectiveness.

Fauci said there was particular concern about the so-called South African variant, because lab tests have shown it can diminish the protective power of the vaccines approved to date. He stressed that the level of protection provided was still well within what he called the “cushion” of vaccine effectiveness, but added that the government was working with pharmaceutical companies on potential “booster” shots for the new variants.

Walensky said her agency’s latest forecast indicates the U.S. will reach between 479,000 and 514,000 deaths by Feb. 20.

The new briefings, beginning just a week into Biden’s tenure, are meant as an explicit rejection of President Donald Trump’s approach to the coronavirus outbreak.

“We’re bringing back the pros to talk about COVID in an unvarnished way,” Biden said Tuesday.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/836cfeed03037afbf4abf4a1d2d9da4f">had claimed center stage</a>&nbsp;and muddled the message of the nation’s top public health experts in the critical early days of the virus and eventually largely muzzled them as the pandemic’s toll grew steeper.

As a presidential candidate Biden warned that the nation faced a surge of coronavirus cases in what would be a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-pandemics-public-health-coronavirus-pandemic-ad3bf9890e0c44fd0ccf377d76fb6668">“dark winter”</a>; Trump, by contrast, falsely claimed the worst of the virus was over.

Dr. David Hamer, a professor of global health and medicine at Boston University’s School of Public Health, said having briefings from health officials that are “based on serious science” would go a long way toward improving public perceptions of the vaccine.

“There’s a certain amount of vaccine hesitancy, and so educating people about the vaccine, how it works, how safe it is and how it can protect against the disease but also slow transmission is really important,” he said.

The stakes for Biden, whose presidency hinges at the start on his handling of the pandemic and the largest vaccination campaign in global history, could hardly be higher. He is pushing a weary populace to recommit to social distancing measures and mask wearing, pointing to scientific models that suggest the practices could save 50,000 lives over coming months.

Those messages found few champions in the former administration, as Trump openly flouted science-based guidance from his own administration. Face coverings were sparse at his reelection rallies and social distancing nearly nonexistent.

Asked by CNN last week if the lack of candor from the Trump administration about the virus had cost lives, Fauci replied, “You know, it very likely did.”

The Trump administration ended the practice of regular scientific briefings early in the pandemic, after Trump expressed anger over dire warnings about the virus by Dr. Nancy Messonnier, the CDC’s immunization and respiratory director who is leading the agency’s COVID-19 efforts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611778790899.png" alt="A view of the new Coronavirus Task Force&nbsp; or 'Level with America Health briefing' -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>A view of the new Coronavirus Task Force&nbsp; or 'Level with America Health briefing' -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration launched its new level-with-America health briefings Wednesday with a projection that as many as 90,000 more in the U.S. will die from the coronavirus in the next four weeks — a sobering warning as the government strains to improve delivery and injection of vaccines.The tone of the hourlong briefing was in line with President Joe Biden’s promise to be straight with the nation about the state of the outbreak that has already claimed more than 425,000 U.S. lives. It marked a sharp contrast to what had become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/969eafc8f5cb01e9b3e8fe941b3264eb">the Trump show&nbsp;</a>in the past administration, when public health officials were repeatedly undermined by a president who shared his unproven ideas without hesitation.The deaths projection wasn’t much different from what Biden himself has said, but nonetheless served as a stark reminder of the brutal road ahead.“I know this is not news we all want to hear, but this is something we must say so we are all aware,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “If we are united in action we can turn things around.”The new briefings, set for three times a week, are part of Biden’s attempt to rebuild trust and mobilize Americans to follow health guidance on the coronavirus and to break down public resistance to the vaccine.Wednesday’s briefing was conducted virtually, with no shortage of technical glitches and audio gaps. Administration officials appeared on Zoom from separate locations, in keeping with the Biden administration’s efforts to model best practices for safe work habits in the pandemic.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611765132239.png" alt="Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, Biden's COVID-19 Equity Task Force Chair&nbsp; said, "the task force would take an equity lens to every aspect of this virus.”" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, Biden's COVID-19 Equity Task Force Chair&nbsp; said, "the task force would take an equity lens to every aspect of this virus.”</figcaption>
 </figure>One by one, the officials laid out administration efforts to contain the virus, speed vaccinations and bring Americans along with the effort..“The White House respects and will follow the science, and the scientists will speak independently,” promised Andy Slavitt, a senior administration adviser on the pandemic.Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus coordinator, said the Biden administration was examining additional ways of speeding vaccine production, a day after the president announced the U.S. plans to provide states with enough doses for 300 million Americans by the end of summer.But actually injecting those shots is another matter.“Most states are getting better at putting needles in arms,” Zients said. He called on Congress to swiftly pass Biden’s “American Rescue Plan.” The $1.9 trillion bill, which has given lawmakers in both parties sticker shock, includes $400 billion for measures aimed at controlling the virus, including dramatically increasing the pace of vaccination and ensuring more widespread testing.Zients noted that the federal Department of Health and Human Services acted Wednesday to make more people available to administer vaccinations. The government will authorize retired nurses and doctors, and professionals licensed in one state will be able to give shots in other states.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611767368293.png" alt="Dr. Fauci had to give a portion of his presentation twice due to technical difficulties in the virtual format." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Fauci had to give a portion of his presentation twice due to technical difficulties in the virtual format.</figcaption>
 </figure>Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said there was reason to be concerned about the impact of some coronavirus mutations on vaccines, but he also said scientists have plenty of options for adjustments to maintain effectiveness.Fauci said there was particular concern about the so-called South African variant, because lab tests have shown it can diminish the protective power of the vaccines approved to date. He stressed that the level of protection provided was still well within what he called the “cushion” of vaccine effectiveness, but added that the government was working with pharmaceutical companies on potential “booster” shots for the new variants.Walensky said her agency’s latest forecast indicates the U.S. will reach between 479,000 and 514,000 deaths by Feb. 20.The new briefings, beginning just a week into Biden’s tenure, are meant as an explicit rejection of President Donald Trump’s approach to the coronavirus outbreak.“We’re bringing back the pros to talk about COVID in an unvarnished way,” Biden said Tuesday.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/836cfeed03037afbf4abf4a1d2d9da4f">had claimed center stage</a>&nbsp;and muddled the message of the nation’s top public health experts in the critical early days of the virus and eventually largely muzzled them as the pandemic’s toll grew steeper.As a presidential candidate Biden warned that the nation faced a surge of coronavirus cases in what would be a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-pandemics-public-health-coronavirus-pandemic-ad3bf9890e0c44fd0ccf377d76fb6668">“dark winter”</a>; Trump, by contrast, falsely claimed the worst of the virus was over.Dr. David Hamer, a professor of global health and medicine at Boston University’s School of Public Health, said having briefings from health officials that are “based on serious science” would go a long way toward improving public perceptions of the vaccine.“There’s a certain amount of vaccine hesitancy, and so educating people about the vaccine, how it works, how safe it is and how it can protect against the disease but also slow transmission is really important,” he said.The stakes for Biden, whose presidency hinges at the start on his handling of the pandemic and the largest vaccination campaign in global history, could hardly be higher. He is pushing a weary populace to recommit to social distancing measures and mask wearing, pointing to scientific models that suggest the practices could save 50,000 lives over coming months.Those messages found few champions in the former administration, as Trump openly flouted science-based guidance from his own administration. Face coverings were sparse at his reelection rallies and social distancing nearly nonexistent.Asked by CNN last week if the lack of candor from the Trump administration about the virus had cost lives, Fauci replied, “You know, it very likely did.”The Trump administration ended the practice of regular scientific briefings early in the pandemic, after Trump expressed anger over dire warnings about the virus by Dr. Nancy Messonnier, the CDC’s immunization and respiratory director who is leading the agency’s COVID-19 efforts.

