Why Occidental Petroleum, Callon Petroleum, and Kosmos Energy Rallied Over 70% Each in November

Reuben Gregg Brewer, The Motley Fool
·3 min read
Why Occidental Petroleum, Callon Petroleum, and Kosmos Energy Rallied Over 70% Each in November

Exploration and production names rocketed higher in November, but is the news as good as the stock advances suggest?

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  • AP source: Lawmakers threatened ahead of impeachment trial

    WASHINGTON — Federal law enforcement officials are examining a number of threats aimed at members of Congress as the second trial of former President Donald Trump nears, including ominous chatter about killing legislators or attacking them outside of the U.S. Capitol, a U.S. official told The Associated Press. The threats, and concerns that armed protesters could return to sack the Capitol anew, have prompted the U.S. Capitol Police and other federal law enforcement to insist thousands of National Guard troops remain in Washington as the Senate moves forward with plans for Trump's trial, the official said Sunday. The shocking insurrection at the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob prompted federal officials to rethink security in and around its landmarks, resulting in an unprecedented lockdown for Biden's inauguration. Though the event went off without any problems and armed protests around the country did not materialize, the threats to lawmakers ahead of Trump's trial exemplified the continued potential for danger. Similar to those intercepted by investigators ahead of Biden’s inauguration, the threats that law enforcement agents are tracking vary in specificity and credibility, said the official, who had been briefed on the matter. Mainly posted online and in chat groups, the messages have included plots to attack members of Congress during travel to and from the Capitol complex during the trial, according to the official. The official was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. Law enforcement officials are already starting to plan for the possibility of armed protesters returning to the nation's capital when Trump’s Senate trial on a charge of inciting a violent insurrection begins the week of Feb. 8. It would be the first impeachment trial of a former U.S. president. Thousands of Trump’s supporters descended on the Capitol on Jan. 6 as Congress met to certify Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential race. More than 800 are believed to have made their way into the Capitol during the violent siege, pushing past overwhelmed police officers. The Capitol police said they planned for a free speech protest, not a riot, and were caught off guard despite intelligence suggesting the rally would descend into a riot. Five people died in the melee, including a Capitol police officer who was struck in the head with a fire extinguisher. Though much of the security apparatus around Washington set up after the riot and ahead of Biden’s inauguration — it included scores of military checkpoints and hundreds of additional law enforcement personnel — is no longer in place, about 7,000 members of the National Guard will remain to assist federal law enforcement, officials said. The Guard Bureau said that the number of Guard members in D.C. is less than 20,000 as of Sunday. All but about 7,000 of those will go home in the coming days. The Guard Bureau said that the number of troops in D.C. would then continue to decline in the coming weeks to about 5,000. They are expected to stay in D.C. until mid-March. At least five people facing federal charges have suggested they believed they were taking orders from Trump when they marched on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6 to challenge the certification of Biden’s election victory. But now those comments, captured in interviews with reporters and federal agents, are likely to take centre stage as Democrats lay out their case. More than 130 people have been charged by federal prosecutors for their roles in the riot. In recent weeks, others have been arrested after posting threats against members of Congress. They include a Proud Boys supporter who authorities said threatened to deploy “three cars full of armed patriots” to Washington, threatened harm against Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and who is accused of stockpiling military-style combat knives and more than 1,000 rifle rounds in his New York home. A Texas man was arrested this week for taking part in the riot at the Capitol and for posting violent threats, including a call to assassinate Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y ___ Associated Press writer Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report. Michael Balsamo, The Associated Press

  • A look at COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada on Jan. 24, 2021

    The latest numbers on COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada as of 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday Jan. 24, 2021. In Canada, the provinces are reporting 15,213 new vaccinations administered for a total of 816,451 doses given. The provinces have administered doses at a rate of 2,154.265 per 100,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to the provinces and territories for a total of 1,122,450 doses delivered so far. The provinces and territories have used 72.74 per cent of their available vaccine supply. Please note that Newfoundland, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the territories typically do not report on a daily basis. Newfoundland is reporting 3,258 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 8,549 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 16.326 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Newfoundland for a total of 16,500 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 3.2 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 51.81 per cent of its available vaccine supply. P.E.I. is reporting 1,423 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 6,525 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 41.134 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to P.E.I. for a total of 9,225 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 5.8 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 70.73 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Nova Scotia is reporting 2,975 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 10,575 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 10.836 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Nova Scotia for a total of 28,850 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 3.0 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 36.66 per cent of its available vaccine supply. New Brunswick is reporting 2,704 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 10,436 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 13.379 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to New Brunswick for a total of 21,675 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 2.8 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 48.15 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Quebec is reporting 8,503 new vaccinations administered for a total of 218,755 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 25.565 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Quebec for a total of 238,100 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 2.8 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 91.88 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Ontario is reporting 4,427 new vaccinations administered for a total of 280,573 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 19.101 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Ontario for a total of 411,650 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 2.8 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 68.16 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Manitoba is reporting 1,389 new vaccinations administered for a total of 28,941 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 21.017 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Manitoba for a total of 55,650 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 4.0 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 52.01 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Saskatchewan is reporting 654 new vaccinations administered for a total of 33,039 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 28.019 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Saskatchewan for a total of 32,725 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 2.8 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 101 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Alberta is reporting 240 new vaccinations administered for a total of 99,047 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 22.50 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Alberta for a total of 122,725 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 2.8 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 80.71 per cent of its available vaccine supply. British Columbia is reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 110,566 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 21.546 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to British Columbia for a total of 144,550 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 2.8 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 76.49 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Yukon is reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 3,730 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 89.382 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Yukon for a total of 14,400 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 35 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 25.9 per cent of its available vaccine supply. The Northwest Territories are reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 1,893 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 41.956 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to the Northwest Territories for a total of 14,400 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 32 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 13.15 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Nunavut is reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 3,822 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 98.693 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Nunavut for a total of 12,000 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 31 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 31.85 per cent of its available vaccine supply. *Notes on data: The figures are compiled by the COVID-19 Open Data Working Group based on the latest publicly available data and are subject to change. Note that some provinces report weekly, while others report same-day or figures from the previous day. Vaccine doses administered is not equivalent to the number of people inoculated as the approved vaccines require two doses per person. The vaccines are currently not being administered to children under 18 and those with certain health conditions. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published Jan. 24, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Le Huet Center glisse jusqu’à Montréal !

