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The Republican-controlled Senate on Friday passed the National Defense Authorization Act, a $741 billion defense bill, with a veto-proof majority. GOP senators overwhelmingly supported the legislation despite President Donald Trump's threats to veto it.

"This annual bill will unlock the training, tools, and cutting-edge equipment that our servicemembers and civilian employees need as they bravely defend American lives and American interests," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a tweet after the vote.

Trump has objected to a provision in the bill that opens the door to rename military bases commemorating Confederate leaders. More recently, the president has demanded that the bill repeal Section 230, a part of the Communications Decency Act that protects social-media companies from being held liable for content posted on their platforms. Trump has accused social-media companies like Twitter and Facebook of being biased against conservatives.

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Ahead of the House vote on the bill earlier this week, Trump tweeted: "I hope House Republicans will vote against the very weak National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which I will VETO. Must include a termination of Section 230 (for National Security purposes), preserve our National Monuments, & allow for 5G & troop reductions in foreign lands!"

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GOP-controlled Senate defies Trump and easily passes $741 billion defense bill despite the president's veto th - Business Insider India

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HARRISBURG The state Department of Corrections defied federal guidelines and a doctors order last week, demanding that an officer who tested positive for COVID-19 come back to work at a Pennsylvania prison struggling to contain the spread, Spotlight PA has learned.

The correctional officer, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing his job, tested positive in November and was scheduled to return Dec. 5, but his wife and children developed COVID-19 on Dec. 3 and he was still sick, according to a complaint obtained by the news organization.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines say symptomatic people should stay home, and if someone they live with tests positive, the isolation period should reset. The officers doctor recommended that the officer wait to go back to work until today, Dec. 14.

The department, however, told the officer to return last Tuesday, adding that, just because an employee was still having symptoms or who was still symptomatic didnt mean they couldnt come back to work, according to emails and the complaint.

The officer refused and filed the complaint through the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association, the union that represents prison workers.

When asked about the case Tuesday, the Department of Corrections declined to comment and deferred to its standard that people who test positive will be out of work for a minimum of 10 days, but can return with symptoms as long as they have improved.

After multiple requests to explain the discrepancy with CDC guidelines about returning to work with symptoms and added isolation time for re-exposure, the department responded Friday afternoon, blaming the delay on a backlog of emails fielded by the medical team.

If the employee is COVID negative, and someone who resides in their house becomes COVID positive, they could possibly be out for 24 days, Maria Bivens, a spokesperson for the department, said in an email. But Bivens did not comment about returning with symptoms.

This divergence from medical and federal health officials is an example of what the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association said is continuous disregard by the corrections department for the lives at risk in prisons as new coronavirus cases in facilities explode.

By the end of the first wave, positive cases remained low in the communities surrounding prisons. But now, as cases in those communities spike, the surge in positive tests in prisons is following suit. Between Oct. 1 and Dec. 10, 3,000 inmates tested positive, compared to less than 400 in the seven months prior.

Prisoners rights groups say that staff from the outside is the only way to explain such a devastating surge in positive coronavirus cases within the prisons. In an email Spotlight PA obtained that was sent by Department of Corrections management to prison staff at SCI Laurel Highlands, officials ultimately agreed, saying that, The prevalence of the virus is increasing in the community and therefore, it could be anticipated it would eventually enter the institution.

As of last week, two DOC staff have died from the virus as well as at least 40 prisoners the majority in the past 35 days. As of Dec. 10, 1,747 staff members have tested positive, a jump of more than 1,200 cases since Nov. 1, and at least 1,052 were out of work because of positive test results. But staffers are not required to report positive test results, and the number of infections is likely far higher.

The unions vice president, John Eckenrode, said at least one other corrections officer was also told to come back earlier than their doctors recommendation. Eckenrode said the stakes are getting higher as a rising number of corrections officers continue to test positive, forcing those who are able to work to be put on mandatory overtime and in jeopardizing circumstances.

There are some institutions where our members are working double shifts multiple days a week, and theyre not getting their days off, Eckenrode said. Theyre concerned for their own health and safety, concerned for the health and safety of the people that they love when they go home.

On Tuesday at SCI Greene, a prison located in the southwest corner of the state, 83 staff members called out of work, and 50 of them were security guards who tested positive for the virus, according to administrative records gathered by the corrections union.

At Cambridge Springs, seven staff members had tested positive by mid-September, according to data gathered by Spotlight PA. Now, 122 staffers have tested positive, data shows, with 26 currently out recovering and another 58 people out of work awaiting test results.

Last week, the state approved $176,400 for the corrections department to hire more staff in an effort to help offset the number of people calling out of work.

In a news release last week discussing COVID-19 infections and the rise within the states facilities, Corrections Secretary John Wetzel said that we continue our battle against this dangerous invisible enemy That is why it is vital to continue our aggressive mitigation efforts. We cannot let our guard down.