President Biden's COVID -19 team issues warning 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/ntas/alerts/21_0127_ntas-bulletin.pdf" target="_blank">national terrorism bulletin</a>&nbsp;Wednesday warning of the potential for lingering violence from people motivated by anti-government sentiment after President Joe Biden’s election, suggesting the Jan. 6&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">riot at the Capitol</a>&nbsp;may embolden extremists and set the stage for additional attacks.

The department did not cite a specific threat, but pointed to “a heightened threat environment across the United States” that it believes “will persist” for weeks after Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration.

It is not uncommon for the federal government to warn local law enforcement through bulletins about the prospect for violence tied to a particular date or event, such as July 4.

But this particular bulletin, issued through the the department’s National Terrorism Advisory System, is notable because it effectively places the Biden administration into the politically charged debate over how to describe or characterize acts motivated by political ideology and suggests that it sees violence aimed at overturning the election as akin to terrorism.

The wording of the document suggests that national security officials see a connective thread between recent violence over the last year motivated by anti-government grievances, whether over COVID-19 restrictions, the 2020 election results and police use of force. It also singles out racially motivated acts of violence such as the 2019 rampage targeting Hispanics in Texas, as well as the threat posed by extremists motivated by foreign terrorist organizations.

“Information suggests that some ideologically-motivated violent extremists with objections to the exercise of governmental authority and the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances fueled by false narratives, could continue to mobilize to incite or commit violence,” the bulletin said.

It did not mention any ideological or political affiliation. A DHS statement noted the potential for violence from “a broad range of ideologically-motivated actors.”

The alert comes at a tense time after the riot at the Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump who were seeking to overturn the presidential election. DHS also noted violent riots in “recent days,” an apparent reference to events in Portland, Oregon, linked to anarchist groups.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611782393385.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/ntas/alerts/21_0127_ntas-bulletin.pdf" target="_blank">national terrorism bulletin</a>&nbsp;Wednesday warning of the potential for lingering violence from people motivated by anti-government sentiment after President Joe Biden’s election, suggesting the Jan. 6&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">riot at the Capitol</a>&nbsp;may embolden extremists and set the stage for additional attacks.The department did not cite a specific threat, but pointed to “a heightened threat environment across the United States” that it believes “will persist” for weeks after Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration.It is not uncommon for the federal government to warn local law enforcement through bulletins about the prospect for violence tied to a particular date or event, such as July 4.But this particular bulletin, issued through the the department’s National Terrorism Advisory System, is notable because it effectively places the Biden administration into the politically charged debate over how to describe or characterize acts motivated by political ideology and suggests that it sees violence aimed at overturning the election as akin to terrorism.The wording of the document suggests that national security officials see a connective thread between recent violence over the last year motivated by anti-government grievances, whether over COVID-19 restrictions, the 2020 election results and police use of force. It also singles out racially motivated acts of violence such as the 2019 rampage targeting Hispanics in Texas, as well as the threat posed by extremists motivated by foreign terrorist organizations.“Information suggests that some ideologically-motivated violent extremists with objections to the exercise of governmental authority and the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances fueled by false narratives, could continue to mobilize to incite or commit violence,” the bulletin said.It did not mention any ideological or political affiliation. A DHS statement noted the potential for violence from “a broad range of ideologically-motivated actors.”The alert comes at a tense time after the riot at the Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump who were seeking to overturn the presidential election. DHS also noted violent riots in “recent days,” an apparent reference to events in Portland, Oregon, linked to anarchist groups.

US terrorism alert warns of politically motivated violence

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem would support using a grand jury to decide whether charges should be filed against the state's attorney general, who struck and killed a man along a highway in September. 

Noem has been critical of the fact no decision has been made by prosecutors on whether Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg should face criminal charges in the Sept. 12 collision that took the life of 55-year-old Joseph Boever along Highway 14 west of Highmore. Prosecutors can use grand juries to file charges.