    David Huet, sa conjointe Marie, ainsi que les enfants ne manquent pas de surface glacée en temps de confinement. David a décidé de créer une super patinoire, faisant partie à présent des coups de cœur sur le site des Canadiens de Montréal, après avoir pris l’initiative de eur faire parvenir une photo. David et son frère ont toujours eu des patins aux pieds. Il était évident que la progéniture allait suivre les traces! Le jeune Huet fait, depuis quelques années déjà, une patinoire derrière chez lui. Mais, en temps de COVID, disons qu’il s’est gâté un peu plus, permettant ainsi aux enfants de pouvoir pratiquer un sport qu’ils adorent, tout en occupant l’esprit et profitant de l’air pur. Le Huet Center se retrouve actuellement dans les plus belles patinoires sur la page officielle des Canadiens de Montréal. David a pris soin de mettre sur ses bandes les logos de commerçants locaux, un beau clin d’oeil pour ceux-ci. Et qui sait, David méritera peut-être une carte cadeau s’il remporte le concours, mais peu importe, les enfants auront eu des heures de plaisir.Karine Lachance, Initiative de journalisme local, Ma Côte-Nord

  • PORTRAIT | Un musée dédié au King, Elvis Presley, dans le sous-sol de Jean-Marie Dumas

    En janvier 2021, Elvis Presley aurait eu 86 ans. Le culte du King se sera transposé jusqu’à Matane, car l’extase et la félicité que Jean-Marie Dumas porte pour Elvis ne seront jamais essoufflées, même après plus de 60 ans. À sa résidence de l’avenue Jacques-Cartier, il cache une vaste collection d’objets à l’effigie ou dédiés à l’image d’Elvis Presley. L’adoration de Jean-Marie Dumas pour Elvis a commencé un peu avant 1960, lorsqu’il a vu son premier film d’Elvis. Jean-Marie n’avait que 17 ans et un après-midi, alors que lui et son ami étaient ennuyés puisqu’il n’y avait rien de bon à faire cette journée-là, ils se sont rendus au cinéma à Matane pour aller voir le film Bagarres au King Créole.  Après tout, à l’époque, le cinéma coûtait 25 cents. Ils s’y sont donc rendus, sans avoir d’attentes. Dès la première chanson d’Elvis, Jean-Marie Dumas a eu la piqûre. Il adorait sa voix, et comment il se comportait sur la scène, et la chanson Trouble l’a particulièrement marqué. Après le film, il est revenu en courant chez ses parents partager la bonne nouvelle. La folie d’Elvis s’est déclenchée : Jean-Marie s’achète un phonographe automatique et commence à débourser pour de nouveaux disques. « Elvis jouait le matin, le midi puis le soir. Et de temps en temps, ça cognait contre le mur et je me disais, « ce n’est pas assez fort », a-t-il ri. Avant le début des années 1950, le monde n’avait pas entendu parler d’Elvis. Il est arrivé comme une bombe dans les vies de milliers de jeunes, marquant une génération après-guerre entière. Le début de la carrière du King est d’ailleurs la décennie musicale de Jean-Marie, avec les chansons spéciales That’s All Right Mama, Blue Moon of Kentucky, Mystery Train ou Heartbreak Hotel, qui sont toutes près de son cœur. En 60 ans d’écoute d’Elvis, Jean-Marie Dumas ne s’est jamais tanné d’écouter. Ce qu’il apprécie le plus, c’est sa voix unique et son déhanchement. « Et je vais mourir avec ça, c’est certain. Ils finiront par mettre des objets à l’effigie d’Elvis dans ma tombe », rigole-t-il.  D’ailleurs, son héritage perdurera selon M. Dumas, car il « a été un pionnier de la musique moderne. Il fait partie de l’histoire culturelle commune et l’initiateur d’un genre unique. » Il a fait scandale au début des années 50, sa musique était « le diable en personne » comme Dumas dit. « C’est sa voix qui fait que la légende perdure », a ajouté Dumas. Dès 1960, Jean-Marie commence sa collection, et ne ralentit jamais pour les années suivantes. Aujourd’hui, il affirme posséder plus 5000 objets en lien avec Elvis, une collection évaluée à plus de 75 000 $. Selon lui, il aurait plus de 600 vinyles ou moins d’un huitième de ce qui est offert dans le monde, 200 cassettes, 700 CDs et 600 DVDs, offrant le visionnement de plusieurs spectacles. Il a plusieurs costumes d’Elvis Presley également qu’il ne porte pas, mais qu’il est ravi de posséder. Également, Jean-Marie fait des collages qu’il place dans des albums. Aussitôt qu’il passe quelque chose sur Elvis, il le découpe et le colle. Il tient désormais plus d’une quinzaine d’albums. Certains produits à l’effigie d’Elvis sont vendus trop chers selon Jean-Marie, comme des bouteilles de vin à 45 $ sans le prix du transport. Il juge alors que la dépense n’en vaut pas la peine. Sa possession la plus chère est le portrait d’Elvis sculpté dans le bois, remis par son frère à l’une de ses fêtes il y a déjà plusieurs années. « C’est une pièce de collection, c’est unique. Ça a été fait à Québec par un artiste local », a-t-il expliqué. Des livres et des disques sur Elvis Presley continuent d’être lancés continuellement, même 40 ans après la mort d’Elvis. « Il sort environ 2 ou 3 livres sur Elvis par semaine. C’est difficile à croire, mais c’est vrai, et ils se vendent entre 200 et 300 dollars », a-t-il lancé. « Et ça doit se vendre, parce que ça n’arrête pas. » Il commande parfois des disques d’Elvis de pair avec un ami collectionneur de Sainte-Anne-des-Monts pour un coût de livraison moins onéreux. N’ayant pas arrêté de chercher de nouvelles pièces de collection depuis 1960, il assure d’être arrivé à rassembler autant d’objets en 2010 qu’en 1970. Tout de même, l’arrivée de l’internet a facilité l’acquisition et la recherche active. Sa dernière commande date d’il y a un mois, un nouvel album venant de France : « C’est mon dernier petit bébé », dit-il. Avant le World Wide Web, M. Dumas recevait une tonne de revues et de journaux chez lui pour s’informer. En 1992, lui et sa conjointe ont participé à un voyage organisé en autocar jusqu’à Memphis au Tennessee. Ils ont traversé le Midwest américain pour se rendre jusqu’au sud. « Nous étions une grosse gang de craqués qui n’avaient jamais vu Elvis en personne », s’est-il bidonné. Là-bas, ils ont visité Graceland et l’école de son enfance, et le soir, ils ont assisté au Candlelight. Ils ont aussi déboursé de l’argent un livre souvenir, mais il y avait tellement de monde qu’ils ne s’y trouvent pas. Jean-Marie Dumas se dit d’ailleurs très fier du disque d’or acheté lors de son voyage à Memphis. « C’est un long jeu de 45 tours acheté pour 250 dollars américains. Ça a été une grosse dépense, mais je suis vraiment heureux de l’avoir », a-t-il indiqué. Jean-Marie et sa conjointe viennent tous les deux de Matane. Leurs parents restaient l’un en arrière de l’autre et leurs pères travaillaient ensemble dans un garage sur l’avenue du Phare Est. Cette année, cela fera 54 ans qu’ils sont mariés, et ils ont aussi une fille de 52 ans demeurant à Drummondville, qui elle, plus jeune, a toujours préféré Michael Jackson à Elvis. Sa femme l’a toujours appuyé dans sa passion. Elle l’aide même à fournir sa collection, en écoutant par exemple des émissions d’information à la télévision. Ensemble, ils sont allés voir les spectacles de Martin Fontaine, « Elvis Story », au Capitole de Québec, 9 années de file sur 10. Ils ont manqué le spectacle de 1998 car Jean-Marie était aux prises avec des problèmes de santé. À l’avenir, Jean-Marie continuera à collectionner, sauf si un jour, un futur fan d’Elvis l’approche pour acheter sa collection. « Rendu à mon âge, si quelqu’un arrivait chez moi et me proposait 100 000 $, c’est sûr que je donnerais tout, même si ça me ferait un peu de peine », a-t-il dit. Au décès d’Elvis, le 16 août 1977, Jean-Marie Dumas a été très triste. C’était même une catastrophe selon lui. « Je ne m’y attendais pas, même s’il était malade. En juillet 1977, on était en vacances à Old Orchard et on est allés visiter Portland. Un spectacle se préparait pour août 1977, on a vu des affiches publicitaires, mais finalement il est décédé avant. » M. Dumas n’est pas convaincu par les théories du complot à son sujet. « Il aimait trop sa fille. Et on s’en serait sûrement aperçu s’il n’était pas mort, j’en suis certain », a-t-il avancé. Et selon Jean-Marie Dumas, bien que le King soit décédé depuis des années, ce n’est que son enveloppe corporelle, car son essence continue de vivre. À jamais.Claudie Arseneault, Initiative de journalisme local, Mon Matane

