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u.s. news Diahuebs 31 December 2020

Governor cancels inaugural, citing mask protests at his home

(AP) — New Hampshire's liver his inaugural address at fact that the number of peo-
Republican governor said 7 p.m. that day. ple hospitalized with CO-
Wednesday that he is can- VID-19 had doubled in the
celing his outdoor inau- Protesters started gathering past two weeks, there were
guration ceremony next outside Sununu's home in new outbreaks at five nursing
month because of public Newfields on Nov. 22 over homes, and an “incredibly
safety concerns — name- his order, which had taken alarming rate” of community
ly, armed protesters who effect two days earlier, re- transmission by people who
have been gathering out- quiring masks to be worn in aren’t showing symptoms.
side his home in the weeks public spaces, indoors or out- The order expires Jan. 15.
since he issued a mask or- side, when social distancing
der. isn't possible because of the At least 100 people appeared
coronavirus pandemic. On outside Sununu's home at the
“My first responsibility is en- Monday, local police issued first protest. Frank Staples of
suring the safety of my fam- summonses to nine people the group Absolute Defiance
ily and our citizens” Gov. and arrested one of them un- said protesters chose the site
Chris Sununu said in a news der a new anti-picketing or- because Sununu had shut ev- the state police. He also de-
release. “For weeks, armed dinance passed by the New- erything down, including the According to the minutes of scribed “the verbal harass-
protesters have increasingly fields selectboard, on which Statehouse, “so right now, the Dec. 8 board meeting, ment endured by the gov-
become more aggressive, tar- Sununu's brother sits. this is the Statehouse." Newfields Police Chief Na- ernor, his family and nearby
geting my family, protesting than Liebenow said the Nov. residents," according to the
outside my private residence, Skylar Bennett, 38, of Con- There have been more pro- 22 protest was described as minutes.
and trespassing on my prop- cord, said Wednesday he will tests since then. That led to “very boisterous and disturb-
erty — an outdoor public contest his arrest on charges the Dec. 22 passage of the or- ing" and generated a number The Newfields Police De-
ceremony simply brings too of criminal trespass and dis- dinance by the three-mem- of complaints from residents. partment, in its news release
much risk. We do not make orderly conduct at a candle- ber Newfields selectboard. Wednesday, said the nine
this decision lightly but it is light vigil held outside the There had been at least three people were advised of the
the right thing to do.” home. The governor, who was not more gatherings since then, town's residential picketing
at home during Monday's and Liebenow said more ordinance and instructed to
In consultation with Attor- “It's clear this ordinance in gathering, had no involve- events were planned into stop but didn't, so they were
ney General Gordon Mac- Newfields was specifically ment in the ordinance or in January. He said the inten- given summonses.
Donald, Sununu said, he to benefit King Sununu," its enforcement, Sununu's tion of the ordinance is not to
and Senate President Chuck Bennett said. He added that spokesperson, Benjamin Vi- suppress or violate anyone’s Police did not provide names
Morse, acting House Speaker people have been gathering hstadt, said in a statement. constitutional right to free other than Bennett's, but the
Sherm Packard and the Exec- to protest because Sununu speech. NH Journal said one of its
utive Council will be sworn “closed the state." The ordinance says “It is un- reporters, Chris Maidment,
in during a small ceremony lawful for any person to en- The language of the ordi- was given a summons, even
Jan. 7. It will be attended by When Sununu issued the gage in picketing before or nance is similar to one af- though he repeatedly identi-
leaders of both houses of the mask order, he said at the about the residence or dwell- firmed by the U.S. Supreme fied himself as a reporter cov-
Legislature and will be vir- time a mandate was appropri- ing of any individual in the Court, said Assistant Attor- ering the event. The Journal
tually attended by all other ate, given the rising percent- town of Newfields.” Viola- ney General Matthew Broad- said it will contest the sum-
members. Sununu will de- age of positive test results, the tors are subject to a $100 fine. head, chief legal counsel for mons and fine.

US stocks rise in afternoon trading as 2020 winds down

(AP) - U.S. stocks are handle than others hitting the that rely on consumer spend- Investors are optimistic about
broadly higher in after- market. Earlier in December, ing, industrial and technol- more vaccines gaining ap- Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.7%
noon trading Wednesday both the U.K. and U.S. ap- ogy stocks drove much of the proval and reaching the mar- and Germany’s DAX slipped
as the effort to develop proved a vaccine made by gains. Roughly 72% of stocks ket in coming weeks, though 0.3%. The CAC 40 in Paris
and distribute vaccines to Pfizer. in the index rose. the potential for logistics dropped 0.2%.
fight the virus pandemic problems remains, said Ryan
ramps up. Meanwhile, vaccine develop- The Dow Jones Industrial Detrick, chief market strate- Markets in Asia closed most-
ment continues around the Average rose 86 points, or gist for LPL Financial. ly higher, though Japan’s
The gains put the market globe, with China’s Sino- 0.3%, to 30,421. The Nasdaq Nikkei fell 0.5% as the Tokyo
back on positive footing fol- pharm becoming the latest composite was up 0.3%. “The hiccups are the actual exchange marked the end of
lowing a modest pullback to release encouraging study rollout,” he said. “Approving trading for the year.
on Tuesday. Britain has au- results. Small-company stocks again them is one thing, but getting
thorized the use of a CO- outpaced their larger rivals as them out and into people’s Traders in cryptocurrencies
VID-19 vaccine developed The S&P 500 was up 0.2% as the Russell 2000 gained 1.2%. arms is another thing.” continued to push up the
by AstraZeneca and Oxford of 2:18 p.m. Eastern and hov- That’s a sign that investors price of bitcoin, which has
University. The vaccine is ering around a record high are feeling more optimistic Treasury yields were mixed. more than doubled the past
considered easier to store and set on Monday. Companies about the economy. The yield on the 10-year three months. It was up 8.1%
Treasury held steady at 0.93%. to $28,829, according to the
Stocks have been mostly tracking site CoinDesk. Bit-
grinding higher in recent Stock markets in Europe coin futures on the Chicago
weeks, with indexes setting closed lower after European Mercantile Exchange were
new highs, amid optimism Union officials and British up 6.9% to $29,085. The fu-
that coronavirus vaccinations lawmakers approved a sepa- tures allow investors to make
will pave the way in coming ration deal that will govern bets on the future price of the
months for the economy to trade and other relations after digital currency.
escape from the pandemic’s the year ends. The U.K. left
grip. Ahead of the final day of the EU almost a year ago, but Trading volume on Wall
trading in 2020, the S&P 500 remained within the bloc’s Street has been thin in the fi-
is up 15.5% this year, while economic embrace during nal week of 2020. The market
the Nasdaq is up 43.6%. a transition period that ends will be closed for New Year’s
this year. Day Friday.