 Ravnsborg has said he assumed he hit a deer, but that he discovered Boever’s body the next morning when he returned to the scene. 

Ravnsborg has said he didn't commit a crime.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem would support using a grand jury to decide whether charges should be filed against the state's attorney general, who struck and killed a man along a highway in September. Noem has been critical of the fact no decision has been made by prosecutors on whether Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg should face criminal charges in the Sept. 12 collision that took the life of 55-year-old Joseph Boever along Highway 14 west of Highmore. Prosecutors can use grand juries to file charges. Ravnsborg has said he assumed he hit a deer, but that he discovered Boever’s body the next morning when he returned to the scene. Ravnsborg has said he didn't commit a crime.

Noem would support grand jury in attorney general crash case

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man has been arrested in an Omaha crash that killed a ride-share driver and his passenger. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that 40-year-old Chaz Booker was booked on suspicion of two counts of felony motor vehicle homicide, police said Tuesday evening. 

Police say he was speeding Jan. 11 when his sport utility vehicle struck a car, killing 49-year-old Z-Trip driver Terrell Lindsay and his passenger, 60-year-ld Laron Imani. 

Booker was taken to jail Monday upon his release from a hospital where he was treated for a head injury. 

The two vehicles struck another two vehicles, but no one else was injured.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man has been arrested in an Omaha crash that killed a ride-share driver and his passenger. The Omaha World-Herald reports that 40-year-old Chaz Booker was booked on suspicion of two counts of felony motor vehicle homicide, police said Tuesday evening. Police say he was speeding Jan. 11 when his sport utility vehicle struck a car, killing 49-year-old Z-Trip driver Terrell Lindsay and his passenger, 60-year-ld Laron Imani. Booker was taken to jail Monday upon his release from a hospital where he was treated for a head injury. The two vehicles struck another two vehicles, but no one else was injured.

Man booked in crash that killed ride-share driver, passenger

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Officials in the Omaha area are allocating $10 million of unspent federal coronavirus relief aid for rent, food aid and mental health services.

 The Omaha World-Herald reports that Douglas County Board member Mike Boyle said many people continue to be evicted from their homes despite a federal moratorium. And he described Tuesday’s decision to give $2 million in rent and mortgage assistance to the Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless to distribute as “a rare opportunity” to help people who are “really hurting.” 

Another $6 million will be earmarked for mental health, although the details haven’t been finalized. 

 The board also unanimously approved allowing $2 million to the the Food Bank for the Heartland.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Officials in the Omaha area are allocating $10 million of unspent federal coronavirus relief aid for rent, food aid and mental health services. The Omaha World-Herald reports that Douglas County Board member Mike Boyle said many people continue to be evicted from their homes despite a federal moratorium. And he described Tuesday’s decision to give $2 million in rent and mortgage assistance to the Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless to distribute as “a rare opportunity” to help people who are “really hurting.” Another $6 million will be earmarked for mental health, although the details haven’t been finalized. The board also unanimously approved allowing $2 million to the the Food Bank for the Heartland.

Unspent coronavirus aid to be spent on rent, food aid

PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) — The driver of a dump truck that killed two siblings from Millard has been sentenced to prison.

 Thirty-nine-year-old Jesse Knight, of Papillion, was sentenced Tuesday to four years and three months in prison in the August 2019 collision. 

Authorities said Knight was driving a dump truck that slammed into a minivan that was stopped at a light. 

The crash killed 10-year-old Stephen Young, and his 16-year-old sister, Abby Young. 

The children's mother, two siblings and three people in different vehicles were injured. 

Young was found guilty in November on two counts of felony motor vehicle homicide and two counts of reckless driving.

PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) — The driver of a dump truck that killed two siblings from Millard has been sentenced to prison. Thirty-nine-year-old Jesse Knight, of Papillion, was sentenced Tuesday to four years and three months in prison in the August 2019 collision. Authorities said Knight was driving a dump truck that slammed into a minivan that was stopped at a light. The crash killed 10-year-old Stephen Young, and his 16-year-old sister, Abby Young. The children's mother, two siblings and three people in different vehicles were injured. Young was found guilty in November on two counts of felony motor vehicle homicide and two counts of reckless driving.

Dump truck driver sentenced in wreck that killed 2 siblings

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri senator on Monday pitched a bill that would allow the use of deadly force against protesters on private property and give immunity to people who run over demonstrators blocking traffic.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/21info/bts_web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=54250840" target="_blank">proposal</a>&nbsp;is one of several that follow sometimes violent protests in Missouri last summer over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, including demonstrations that blocked traffic on busy roads in the St. Louis area.

“To think that your right to protest enables you the right to stop traffic and literally stop people’s ability to move about freely in this nation is a gross misunderstanding of our constitutional rights,” bill sponsor Sen. Rick Brattin said during the Monday hearing.

The Harrisonville Republican said blocking traffic can be dangerous if it stops ambulances or police from responding to emergencies.

Missouri civil rights leader the Rev. Darryl Gray told committee members that people also disagreed with how the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. protested, but “those same methods that you seek to criminalize are the same methods that helped to destroy Jim Crow laws, segregation and destroyed centuries of hatred and bigotry.”

He asked lawmakers not to expand the use of deadly force to those outside of law enforcement.

“If this bill is enacted it would vilify non-violent protesters,” Gray said. “I don’t believe that any members of this august body would deliberately seek to shield drivers who willfully choose to run over protesters.”

Brattin’s bill targets unlawful assemblies on a number of fronts, including making it a felony crime to block traffic as part of a protest. It also would expand misdemeanor harassment laws to include causing emotional distress during protests.

“People can’t even go have a nice meal without being harassed, run out,” Brattin said. “I wanted to ensure that people are able to go and enjoy their freedoms and liberties just like anyone else should be able to.”