  • Teen who worked at long-term care home dies of COVID-19

    Yassin Dabeh, 19, who worked as a cleaner at a long-term care home in Ontario, died after being diagnosed with COVID-19. The Middlesex-London Health Unit said the teen is the youngest person in the region diagnosed with the virus to die.

  • 26 people infected in COVID-19 outbreak at Surrey emergency shelter

    Fraser Health has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the Surrey Emergency Response Centre after two staff members and 24 clients tested positive for the virus. The unused rec centre was set up as an emergency space last April able to shelter up to 110 homeless people needing to self-isolate during the pandemic. Staff and clients are now being screened for symptoms while those who tested positive and their close contacts have been instructed to self-isolate. Fraser Health says in a news release from Saturday that it is working on-site with the Fraser Health Mental Health and Substance Use team to implement COVID-19 mitigation strategies and infection control measures. The release also reminded people living in the Fraser Health region to use the COVID-19 assessment tool and get tested as soon as they feel COVID-19-like symptoms, even mild ones. "Please don't wait, and book or drop by one of our collection centres which are operated in partnership with local Divisions of Family Practice," reads the statement. Meanwhile, outbreaks at Menno Home in Abbotsford and The Harrison at Elim Village in Surrey have been declared over.

  • Exclusive: Taiwan ministry says TSMC will prioritise auto chips if possible

    Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC) will prioritise production of auto chips if it is able to further increase capacity, Taiwan's Economics Ministry told Reuters, amid a global shortage that has hampered car production. A ministry official said Minister Wang Mei-hua spoke to senior company executives on Sunday about the issue. TSMC had told the ministry it will "optimise" the production process of chips to make it more efficient and prioritise auto chip production if it is able to further increase capacity, the ministry said.

  • From factory to faraway village: behind India's mammoth vaccination drive

    Reena Jani rose early, finished her chores in the crisp January cold and walked uphill to the road skirting her remote tribal hamlet of Pendajam in eastern India. Jani's name was on a list of 100 health workers at the centre, making her one of the first Indians to be inoculated against COVID-19 earlier this month, as the country rolls out a vaccination programme the government calls the world's biggest. It was taken by plane, truck and van some 1,700 km from the factory to the clinic where Jani waited, and it had to be kept cold the whole way.