There is no scientific evidence that defines exactly how long a person can spread the virus after they test positive, said Michael LeVasseur, lead epidemiologist for Drexel Universitys COVID-19 testing.

He pointed to an October study published in the Journal of Infection that said spread is highly unlikely to occur after 10 days for people with mild to moderate symptoms. He said theres a chance someone like the officer is no longer contagious, but that its complicated, and theres also a chance the officer can still infect others.

Im in public health, so Im always going to advocate for a more-safe-than-sorry approach, he said. And if its a matter of a few days, just do the extra days.

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Pa. corrections dept. tells officer with COVID-19 symptoms to return to work early - Spotlight PA

Although these are new findings and the research in this area is not yet settled, what this suggests is that similar to the way people become addicted to drugs or gambling, people may also become addicted to seeking retribution against their enemiesrevenge addiction. This may help explain why some people just cant let go of their grievances long after others feel they should have moved onand why some people resort to violence.

Its worth asking whether this helps explain Trumps fixation on his grievances and ways of exacting retribution for them. The hallmark of addiction is compulsive behavior despite harmful consequences. Trumps unrelenting efforts to retaliate against those he believes have treated him unjustly (including, now, American voters) appear to be compulsive and uncontrollable. The harm this causes to himself and others is obvious but seems to have no deterrent effect. Reports suggest he has been doing this for much of his life. He seems powerless to stop. He also seems to derive a great deal of pleasure from it.

The science of addiction provides another cautionary insight: Trumps revenge habit hurts not only himself and the targets of his retaliatory wrath, but the rest of us, too.

Like substance addiction, revenge addiction appears to spread from person to person. For instance, inner-city gun violence spreads in neighborhoods like a social contagion, with one persons grievances infecting others with a desire to seek vengeance. Because of his unique position and use of the media and social networks, Trump is able to spread his grievances to thousands or millions of others through Twitter, TV and rallies. His demand for retribution becomes their demand, causing his supporters to crave retaliationand, in a vicious cycle, this in turn causes Trumps targets and their supporters to feel aggrieved and want to retaliate, too.

What can be done? When a friend or family member has an addiction, the first priority is to take care of yourself, and the next step is to encourage the addict to seek help. This gets complicated when were talking about a president and an entire nation, but were already on our way. Weve recently held a nationwide electoral intervention with Trump, which has the dual benefit of helping to protect the country from further damage and shows him that his retaliatory behavior is no longer acceptable and needs to change. But addiction interventions are often risky and can backfire. That appears to be happening with Trump, who now seems even more aggrieved and more determined to use retaliation, raising the stakes.

There are no quick fixes with addiction. Were in for a long haul. Our society, and Trump, would seem to have little chance of healing until we (and he) realize how the politics of grievance is damaging us. Political parties and interest groups have come to rely upon inflaming grievances and stoking vindictiveness to generate donations and motivate voters. Media, entertainment and social networking giants also rely upon grievance and revenge-based content to attract viewers and users and increase advertising and sales. More people need to become savvy about how, why and for whose benefit they are being made to feel aggrieved and must decide to stop dealing in the drug of their own destruction.

We must also increase public education, from school age through adulthood, about healthy ways to process feelings of hurt or humiliation. The risk is not only political. The brains of millions of Americans have spent the past few years essentially being primed for revenge-seeking, and it can manifest in areas other than politics. Retaliation in response to grievances is the primary motive in intimate partner violence, youth violence and bullying, street violence, lone-actor attacks, police brutality, and terrorism. People and agencies interested in reducing murder rates, mass shootings, domestic terrorism, and other forms of violence should be focusing on revenge addiction.

Developing innovative prevention and treatment strategies for revenge addiction is essential. At Yale, we are studying a promising motive control (in contrast to gun control) method for preventing violence that allows people with grievances to put those who have hurt or offended them through imaginary but highly realistic criminal trials. We have found that this mental process, which we call the Nonjustice System, is actually a safe and satisfying way of controlling revenge cravings that works like a kind of methadone for revenge addicts. This method is not only for preventing violence; anybody struggling with grievances, even Trump, can benefit from it. It can be utilized in group settings, too, and were hoping to develop an app so more people can access it.

Assuming Trump does not seek help, what can we expect from him going forward? Tragically, more of the same. People suffering from addiction tend to experience relationship problems and conflicts, display periods of euphoria followed by depression and restlessness, and fail to meet their responsibilities or fulfill their professional obligations. They spend long periods of time obsessing over and planning ways to gratify their cravings, and engage in the addictive behavior despite the physical or psychological harm it causes. Although I have no idea what Trumps life is really like, from outside observation many of these indicators appear to be present.

Which is why there also must be compassion for Trump. One of the lessons learned with substance addiction is that it is a disease, a brain and behavioral disorder, not a moral failure, and shaming and punishment do not work. Attacking Trump for his retaliatory behavior only fuels it by making him feel more aggrieved.