Government employees convicted of participating in unlawful assemblies could no longer be paid and would be stripped of all other employment benefits. Cities and counties would be cut off from any state funding if local officials make cuts to police budgets that are significantly deeper than cuts to other services, an effort to stymie activists’ calls to defund the police.

Anyone charged with assaulting a law enforcement official or first responder also no longer would be eligible for bond, probation or parole under the legislation.

The Kansas City police union supports the bill.

The Senate committee hasn’t yet scheduled a vote on the bill.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri senator on Monday pitched a bill that would allow the use of deadly force against protesters on private property and give immunity to people who run over demonstrators blocking traffic.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/21info/bts_web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=54250840" target="_blank">proposal</a>&nbsp;is one of several that follow sometimes violent protests in Missouri last summer over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, including demonstrations that blocked traffic on busy roads in the St. Louis area.“To think that your right to protest enables you the right to stop traffic and literally stop people’s ability to move about freely in this nation is a gross misunderstanding of our constitutional rights,” bill sponsor Sen. Rick Brattin said during the Monday hearing.The Harrisonville Republican said blocking traffic can be dangerous if it stops ambulances or police from responding to emergencies.Missouri civil rights leader the Rev. Darryl Gray told committee members that people also disagreed with how the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. protested, but “those same methods that you seek to criminalize are the same methods that helped to destroy Jim Crow laws, segregation and destroyed centuries of hatred and bigotry.”He asked lawmakers not to expand the use of deadly force to those outside of law enforcement.“If this bill is enacted it would vilify non-violent protesters,” Gray said. “I don’t believe that any members of this august body would deliberately seek to shield drivers who willfully choose to run over protesters.”Brattin’s bill targets unlawful assemblies on a number of fronts, including making it a felony crime to block traffic as part of a protest. It also would expand misdemeanor harassment laws to include causing emotional distress during protests.“People can’t even go have a nice meal without being harassed, run out,” Brattin said. “I wanted to ensure that people are able to go and enjoy their freedoms and liberties just like anyone else should be able to.”Government employees convicted of participating in unlawful assemblies could no longer be paid and would be stripped of all other employment benefits. Cities and counties would be cut off from any state funding if local officials make cuts to police budgets that are significantly deeper than cuts to other services, an effort to stymie activists’ calls to defund the police.Anyone charged with assaulting a law enforcement official or first responder also no longer would be eligible for bond, probation or parole under the legislation.The Kansas City police union supports the bill.The Senate committee hasn’t yet scheduled a vote on the bill.

Missouri bill would allow deadly force against demonstrators

By JOSEPH PISANI-Associated Press&nbsp;&nbsp;

NEW YORK (AP) – Walmart is enlisting the help of robots to keep up with a surge in online orders.

The company said Wednesday that it plans to build warehouses at its stores where self-driving robots will fetch groceries and have them ready for shoppers to pick up in an hour or less.

Walmart declined to say how many of the warehouses it will build, but construction has started at stores in Lewisville, Texas; Plano, Texas; American Fork, Utah; and Bentonville, Arkansas, where Walmart’s corporate offices are based. A test site was opened more than a year ago at a store in Salem, New Hampshire.

Walmart hopes the warehouses will speed up curbside pickups, where orders are brought outside to shoppers' cars. Both options became increasingly popular as virus-weary shoppers avoid going inside stores. At the start of the pandemic last year, Walmart said delivery and pickup sales grew 300%.

The company said the robots won’t roam store aisles. Instead, they'll stay inside warehouses built in separate areas, either within a store or next to it. Windows will be placed at some locations so shoppers can watch the robots work.

The wheeled robots carry crates of apple juice, cereal and other small goods to Walmart workers, who then bag them for shoppers. Rival Amazon uses similar technology in its warehouses, with robots bringing books, vitamins and other small items to workers to box and ship.

Walmart said the robots save time since employees don’t have to walk store aisles to find items. Workers will, however, have to go into the store to pick out fresh groceries, such as meat, fish and vegetables. They’ll also have to grab TVs, vacuum cleaners and other large items that are too large for the robots to carry.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611746024036.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOSEPH PISANI-Associated Press&nbsp;&nbsp;NEW YORK (AP) – Walmart is enlisting the help of robots to keep up with a surge in online orders.The company said Wednesday that it plans to build warehouses at its stores where self-driving robots will fetch groceries and have them ready for shoppers to pick up in an hour or less.Walmart declined to say how many of the warehouses it will build, but construction has started at stores in Lewisville, Texas; Plano, Texas; American Fork, Utah; and Bentonville, Arkansas, where Walmart’s corporate offices are based. A test site was opened more than a year ago at a store in Salem, New Hampshire.Walmart hopes the warehouses will speed up curbside pickups, where orders are brought outside to shoppers' cars. Both options became increasingly popular as virus-weary shoppers avoid going inside stores. At the start of the pandemic last year, Walmart said delivery and pickup sales grew 300%.The company said the robots won’t roam store aisles. Instead, they'll stay inside warehouses built in separate areas, either within a store or next to it. Windows will be placed at some locations so shoppers can watch the robots work.The wheeled robots carry crates of apple juice, cereal and other small goods to Walmart workers, who then bag them for shoppers. Rival Amazon uses similar technology in its warehouses, with robots bringing books, vitamins and other small items to workers to box and ship.Walmart said the robots save time since employees don’t have to walk store aisles to find items. Workers will, however, have to go into the store to pick out fresh groceries, such as meat, fish and vegetables. They’ll also have to grab TVs, vacuum cleaners and other large items that are too large for the robots to carry.

Walmart to build more robot-filled warehouses at stores

WASHINGTON (AP) —Answering growing frustration over vaccine shortages, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the U.S. is ramping up deliveries to hard-pressed states over the next three weeks and expects to provide enough doses to vaccinate 300 million Americans by the end of the summer or early fall.