  • Reigning champion Chiefs dump Bills 38-24 in AFC title game

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It took the Kansas City Chiefs five frustrating decades to make their second Super Bowl appearance. Now, the defending champs are headed there for the second straight year. Showing no lingering effects from his concussion, Patrick Mahomes sliced up Buffalo's secondary with ruthless efficiency Sunday night, helping the Chiefs roll to a 38-24 victory over Josh Allen and the Bills in the AFC championship game. The reigning Super Bowl MVP finished with 325 yards passing and three touchdowns, most of it to favourite targets Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, who complemented their star quarterback with a record-setting night of their own. The Chiefs will face a familiar foe — Tom Brady — and the NFC champ Buccaneers in two weeks in Tampa, Florida. “It was just trusting each other. The best thing about this team is we believe in each other," said Mahomes, who was also dealing with a toe injury. “But the job's not finished. We're going to Tampa; we're trying to run it back." Kelce finished with 13 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns, and Hill added nine catches for 172 yards, becoming the first duo in NFL history with consecutive games of at least 100 yards receiving each in a single post-season. Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Darrel Williams added short TD runs for the Chiefs, who will try to become the eighth franchise and first team since the Brady-led New England Patriots in 2003 and '04 to defend the Lombardi Trophy. Allen, who had his worst game of the season in a Week 6 loss to the Chiefs, again struggled against the blitzing Kansas City defence. He finished with 287 yards passing with two touchdowns and an interception, but a big chunk of his numbers came as the Bills tried to rally from a 38-15 deficit in the final minutes. Their frustration boiled over with 3:19 to go, when Allen was getting sacked by Tanoh Kpassagnon. Alex Okafor finished off the tackle, and Allen pitched the ball in his face in resentment. Offensive linemen Jon Feliciano and Dion Dawkins rushed in and levelled Okafor, resulting in a flood of offsetting personal foul penalties. It capped a bitter loss for the Bills, who had reached their first AFC title game since beating Kansas City at home on Jan. 1, 1994. They had won 11 of 12 since their loss to the Chiefs earlier this season — in fact, they hadn’t trailed in the second half since Week 8 — and were riding a wave of confidence that this might finally be their championship year. Instead, after finally conquering the Patriots in the AFC East, the Bills have a new roadblock to the Super Bowl. The Chiefs actually spotted the Bills a 9-0 lead, thanks in large part to Mecole Hardman's muffed punt inside their 5 that gifted Buffalo a touchdown. But the reigning champs were hardly rattled; the Chiefs, after all, rallied from double-digits in each of their post-season wins last season, including their Super Bowl triumph over San Francisco. Mahomes and Kelce soon found their groove. And the rest of the Chiefs offence followed suit. They surgically took apart Buffalo's defence on a 14-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a short TD throw to Hardman — no hard feelings over that fumble. Then, the Chiefs cruised 82 yards in just five plays, the big one Hardman's 50-yard end-around that set up Williams' touchdown tumble. Finally, they made it three TDs in three possessions when Edwards-Helaire — in his first game back from an ankle injury — capped a 77-yard drive with a short plunge. The only answer from Buffalo was Tyler Bass's chip-shot field goal that made it 21-12 at the break. You don't beat Kansas City by kicking field goals from the 3-yard line, though. Or from the 9, where the Bills settled for another one to close within 24-15 late in the third quarter. That became painfully clear on the ensuing drive. Mahomes hit Hill in stride and the All-Pro wide receiver promptly made the Bills secondary look downright foolish. Weaving in and out of woebegone defenders, Hill was finally caught inside the 5-yard line after a 71-yard gain, ultimately setting up Kelce's short TD catch a few plays later. Any hopes the Bills had of a comeback were dashed when Rashad Fenton picked off a tipped pass deep in Kansas City territory. The Chiefs breezily marched the other direction, and Mahomes and Kelce kicked off the celebration of another trip to the Super Bowl when they connected for their second score of the game. “I’m proud of these guys,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who moved into a tie with Joe Gibbs for fourth on the career list with his 17th playoff win. “They did a phenomenal job, and hats off to the Buffalo Bills and the great job they did all year, and most of all, listen, we have the Lamar Hunt Trophy back in Kansas City. "Now we have to get the big one.” INJURIES Chiefs: RG Andrew Wylie hurt his knee early in the second half and LT Eric Fisher limped off in the fourth quarter with an injury to his Achilles' tendon. ... CB L'Jarius Sneed and SS Armani Watts were evaluated for concussions. UP NEXT The Chiefs and Buccaneers have only played 13 times, and Kansas City had lost five straight before a 27-24 win in Tampa on Nov. 29 — a game that wasn't as close as the final score. Brady is 5-5 in his career against the Chiefs, including an overtime victory with the Patriots in the AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium two years ago. ___ More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL Dave Skretta, The Associated Press