Firm steps are necessary to limit the damage Trumps grievances are inflicting on this country. We all have a role to play in halting the cycle of grievance and retaliation. But in the end, he is a human being who needs help. It should be offered with the same care, compassion, and, yes, forgiveness, offered to anybody else whose lifeor nationis being torn apart by addiction.

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Opinion | What the Science of Addiction Tells Us About Trump - POLITICO

U.S. stock futures moved higher early Monday as markets indicated a rebound from a losing week. Investors were optimistic as the Covid-19 vaccine rollout began and Washington appeared a bit closer to hatching some sort of stimulus this week.

Dow Jones Industrial average futures rose 242 points, or 0.8%. The move pointed to an opening gain of more than 225 points. S&P 500 futures rose 0.7% and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.5%.

A bipartisan stimulus plan could be introduced in Congress as soon as Monday, but split into two parts in order to improve its chances of approval, Reuters reported. The $908 billion bipartisan plan would be split into a $748 billion measure with money for jobless and small business and another part that includes the controversial measures including liability protections and state aid, Reuters said, citing a source.

"Politically, debate continues on another fiscal bill, which is much needed for much of the population, but will also create an even larger 'wall of cash' for consumers to spend as economies fully reopen," Tavis McCourt, institutional equity strategist at Raymond James, told clients on Sunday.

"It is abundantly clear the economy is slowing as local shutdowns continue, but any impact on the equity market has been limited so far. Whether this continues into 1Q is unclear, but our guess is pullbacks will be limited unless something materially changes in the vaccine story," he added.

Following the Food and Drug Administration's emergency authorization of Pfizer's vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield signed off on the drug, allowing inoculations to officially move forward for people ages 16 or older.

The U.S. has begun to ship the doses from a Pfizer facility in Michigan to hundreds of distribution centers across the country. The FDA is also slated to publish its assessment on Moderna's vaccine this week.

Shares of stocks that stand to benefit the most from a vaccine and economic aid led the gains on Monday in early trading. Carnival rose 5% in premarket trading. American Airlines gained 3%.

The Covid-19 vaccine is being rolled out amid some of the darkest days of the pandemic in the U.S. More than 2,300 coronavirus related deaths were recorded Saturday, following over 3,300 deaths Friday. New infections continue to explode, with more than 219,000 cases reported on Saturday.

Last week, stocks experienced their first down week in several months as legislators continued a standoff surrounding a Covid-19 aid package.

The S&P 500 fell nearly 1%, for its first negative week in three. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 0.57% for its first negative week in three and the Nasdaq Composite lost nearly 0.7% for its first negative week in four.

The upcoming week is expected to be market moving with stimulus talks, Pfizer's vaccine rollout and a Federal Reserve policy meeting. Tesla also joins the S&P 500 on Friday.

The Fed kicks off its two-day policy meeting on Tuesday, the central bank's final meeting of 2020. Economists have speculated that the Fed could make changes to its bond program. The Fed is currently buying at least $80 billion a month of Treasurys, and Fed officials have discussed what they could do to change that program at their last meeting.

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Dow futures jump 200 points to start the week on vaccine, stimulus hopes - CNBC

The UK competition regulator has launched a full in-depth investigation into the 31bn merger of Virgin Media and O2.

Liberty Global and Telefonica, the respective owners of Virgin Media and O2, struck a deal to merge their UK operations in May.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) made the decision after the companies requested it fast-track to a phase 2 investigation of the merger last month.

The CMA said it was moving to a full investigation because the merger could have an impact on competition in the telecommunications market.

There is sufficient evidence at an early stage of the investigation for the CMA to conclude that there is a realistic prospect that the transaction would result in a substantial lessening of competition in one or more markets, the CMA said.

The deal will create a new telecoms heavyweight by combining the UKs second-largest broadband network with the largest mobile operator. Virgin Media has 5.3 million broadband, pay-TV and mobile users, while O2 has 34 million mobile customers.

Virgin Media and O2 provide wholesale services to other mobile operators in the UK. The CMA is concerned that following the merger Virgin Media and O2 may have an incentive to raise prices or reduce the quality of those services, ultimately leading to a worse deal for UK consumers.

In 2016 the 10bn acquisition of O2 by Hutchison, which owns the mobile operator Three in the UK, was blocked by the European commission, a move supported by the CMA and Ofcom.

However, the Virgin-O2 merger is a more similar combination to BTs 12.5bn takeover of the mobile company EE four years ago, which was given the green light by the CMA.

The CMA was granted permission to investigate the deal, which values Virgin Media at 18.7bn and O2 at 12.7bn, in November after the European commission handed over the case to the UK regulator. Under European law, the biggest mergers are usually handled by regulators in Brussels.

However, the CMA asked to take the case because the deal only has an impact on UK customers and the time period of the investigation will go beyond the end of the transition period for when Britain leaves the EU.

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Virgin Media and O2 merger faces in-depth investigation by regulator - The Guardian