Biden, calling the push a “wartime effort,” said the administration was working to buy an additional 100 million doses of each of the two approved coronavirus vaccines. He acknowledged that states in recent weeks have been left guessing how much vaccine they will have from one week to the next.

Shortages have been so severe that some vaccination sites around the U.S. had to cancel tens of thousands of appointments with people seeking their first shot.

“This is unacceptable,” Biden said. “Lives are at stake.”

He promised a roughly 16% boost in deliveries to states over the next three weeks.

The administration said it plans to buy another 100 million doses each from drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna to ensure it has enough vaccine for the long term. Even more vaccine could be available if federal scientists approve a single-dose shot from Johnson &amp; Johnson, which is expected to seek emergency authorization in the coming weeks.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the government plans to make about 10.1 million first and second doses available next week, up from this week’s allotment of 8.6 million. The figures represent doses of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. It was not immediately clear how long the surge of doses could be sustained.

Governors and top health officials have been increasingly raising the alarm about inadequate supplies and the need for earlier and more reliable estimates of how much vaccine is on the way so that they can plan.

Biden’s team held its first virus-related call with the nation’s governors on Tuesday and pledged to provide states with firm vaccine allocations three weeks ahead of delivery.

Biden’s announcement came a day after he grew more bullish about exceeding his vaccine pledge to deliver 100 million injections in his first 100 days in office, suggesting that a rate of 1.5 million doses per day could soon be achieved.

The administration has also promised more openness and said it will hold news briefings three times a week, beginning Wednesday, about the outbreak that has killed over 420,000 Americans.

“We appreciate the administration stating that it will provide states with slightly higher allocations for the next few weeks, but we are going to need much more supply,” said Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican.

The setup inherited from the Trump administration has been marked by miscommunication and unexplained bottlenecks, with shortages reported in some places even as vaccine doses remain on the shelf.

Officials in West Virginia, which has had one of the best rates of administering vaccine, said they have fewer than 11,000 first doses on hand even after this week’s shipment.

“I’m screaming my head off” for more, Republican Gov. Jim Justice said.

California, which has faced criticism over a slow vaccine rollout, announced Tuesday that it is centralizing its hodgepodge of county systems and streamlining appointment sign-up, notification and eligibility. Residents have been baffled by the varying rules in different counties.

And in Colorado, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said that the limited supply of vaccine from the federal government is prompting the state to repurpose second doses as first doses, though he expects that people scheduled for their second shot will still be able to keep their appointments.

The weekly allocation cycle for first doses begins on Monday nights, when federal officials review data on vaccine availability from manufacturers to determine how much each state can have. Allocations are based on each jurisdiction’s population of people 18 and older.

States are notified on Tuesdays of their allocations through a computer network called Tiberius and other channels, after which they can specify where they want doses shipped. Deliveries start the following Monday.

A similar but separate process for ordering second doses, which must be given three to four weeks after the first, begins each week on Sunday night.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the CDC reported that just over half of the 44 million doses distributed to states have been put in people’s arms. That is well short of the hundreds of millions of doses that experts say will need to be administered to achieve herd immunity and conquer the outbreak.

The U.S. ranks fifth in the world in the number of doses administered relative to the country’s population, behind No. 1 Israel, United Arab Emirates, Britain and Bahrain, according to the University of Oxford.

The reason more of the available shots in the U.S. haven’t been dispensed isn’t entirely clear. But many vaccination sites are apparently holding large quantities of vaccine in reserve to make sure people who have already gotten their first shot receive the required second one on schedule.

Also, some state officials have complained of a lag between when they report their vaccination numbers to the government and when the figures are posted on the CDC website.

In the New Orleans area, Ochsner Health said Monday that inadequate supply forced the cancellation last week of 21,400 first-dose appointments but that second-dose appointments aren’t affected.

In North Carolina, Greensboro-based Cone Health announced it is canceling first-dose appointments for 10,000 people and moving them to a waiting list because of supply problems.

Jesse Williams, 81, of Reidsville, North Carolina, said his appointment Thursday with Cone Health was scratched, and he is waiting to hear when it might be rescheduled. The former volunteer firefighter had hoped the vaccine would enable him to resume attending church, playing golf and seeing friends.

“It’s just a frustration that we were expecting to be having our shots and being a little more resilient to COVID-19,” he said.

The vaccine rollout across the 27-nation European Union has also run into roadblocks and has likewise been criticized as too slow. Pfizer is delaying deliveries while it upgrades its plant in Belgium to increase capacity. And AstraZeneca disclosed that its initial shipment will be smaller than expected.