  • Mexico's president says he's tested positive for COVID-19

    MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Sunday he has tested positive for COVID-19 and that the symptoms are mild. Mexico's president, who has been criticized for his handling of his country's pandemic and for not setting an example of prevention in public, said on his official Twitter account that he is under medical treatment. “I regret to inform you that I am infected with COVID-19,” he tweeted. “The symptoms are mild but I am already under medical treatment. As always, I am optimistic. We will all move forward.” José Luis Alomía Zegarra, Mexico’s director of epidemiology, said López Obrador had a “light” case of COVID-19 and was “isolating at home.” Mexico's president wrote that while he recovered Interior Secretary Olga Sánchez Cordero would be taking over for him in his daily news conferences, at which he usually speaks for two hours without breaks each weekday. López Obrador, 67, has rarely been seen wearing a mask and continued to keep up a busy travel schedule taking commercial flights. He has also resisted locking down the economy, noting the devastating effect it would have on so many Mexicans who live day to day, despite that the country has registered nearly 150,000 COVID-19 deaths and more than 1.7 million infections. Last week, the country registered its highest levels of infections and deaths to date. Early in the pandemic, asked how he was protecting Mexico, López Obrador removed two religious amulets from his wallet and proudly showed them off. “The protective shield is the ‘Get thee behind me, Satan,’” López Obrador said, reading off the inscription on the amulet, “Stop, enemy, for the Heart of Jesus is with me. In November, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, urged Mexico's leaders be serious about the coronavirus and set examples for its citizens, saying that “Mexico is in bad shape” with the pandemic. He didn’t name López Obrador, but said: “We would like to ask Mexico to be very serious.” “We have said it in general, wearing a mask is important, hygiene is important and physical distancing is important and we expect leaders to be examples,” he added. At the start of the pandemic López Obrador was criticized for still leaning into crowds and giving hugs. The eternal campaigner, López Obrador’s style of politics has always been very hands on and personal. As the pandemic grew he began limiting attendance to his events and maintaining his distance from supporters. But on Friday, López Obrador posted a photo of him, Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, a translator and former chief of staff Alfonso Romo, all gathered around a table for a phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden. None were wearing masks; the foreign relations department has not answered questions about whether Ebrard has been tested. Despite his age and high blood pressure, as well as undergoing surgery after a heart attack, López Obrador has said he won’t jump the line for a vaccination. But he was getting tested for the coronavirus once a week. At his age and with his existing health conditions López Obrador’s turn for a vaccine could still be weeks away as the country still works to vaccinate front line health workers. As of Sunday night, Mexico had given nearly 630,000 doses of vaccine. López Obrador's announcement came shortly after news emerged that he would speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday about obtaining doses of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine. Mexico Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said via Twitter the two leaders would speak about the bilateral relationship and supplying doses of the vaccine. The vaccine has not been approved for use in Mexico, but the government is desperate to fill supply gaps for the Pfizer vaccine. Besides López Obrador, other Latin American leaders who have tested positive for the coronavirus are Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, Guatemala’s Alejandro Giammattei, Honduras’ Juan Orlando Hernández and Bolivia’s then-interim President Jeanine Ánéz. All have recovered. Christopher Sherman, The Associated Press