The EU, with 450 million citizens, is demanding that the pharmaceutical companies meet their commitments on schedule.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611700674264.png" alt="President Biden during a Tuesday news conference promised a roughly 16% boost in vaccine deliveries to states over the next three weeks-Photo courtesy White House&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>President Biden during a Tuesday news conference promised a roughly 16% boost in vaccine deliveries to states over the next three weeks-Photo courtesy White House&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Answering growing frustration over vaccine shortages, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the U.S. is ramping up deliveries to hard-pressed states over the next three weeks and expects to provide enough doses to vaccinate 300 million Americans by the end of the summer or early fall.Biden, calling the push a “wartime effort,” said the administration was working to buy an additional 100 million doses of each of the two approved coronavirus vaccines. He acknowledged that states in recent weeks have been left guessing how much vaccine they will have from one week to the next.Shortages have been so severe that some vaccination sites around the U.S. had to cancel tens of thousands of appointments with people seeking their first shot.“This is unacceptable,” Biden said. “Lives are at stake.”He promised a roughly 16% boost in deliveries to states over the next three weeks.The administration said it plans to buy another 100 million doses each from drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna to ensure it has enough vaccine for the long term. Even more vaccine could be available if federal scientists approve a single-dose shot from Johnson &amp; Johnson, which is expected to seek emergency authorization in the coming weeks.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the government plans to make about 10.1 million first and second doses available next week, up from this week’s allotment of 8.6 million. The figures represent doses of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. It was not immediately clear how long the surge of doses could be sustained.Governors and top health officials have been increasingly raising the alarm about inadequate supplies and the need for earlier and more reliable estimates of how much vaccine is on the way so that they can plan.Biden’s team held its first virus-related call with the nation’s governors on Tuesday and pledged to provide states with firm vaccine allocations three weeks ahead of delivery.Biden’s announcement came a day after he grew more bullish about exceeding his vaccine pledge to deliver 100 million injections in his first 100 days in office, suggesting that a rate of 1.5 million doses per day could soon be achieved.The administration has also promised more openness and said it will hold news briefings three times a week, beginning Wednesday, about the outbreak that has killed over 420,000 Americans.“We appreciate the administration stating that it will provide states with slightly higher allocations for the next few weeks, but we are going to need much more supply,” said Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican.The setup inherited from the Trump administration has been marked by miscommunication and unexplained bottlenecks, with shortages reported in some places even as vaccine doses remain on the shelf.Officials in West Virginia, which has had one of the best rates of administering vaccine, said they have fewer than 11,000 first doses on hand even after this week’s shipment.“I’m screaming my head off” for more, Republican Gov. Jim Justice said.California, which has faced criticism over a slow vaccine rollout, announced Tuesday that it is centralizing its hodgepodge of county systems and streamlining appointment sign-up, notification and eligibility. Residents have been baffled by the varying rules in different counties.And in Colorado, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said that the limited supply of vaccine from the federal government is prompting the state to repurpose second doses as first doses, though he expects that people scheduled for their second shot will still be able to keep their appointments.The weekly allocation cycle for first doses begins on Monday nights, when federal officials review data on vaccine availability from manufacturers to determine how much each state can have. Allocations are based on each jurisdiction’s population of people 18 and older.States are notified on Tuesdays of their allocations through a computer network called Tiberius and other channels, after which they can specify where they want doses shipped. Deliveries start the following Monday.A similar but separate process for ordering second doses, which must be given three to four weeks after the first, begins each week on Sunday night.As of Tuesday afternoon, the CDC reported that just over half of the 44 million doses distributed to states have been put in people’s arms. That is well short of the hundreds of millions of doses that experts say will need to be administered to achieve herd immunity and conquer the outbreak.The U.S. ranks fifth in the world in the number of doses administered relative to the country’s population, behind No. 1 Israel, United Arab Emirates, Britain and Bahrain, according to the University of Oxford.The reason more of the available shots in the U.S. haven’t been dispensed isn’t entirely clear. But many vaccination sites are apparently holding large quantities of vaccine in reserve to make sure people who have already gotten their first shot receive the required second one on schedule.Also, some state officials have complained of a lag between when they report their vaccination numbers to the government and when the figures are posted on the CDC website.In the New Orleans area, Ochsner Health said Monday that inadequate supply forced the cancellation last week of 21,400 first-dose appointments but that second-dose appointments aren’t affected.In North Carolina, Greensboro-based Cone Health announced it is canceling first-dose appointments for 10,000 people and moving them to a waiting list because of supply problems.Jesse Williams, 81, of Reidsville, North Carolina, said his appointment Thursday with Cone Health was scratched, and he is waiting to hear when it might be rescheduled. The former volunteer firefighter had hoped the vaccine would enable him to resume attending church, playing golf and seeing friends.“It’s just a frustration that we were expecting to be having our shots and being a little more resilient to COVID-19,” he said.The vaccine rollout across the 27-nation European Union has also run into roadblocks and has likewise been criticized as too slow. Pfizer is delaying deliveries while it upgrades its plant in Belgium to increase capacity. And AstraZeneca disclosed that its initial shipment will be smaller than expected.The EU, with 450 million citizens, is demanding that the pharmaceutical companies meet their commitments on schedule.___

Biden: More vaccine is on the way

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Tuesday rescinded a Trump-era memo that established a “zero tolerance” enforcement policy for migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, which resulted in thousands of family separations.

Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson issued the new memo to federal prosecutors across the nation, saying the department would return to its longstanding previous policy and instructing prosecutors to act on the merits of individual cases.

“Consistent with this longstanding principle of making individualized assessments in criminal cases, I am rescinding — effective immediately — the policy directive,” Wilkinson wrote.

Wilkinson said the department’s principles have “long emphasized that decisions about bringing criminal charges should involve not only a determination that a federal offense has been committed and that the admissible evidence will probably be sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction, but should also take into account other individualized factors, including personal circumstances and criminal history, the seriousness of the offense, and the probable sentence or other consequences that would result from a conviction.”

The “zero tolerance” policy meant that any adult caught crossing the border illegally would be prosecuted for illegal entry. Because children cannot be jailed with their family members,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/63e7e47666914bf79eff7366e8eb411b">families were separated</a>&nbsp;and children were taken into custody by Health and Human Services, which manages unaccompanied children at the border.

While the rescinding of “zero tolerance” is in part symbolic, it undoes the Trump administration’s massively unpopular policy responsible for the separation of more than 5,500 children from their parents at the U.S-Mexico border. Most families have not been prosecuted under zero tolerance since 2018, when the separations were halted, though separations have continued on a smaller scale. Practically, the ending of the policy will affect mostly single men who have entered the country illegally. Prosecutions had dropped sharply after the Trump administration declared a pandemic-related health emergency that allows them to immediately expel Mexicans and many Central Americans without applying immigration laws.

“While policies may change, our mission always remains the same: to seek justice under the law,” Wilkinson wrote in the memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press.

President Joe Biden has issued an executive order to undo some of Trump’s restrictive policies, but the previous administration has so altered the immigration landscape that it will take quite a while to untangle all the major changes. Some of the parents separated from their children were deported. Advocates for the families have called on Biden to allow those families to reunite in the United States.