  • The Latest: Hong Kong ends lockdown in Kowloon neighbourhood

    HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s government on Monday morning ended an unprecedented lockdown after testing thousands of residents living in an area that had reported an increasing number of coronavirus cases, authorities said. The lockdown, which was implemented in the early hours of Saturday, covered 16 buildings in Kowloon’s Yau Tsim Mong district, known as a working-class neighbourhood with many subdivided apartment units. During the lockdown, residents were not allowed to leave their premises until they had tested negative for the coronavirus. The district has been at the centre of a worsening coronavirus outbreak, with over 160 cases reported over the first three weeks in January. Higher concentrations of the COVID-19 virus were also found in sewage samples, prompting fears that the virus could be transmitted via poorly installed plumbing systems in subdivided units that lack ventilation. The government said in a statement early Monday that about 7,000 people were tested for the coronavirus during the lockdown, with 13 positive infections found. “The Government hopes this temporary inconvenience will completely cut the local transmission chains in the district and ease residents’ worries and fear, so that they will regain confidence in resuming social and business activities in the area, and return to a normal life,” authorities said in the statement. Health minister Sophia Chan said Sunday that the government would not rule out similar restrictions in the future if there is such a need. As of Sunday, Hong Kong has reported 10,086 cases of the coronavirus, with 169 deaths recorded. ___ THE VIRUS OUTBREAK: — Two in five Americans live where COVID strains hospital ICUs — Pandemic stress puts medical workers at high risk of depression, anxiety, substance abuse — UK ramps up vaccination program, gives first shot to 6 million, but health secretary says nation is “long, long, long way” from easing its lockdown — A year after virus lockdown, Wuhan dissident is more isolated than ever — Dutch police clash with lockdown protesters in two cities _ The entire University of Michigan athletic department is pausing after several positive tests for the new COVID-19 variant that transmits at a higher rate. ___ Follow all of AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak ___ HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: SYDNEY — Australia’s medical regulator has approved use of its first coronavirus vaccine, paving the way for inoculations to begin next month. The Therapeutic Goods Administration on Monday gave provisional approval for people aged 16 and over to use the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. The regulator said priority would be given to groups that include aged-care residents and workers, frontline healthcare workers, and quarantine workers. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison welcomed the development. He said Australia was among the first countries to complete a comprehensive and thorough process to formally approve a vaccine rather than just grant an emergency approval. Australia is aiming to complete inoculations by October. The nation of 26 million people has reported fewer than 30,000 virus cases and a little over 900 deaths. ___ MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday about obtaining doses of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, his foreign affairs secretary said Sunday. Marcelo Ebrard said via Twitter the two leaders would speak Monday morning about the bilateral relationship and supplying doses of the vaccine. The vaccine has not been approved for use in Mexico, but the government is desperate to fill supply gaps left by shortages of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Mexico has given more than 618,000 vaccine doses. A week ago, López Obrador said that his government had agreed with a U.N. proposal to delay shipments of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine to countries like Mexico that had existing purchase agreements, in order to get more doses to poorer countries quicker. Mexico has registered nearly 150,000 COVID-19 deaths and more than 1.7 million infections. Hospitals in the capital have been near capacity for weeks as a surge of cases followed the holiday season. Earlier this month, Mexico’s assistant health secretary Hugo López-Gatell, visited Argentina in part to learn about its review of the Sputnik V vaccine. Argentina started using the vaccine in late December. ___ OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma State Department of Health on Sunday reported 48 additional deaths due to COVID-19 and 2,941 more cases of the new coronavirus. There have been 373,090 total virus cases and a death toll of 3,279 since the pandemic began, according to the health department. Oklahoma had the fourth highest rate of new cases per capita in the United States at 1,148.19 per 100,000 population according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The rolling average of deaths in the state has increased from 30.14 to 39.86 per day during the past two weeks. State health officials rising death rates are likely to continue for a week or more, despite a decline in the number of new cases, because it can take several weeks to confirm a death was caused by COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. ___ WASHINGTON -- Dr. Deborah Birx says when she was co-ordinator of President Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force, she had to grapple with COVID-19 deniers in the White House and that someone gave the president “parallel” streams of data that conflicted with hers. Defending her tenure, Birx told CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday that she was at times censored by the Trump administration but denied ever withholding information. Birx said she would see Trump “presenting graphs that I never made” and that “someone out there or someone inside was creating a parallel set of data and graphics that were shown to the president.” She added that in the White House, “There were people who definitely believed that this was a hoax.” Birx did not identify the COVID-19 deniers and said she did not know who was presenting the parallel data to Trump, but said she realizes now that Trump coronavirus adviser Dr. Scott Atlas was providing some of it. Birx said in December that she would retire but was willing to first help President Joe Biden’s team with its coronavirus response as needed. More than 25 million people have been infected with the coronavirus and at least 418,000 people have died in the U.S. since the pandemic began. ___ ANKARA, Turkey - Turkey on Sunday passed 25,000 Covid-19-related deaths since the start of the outbreak in March, the health ministry said. A daily toll of 140 fatalities saw the total figure rise to 25,073. Turkey has recorded more than 2.4 million infections since the first case was recorded on March 11 last year. The government reintroduced restrictions at the start of December, including weekday evening curfews and weekend lockdowns, to stem a second wave of infections. Restaurants and cafes have been restricted to take-away services, weddings and funerals are limited to 30 people and the over-65s and under-20s are banned from using public transport. The number of daily cases has fallen to around 6,000 in recent days from a high of more than 33,000 in December. Turkey began its vaccination program on Jan. 14, initially focusing on health workers and the elderly. More than 1.2 million people had been given the first dose of the Chinese CoronaVac vaccine as of Saturday night, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said. ___ JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said Israel will be closing its international airport to nearly flights as the government races to bring a raging coronavirus outbreak under control. The entry of highly contagious variants of the coronavirus, coupled with poor enforcement of safety rules in ultra-Orthodox communities, has contributed to one of the world’s highest rates of infections. It also has threatened to undercut Israel’s highly successful campaign to vaccinate its population against the virus. Late Sunday, the Israeli Cabinet approved what Netanyahu said would be a tight closure on incoming and outgoing air traffic. The government said it would make exceptions for a small number of humanitarian cases, such as funerals and medical patients, and cargo flights. “We are closing the skies hermetically, except for really rare exceptions, to prevent the entry of virus mutations, and also to ensure that we progress quickly with our vaccination campaign,” Netanyahu said. The order is to begin early Tuesday and remain in effect until Jan. 31. Netanyahu’s office said the order still required parliamentary legislation to be finalized. ___ LA PAZ, Bolivia — Former President Evo Morales was released from a hospital on Sunday after almost two weeks of treatment for COVID-19 at a moment the disease has rebounded in Bolivia. Morales told a news conference that he felt “very good, I feel recovered“ as he left the private clinic in the city of Cochabamba. Hospital director Gastón Cornejo recommended that Morales remain in repose, without visitors, for two more weeks. The 61-year-old Morales, Bolivia’s first Indigenous president, left the country from 2006 to 2019, when he went into exile after protests over his reelection. He returned home in November after his party won presidential and legislative elections, ousting the interim government that had replaced him. Bolivia has reported about 200,000 cases of the new coronavirus and almost 10,000 deaths. ___ WASHINGTON -- Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that President Joe Biden’s goal of administering 100 million vaccinations in the first 100 days actually means about 67 million Americans should be protected from COVID-19 during that time. Fauci, the government’s top infectious diseases expert, said the president’s goal refers to 100 million shots, not people. Current vaccines require two shots. Fauci maintained that goal could be difficult to meet even though the U.S. recently has been able to administer shots to about a million people a day. He explained that it will be harder to reach people once shots are given outside hospital and nursing home settings. Fauci also told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that he supports a national commission to understand some of the problems in co-ordinating a COVID-19 response on the state and local level because states shouldn’t just be told, “You’re on your own.” Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff, called the 100 million shots in 100 days “a very bold and ambitious goal.” He told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that it won’t stop the administration from aiming higher if doable. ___ NEW YORK -- The United States has surpassed 25 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. The new milestone, reported Sunday by Johns Hopkins University, is a grim reminder of the coronavirus’ wide reach in the U.S., which has seen far more confirmed cases and deaths than any other country in the world. The U.S. accounts for roughly one of every four cases reported worldwide and one of every five deaths. India has recorded the second most cases, with about 10.7 million. The number of new cases in the U.S. has shown signs of slowing recently, with an average of 176,000 reported daily in the past week, down from 244,000 in early January. The country’s first case of the infection was diagnosed almost exactly a year ago. The Associated Press

  • China's Kuaishou aims to raise up to $5.42 billion in Hong Kong IPO

    Chinese online video company Kuaishou Technology is aiming to raise $4.95 billion to $5.42 billion in an initial public offering (IPO) that will be the largest in Hong Kong for more than a year, according to a term sheet reviewed by Reuters. The online video site, backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd, will price 365.2 million shares at between HK$105 and $HK115 apiece, the term sheet shows. Kuaishou did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

  • Too soon to know if Canada's COVID-19 case decline will continue, Tam says

    MONTREAL — Canada's chief public health officer says it's still too soon to know whether the recent downward trend in new COVID-19 cases will continue. Dr. Theresa Tam says there's been an improvement in the COVID-19 numbers in B.C., Alberta, Ontario and Quebec but the disease is regaining steam elsewhere. She says it appears local health measures may be starting to pay off, but it's not clear whether they're strong and broad enough to continue to sustain progress. Some long-standing virus hot spots have made headway in lowering the number of new cases in recent weeks, but are still fighting outbreaks and flare-ups as they race to vaccinate vulnerable communities. The federal public safety minister announced today that the Canadian Armed Forces will support vaccine efforts in 32 First Nations communities in northern Ontario. Quebec, meanwhile, reported a fifth straight decline in the number of hospitalizations as the health minister urged citizens to keep following health measures. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan 24, 2021 The Canadian Press

  • American defender McKenzie debuts for Belgium's Genk

    American central defender Mark McKenzie made his debut for Belgium’s Genk on Sunday in a 3-2 loss at first-place Club Brugge in Belgium's first division. McKenzie transferred on Jan. 7 from Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union. Genk is second to Club Brugge after 23 league matches. The 21-year-old made his Union debut in 2018 and his U.S. national team debut last Feb. 1 against Panama. He has two appearances for the national team. Born in New York City, McKenzie moved at age 5 to Bear, Delaware. He spent one season at Wake Forest, then signed with Philadelphia in January 2018. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports The Associated Press

  • Edmundston volunteer 'angels' help neighbours under lockdown

    Gertrude Michaud says the presence of a guardian angel from the community "saved her life." For more than a month, the Edmundston senior relied on a volunteer for her only social contact under tight COVID-19 restrictions. Michaud, 76, is a retired Spanish and English teacher who has lived alone since her partner died three years ago. Life during the first lockdown was challenging. "Mentally, emotionally, psychologically, it gets really, really bad sometimes especially if you can't see your family," she said. A group of Edmundston volunteers, named "Les anges bienveillants" or caring angels, has stepped up to help vulnerable neighbours during the pandemic. They've delivered groceries and kept in touch with people living alone. Now, as the region begins a second lockdown, the group is expanding to more acts of kindness and preparing for growing calls for help. Michaud's "angel" would go grocery shopping for her and pick up other essentials. Then they would talk from a distance through the screen door. "I'd open the little window a crack and we'd talk for a while," she said. "It's good talking to people on the phone, but it's not the same as having a live person there." Acts of kindness When the pandemic started, Pierre Thibault realized many seniors would have trouble getting essentials. He decided to post on Facebook asking if people would be willing to lend a hand. The response in the comments was overwhelming. With a large group of about 35 people, the Les anges bienveillants has expanded beyond grocery deliveries. The team began pairing volunteers with people living alone to talk over the phone. They received donations from local businesses to buy gifts for them. Each time there's a snowfall, Thibault and some volunteers will head to the Edmundston Regional Hospital to clean snow off the cars of healh-care workers before the night shift ends. It's an act of appreciation for those on the front lines of COVID-19. "I'm really, really happy that I was able to get all those volunteers together," he said. Thibault said his team has benefited from the project nearly as much as the clients. Many people who lost their jobs because of the pandemic found a renewed sense of purpose through giving back. "I remember a lady saying: 'Pierre, this saved me,'" he said. Some clients have given donations to the angels, which were used to make two $500 gifts to non-profit organizations in Edmundston. The success of the project has caught the attention of other municipalities looking to replicate it. 'Lifeline' for seniors Michaud said the angels have been a "lifeline" and give her comfort during the second lockdown. "They help us stay human, realize we're still alive and we're still part of the community even though we can't go out and speak to the rest of the community and touch them and stay hello," she said. Samantha Mayhew has been volunteering with the project since April. She goes shopping for vulnerable people at the local grocery store, and said people are relieved to have some certainty during a time of many unknowns. "When I saw the smile on the first lady's face, my first customer's face, I thought to myself, 'Wow, I have to continue doing this,'" she said. One of Mayhew's delivery clients is her former English teacher, who she chats with from outside the house. Orders slowed down over the summer as the situation improved, but some volunteers continued to help throughout the year. The project has delivered about 250-300 total grocery lists. "Especially our senior citizens, our most vulnerable citizens are afraid again and they don't want to get sick," Mayhew said. "So I'm hearing they do need our help again and we're just glad that we're able to be there for them."

  • Burnaby youth with Down syndrome asks for fast-tracked vaccination against COVID-19