Then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, along with Trump and other top leaders in his administration, were bent on curbing immigration. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f11e70e3d8c7424d8c0a01ae41ca15a7">“zero tolerance” policy&nbsp;</a>was one of several increasingly restrictive policies aimed at discouraging migrants from coming to the Southern border. Trump’s administration also vastly reduced the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. and all but halted asylum at the border, through a combination of executive orders and regulation changes.

The policy was a disaster; there was no system created to reunite children with their families. A report from the Justice Department’s inspector general,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aclu-doj-zero-tolerance-policy-failure-b8e6e0a189f5752697335f51d57b1628">released earlier this month</a>, found that the policy led to a $227 million funding shortfall. Children suffered lasting emotional damage from the separations, and the policy was criticized as grossly inhumane by world leaders.

The policy began April 6, 2018, under an executive order that was issued without warning to other federal agencies that would have to manage the policy, including the U.S. Marshals Service and Health and Human Services. It was halted June 20, 2018. A federal judge ordered the families to be reunited.

The watchdog report also found that Sessions and other top officials knew the children would be separated under the policy and encouraged it. Justice officials ignored concerns from staff about the rollout and did not bother to set up a system to track families in order to reunite them. Some children are still separated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1565991611783.png" alt="Near McAllen, TX, migrants who crossed the Rio Grande surrender to U.S. Border Patrol agents near an area known as Rincon on June 5, 2019 From here, they are transported to a processing center. photo courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection" />
 <figcaption>Near McAllen, TX, migrants who crossed the Rio Grande surrender to U.S. Border Patrol agents near an area known as Rincon on June 5, 2019 From here, they are transported to a processing center. photo courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Tuesday rescinded a Trump-era memo that established a “zero tolerance” enforcement policy for migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, which resulted in thousands of family separations.Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson issued the new memo to federal prosecutors across the nation, saying the department would return to its longstanding previous policy and instructing prosecutors to act on the merits of individual cases.“Consistent with this longstanding principle of making individualized assessments in criminal cases, I am rescinding — effective immediately — the policy directive,” Wilkinson wrote.Wilkinson said the department’s principles have “long emphasized that decisions about bringing criminal charges should involve not only a determination that a federal offense has been committed and that the admissible evidence will probably be sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction, but should also take into account other individualized factors, including personal circumstances and criminal history, the seriousness of the offense, and the probable sentence or other consequences that would result from a conviction.”The “zero tolerance” policy meant that any adult caught crossing the border illegally would be prosecuted for illegal entry. Because children cannot be jailed with their family members,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/63e7e47666914bf79eff7366e8eb411b">families were separated</a>&nbsp;and children were taken into custody by Health and Human Services, which manages unaccompanied children at the border.While the rescinding of “zero tolerance” is in part symbolic, it undoes the Trump administration’s massively unpopular policy responsible for the separation of more than 5,500 children from their parents at the U.S-Mexico border. Most families have not been prosecuted under zero tolerance since 2018, when the separations were halted, though separations have continued on a smaller scale. Practically, the ending of the policy will affect mostly single men who have entered the country illegally. Prosecutions had dropped sharply after the Trump administration declared a pandemic-related health emergency that allows them to immediately expel Mexicans and many Central Americans without applying immigration laws.“While policies may change, our mission always remains the same: to seek justice under the law,” Wilkinson wrote in the memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press.President Joe Biden has issued an executive order to undo some of Trump’s restrictive policies, but the previous administration has so altered the immigration landscape that it will take quite a while to untangle all the major changes. Some of the parents separated from their children were deported. Advocates for the families have called on Biden to allow those families to reunite in the United States.Then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, along with Trump and other top leaders in his administration, were bent on curbing immigration. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f11e70e3d8c7424d8c0a01ae41ca15a7">“zero tolerance” policy&nbsp;</a>was one of several increasingly restrictive policies aimed at discouraging migrants from coming to the Southern border. Trump’s administration also vastly reduced the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. and all but halted asylum at the border, through a combination of executive orders and regulation changes.The policy was a disaster; there was no system created to reunite children with their families. A report from the Justice Department’s inspector general,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aclu-doj-zero-tolerance-policy-failure-b8e6e0a189f5752697335f51d57b1628">released earlier this month</a>, found that the policy led to a $227 million funding shortfall. Children suffered lasting emotional damage from the separations, and the policy was criticized as grossly inhumane by world leaders.The policy began April 6, 2018, under an executive order that was issued without warning to other federal agencies that would have to manage the policy, including the U.S. Marshals Service and Health and Human Services. It was halted June 20, 2018. A federal judge ordered the families to be reunited.The watchdog report also found that Sessions and other top officials knew the children would be separated under the policy and encouraged it. Justice officials ignored concerns from staff about the rollout and did not bother to set up a system to track families in order to reunite them. Some children are still separated.

DOJ rescinds ‘zero tolerance’ immigration rule

WASHINGTON— (AP) President Joe Biden on Tuesday ordered the Department of Justice to end its reliance on private prisons and acknowledge the central role government has played in implementing discriminatory housing policies.

In remarks before signing the order, Biden said the U.S. government needs to change “its whole approach” on the issue of racial equity. He added that the nation is less prosperous and secure because of the scourge of systemic racism.

“We must change now,” the president said. “I know it’s going to take time, but I know we can do it. And I firmly believe the nation is ready to change. But government has to change as well.”

Biden rose to the presidency during a year of intense reckoning on institutional racism in the U.S. The moves announced on Tuesday reflect his efforts to follow through with campaign pledges to combat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/racial-injustice">racial injustice.</a>

Beyond calling on the Justice Department to curb the use of private prisons and address housing discrimination, the new orders will recommit the federal government to respect tribal sovereignty and disavow discrimination against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community over the coronavirus pandemic.