    As B.C. rolls out its COVID-19 immunization program, there are concerns vulnerable populations are being left behind. On Friday, the premier and health officials revealed its plans for a four phase timeline for the vaccine based on age, which has a family in Burnaby, B.C. pleading for swifter access for their teenage son and others with Down syndrome. "We think it's a fairly straightforward decision to be made to protect a vulnerable community," said Mike Waddingham. His 17-year-old son Aaron has Down syndrome, a chromosomal abnormality, which is the most common congenital anomaly in Canada. The Government of Canada says one in every 750 live born babies in Canada is diagnosed with Down syndrome, which can result in physical, mental, and developmental disabilities. As a result, people with the condition can have complex health and mental health needs. Waddingham's mother Sue Robbins says he has been rushed to hospital with pneumonia several times. She said she felt helpless watching her son's lips turn blue as he struggled to breathe on one of those occasions. "When covid came along and presented primarily as a respiratory disease, that was terrifying to us. No one would want to relive that again," she said. Vaccination based on age B.C's approach is to immunize more than four million people against COVID-19 by September, vaccinating the high-risk and most elderly populations by April, before reaching younger adults in the summer. On Friday, the province broke down the vaccination plan into four phases. Those going first include residents, staff, and essential visitors at long-term care and assisted living residences; people waiting for long-term care; people in remote Indigenous communities and hospital workers caring for patients with COVID-19. Phase 2, from February to March, includes seniors over 80; Indigenous seniors over 65, Indigenous elders; more health-care workers; vulnerable populations and nursing-home staff. Phase 3, includes members of the general public aged 60 to 79, and Phase 4 if for those aged 18 to 59. 'Got me all worried' At 17, Aaron Waddingham isn't even included in the province's vaccination plans based on his age, but he says he wants to be vaccinated as soon as possible so he can get back to school, and back to his routine. "This thing with covid has got me all worried because it's taking forever," said Aaron. "Disabled people need to have the vaccine quicker." In a letter addressed to Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry earlier this month, the Down Syndrome Resource Foundation appealed to the province to recognize those with the condition as a group with increased risk, and hasten their vaccinations. Phase 2 please In part, the letter says individuals with Down Syndrome are "at four times higher risk of hospitalization and ten times higher risk of death from COVID-19 than the typical population." Wayne Leslie, the CEO of the foundation says there are approximately 4000 people with Down Syndrome in the province, a small cohort that he says could easily be prioritized to be included in Phase 2, which begins in February. "We're not talking about a number of vaccinations that would swamp the roll out program. It would be a relatively small number," Leslie said. He's encouraged the foundation's recommendations are being considered by the provincial health office, and he has been told to expect a response.

  • Splintered coalition reflects fate of Egypt's uprising a decade on

    Some young activists formed the Revolution Youth Coalition to draw together the uprising's disparate strands and give the protesters occupying Cairo's Tahrir Square a coherent voice. They demanded freedom, dignity, democracy and social justice amid battles with police and state-hired thugs, and on Feb. 11 President Hosni Mubarak resigned. But the coalition fragmented as it faced two much more established forces: the Muslim Brotherhood that swept to power in later elections, and the military that toppled it in 2013.

  • COVID-19 in Sask.: Province distributes last of vaccine stock, reports 260 new cases, 3 deaths

    Saskatchewan has no more COVID-19 vaccines left to distribute as the remaining 642 doses were administered on Saturday. The province said it reached 101 per cent capacity of doses administered and recorded an overage due to "efficiencies" in drawing extra doses from vials of vaccines received. There were 148 doses administered in Saskatoon, 261 in the Northwest and 233 in the Southeast zones. Sunday's update said there were 260 new cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan, bringing the provincial total to 22,177 cases. The new cases were reported as follows: Saskatoon, 72. Northwest, 52. Regina, 42. Far Northwest, 26. South East, 17. North Central, 14. Central East, 11. Northeast, nine. Central West, six. South Central, four. Far Northeast, three. Southwest, one. Far North Central, one. Two new cases required residence information. There were 3,251 active cases of COVID-19 in the province as of Sunday, when 168 new recoveries were announced. Three new deaths were reported in Sunday's update, one in a person in their 60s in the Far Northeast zone and two in Regina — a person in their 60s and a person 80 or above died after testing positive for COVID-19. As of Sunday there were 196 people in hospital. Of them, 164 were in inpatient care and 32 people were in intensive care. The updated seven-day daily average is 272, or 22.5 new cases per 100,000 population. There were 2,684 COVID-19 tests processed in Saskatchewan on Saturday.

  • Canadian speedskater Heather McLean just misses out on winning World Cup bronze medal

    HEERENVEEN, NETHERLANDS — Winnipeg's Heather McLean was fourth in a World Cup long-track speedskating event Sunday.McLean posted a time of 37.522 seconds in a women's 500-metre race, finishing just 0.11 seconds from winning a bronze medal. McLean won bronze Saturday over 500 metres.She also finished 11th in the 1,000-metre race Sunday.Ottawa’s Isabelle Weidemann was fifth in the women's 3,000-metre race in 3:59.437. Laurent Dubreuil, of Levis, Que., was 15th in a men's 500-metre race. His original racing counterpart, Russian Ruslan Murashov, lost control and slid into Dubreuil’s outside lane, forcing the Canadian to slow down and swerve to avoid a collision.Dubreuil was permitted a solo re-skate after but settled for the 15th-place finish. He was ninth in the 1,000-metre race (1:08.880).Toronto’s Jordan Belchos was seventh in the men's 5,000-metre race (6:18.054) while Calgary’s Gilmore Junio was ninth in the men’s 500 (34.816).This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2021 The Canadian Press

  • New leaders named at US-funded international broadcasters

    WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Sunday installed new heads of three federally funded international broadcasters after abruptly firing Donald Trump-appointees at the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Kelu Chao, the acting CEO of the agency, made the announcement after dismissing the previous directors of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks late Friday, just a month after they had been named to the posts. Daisy Sindelar will be acting head of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, replacing Ted Lipien until a permanent president is named. Bay Fang will return to her post as Radio Free Asia president, replacing Stephen Yates. Kelley Sullivan will become acting Middle East Broadcasting Networks president, replacing Victoria Coates. “I have great faith in these leaders in ensuring the highest standards of independent, objective, and professional journalism,” Chao said. The moves follow the forced resignation of Trump’s hand-picked agency head, Michael Pack, only two hours after Joe Biden took office as president on Wednesday. The director of the Voice of America and his deputy were soon removed and the chief of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting stepped down. Pack had been accused by Democrats and others of trying to turn VOA and the other networks into pro-Trump propaganda machines. Chao on Sunday also announced new corporate board directors for the three broadcasters, replacing the board directors named by Pack just days before his departure. The new directors are Karen Kornbluh, ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development under President Barack Obama, who will serve as chair; Ryan Crocker, who was an ambassador to Iraq, Syria and other countries; and PR executive Michael Kempner. “Now more than ever, U.S. international media must serve as an accurate, reliable source of news and information in places where illuminating truth is needed the most," Kornbluh said. The Associated Press