Biden directed the Department of Housing and Urban Development in a memorandum to take steps to promote equitable housing policy. The memorandum calls for HUD to examine the effects of Trump regulatory actions that may have undermined fair housing policies and laws.

Months before the November election, the Trump administration rolled back an Obama-era rule that required communities that wanted to receive HUD funding to document and report patterns of racial bias.

The order to end the reliance on privately-run prisons directs the attorney general not to renew Justice Department contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities. The move will effectively revert the Justice Department to the same posture it held at the end of the Obama administration.

“This is a first step to stop corporations from profiting off of incarceration,” Biden said.

The more than 14,000 federal inmates housed at privately-managed facilities represent a fraction of the nearly 152,000 federal inmates currently incarcerated.

The federal Bureau of Prisons had already opted not to renew some private prison contracts in recent months as the number of inmates dwindled and thousands were released to home confinement because of the coronavirus pandemic.

GEO Group, a private company that operates federal prisons, called the Biden order “a solution in search of a problem. ”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611700794973.png" alt="President Biden sees addressing equity issues as also good for the nation’s bottom line. -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden sees addressing equity issues as also good for the nation’s bottom line. -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON— (AP) President Joe Biden on Tuesday ordered the Department of Justice to end its reliance on private prisons and acknowledge the central role government has played in implementing discriminatory housing policies.In remarks before signing the order, Biden said the U.S. government needs to change “its whole approach” on the issue of racial equity. He added that the nation is less prosperous and secure because of the scourge of systemic racism.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611700891419.png" alt="Image Courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>“We must change now,” the president said. “I know it’s going to take time, but I know we can do it. And I firmly believe the nation is ready to change. But government has to change as well.”Biden rose to the presidency during a year of intense reckoning on institutional racism in the U.S. The moves announced on Tuesday reflect his efforts to follow through with campaign pledges to combat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/racial-injustice">racial injustice.</a>Beyond calling on the Justice Department to curb the use of private prisons and address housing discrimination, the new orders will recommit the federal government to respect tribal sovereignty and disavow discrimination against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community over the coronavirus pandemic.Biden directed the Department of Housing and Urban Development in a memorandum to take steps to promote equitable housing policy. The memorandum calls for HUD to examine the effects of Trump regulatory actions that may have undermined fair housing policies and laws.Months before the November election, the Trump administration rolled back an Obama-era rule that required communities that wanted to receive HUD funding to document and report patterns of racial bias.The order to end the reliance on privately-run prisons directs the attorney general not to renew Justice Department contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities. The move will effectively revert the Justice Department to the same posture it held at the end of the Obama administration.“This is a first step to stop corporations from profiting off of incarceration,” Biden said.The more than 14,000 federal inmates housed at privately-managed facilities represent a fraction of the nearly 152,000 federal inmates currently incarcerated.The federal Bureau of Prisons had already opted not to renew some private prison contracts in recent months as the number of inmates dwindled and thousands were released to home confinement because of the coronavirus pandemic.GEO Group, a private company that operates federal prisons, called the Biden order “a solution in search of a problem. ”“Given the steps the BOP had already announced, today’s Executive Order merely represents a political statement, which could carry serious negative unintended consequences, including the loss of hundreds of jobs and negative economic impact for the communities where our facilities are located, which are already struggling economically due to the COVID pandemic,” a GEO Group spokesperson said in a statement.David Fathi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s National Prison Project, noted that the order does not end the federal government’s reliance on privately-run immigration detention centers.“The order signed today is an important first step toward acknowledging the harm that has been caused and taking actions to repair it, but President Biden has an obligation to do more, especially given his history and promises,” Fathi said.The memorandum highlighting xenophobia against Asian Americans is in large part a reaction to what White House officials say was offensive and dangerous rhetoric from the Trump administration. Trump, throughout the pandemic, repeatedly used&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a7c233f0b3bcdb72c06cca6271ba6713">xenophobic language</a>&nbsp;in public comments when referring to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus</a>.This memorandum will direct Health and Human Services officials to consider issuing guidance describing best practices to advance cultural competency and sensitivity toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the federal government’s COVID-19 response. It also directs the Department of Justice to partner with AAPI communities to prevent hate crimes and harassment.The latest executive actions come after Biden signed an order Monday reversing a Trump-era Pentagon policy that largely barred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-reverse-ban-transgender-military-f0ace4f9866e0ca0df021eba75b3af20">transgender people</a>&nbsp;from serving in the military. Last week, he signed an order reversing Trump’s ban on travelers from several predominantly Muslim and African countries.Biden last week also directed law enforcement and intelligence officials in his administration to study the threat of domestic violent extremism in the United States, an undertaking launched weeks after a mob of insurgents loyal to Trump, including some connected to white supremacist groups, stormed the U.S. Capitol.White House domestic policy adviser Susan Rice said Biden sees addressing equity issues as also good for the nation’s bottom line. She cited a Citigroup study from last year that U.S. gross domestic product lost $16 trillion over the last 20 years as a result of discriminatory practices in a range of areas, including in education and access to business loans. The same study finds the U.S. economy would be boosted by $5 trillion over the next five years if it addressed issues of discrimination in areas such as education and access to business loans.“Building a more equitable economy is essential if Americans are going to compete and thrive in the 21st century,” Rice added.Biden’s victory over Trump in several battleground states, including Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, was fueled by strong Black voter turnout.Throughout his campaign and transition, Biden promised that his administration would keep issues of equity — as well as climate change, another issue he views as an existential crisis — in the shaping of all policy considerations.Biden, who followed through on early promise to pick a woman to serve as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-vice-president-f86d6be83bf83fe9b823ae7e21f94796">vice president</a>, has also sought to spotlight the diversity of his Cabinet selections.On Monday, the Senate confirmed Biden’s pick for treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, who is the first woman to lead the department. Last week, the Senate confirmed Lloyd Austin as the nation’s first Black defense secretary.___