thedenverpost--2020-08-02--NFL Journal: “Live” practice periods in training camp would help Broncos make back-of-the-roster dec

NFL Journal: “Live” practice periods in training camp would help Broncos make back-of-the-roster decisions

Back in 2004 , when Joe Gibbs returned to the NFL to coach Washington , he wanted to have a night practice to change up the routine so players and coaches boarded buses to a northern Virginia high school .
Coach Joe really changed things up during the workout ’ s final period .
I can ’ t even remember if running back Clinton Portis was able to cross the goal line , but I do recall the post-play trash talk and high-fives between offense and defense .
The intensity was off the charts and it was awesome .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one other “ live ” training camp period and that was Jacksonville in 2013 and Justin Forsett sustained a toe injury during an inside run-game drill .
But in this season of extraordinary circumstances ( no preseason games ) , Broncos coach Vic Fangio floated the possibility of live practice periods this month .
“ Obviously with no preseason games , we ’ ll lose those evaluation times , ” he said .
“ It will be a challenge for young players to learn and adapt to the game .
… Maybe in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have some live action in there on occasion .
I ’ ve never been many places where that ’ s been done in practice .
We just relied on the preseason games for that.
” This is what Fangio should do : Have live periods of practice for the back half of the roster .
The starters go to one field and do their thing to prepare for the Sept. 14 opener against Tennessee .
On another field , Fangio oversees live practice situations .
“ All of them , you can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s live action , ” he said .
“ Who can tackle ?
Who ’ s willing to tackle ?
Who can break tackles ?
” Going old school for just a handful of plays during camp could pay off .
Broncos rank 25th .
On Friday , Forbes unveiled its annual rankings of the sports world ’ s most valuable franchises and the Broncos checked in at No .
25 ( 11th in the NFL ) with a valuation of $ 3 billion .
The top five : Dallas Cowboys ( $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consecutive year ) , New York Yankees ( $ 5 billion ) , New York Knicks ( $ 4.6 billion ) , Los Angeles Lakers ( $ 4.4 billion ) and Golden State Warriors ( $ 4.3 billion ) .
The top five ( NFL ) : Cowboys , New England Patriots ( $ 4.1 billion , seventh overall ) , New York Giants ( $ 3.9 billion , ninth ) , Los Angeles Rams ( $ 3.8 billion , 11th ) and San Francisco 49ers ( $ 3.5 billion , 12th ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the top 50 .
Stan Kroenke , whose holding company owns the Avalanche , Nuggets and Rapids , was ninth with the Rams and 47th with Arsenal ( $ 2.27 billion ) .
Cutting down to 80 .
When the league gave teams the option of cutting down to 80 players by last Tuesday ( from 90 ) , the natural concern was undrafted rookies would be waived without ever touching the practice field .
But in reducing their roster , the Broncos took the right tact : Keep most of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the field and , just as importantly , be evaluated to see if they merit a spot on the 16-man practice squad .
Broncos add behavior specialist .
The Broncos have hired Dr. Nicole Linen to the newly-created position of behavior health specialist .
The team said Linen will work with Broncos players and coaches and consult with the medical and training staffs .
A member of the American Psychological Association , Linen joined the Broncos from Auburn , where she worked in the Tigers ’ athletic department from 2017-20 .
Gotsis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publicist , former Broncos defensive end Adam Gotsis said he has been cleared by doctors to resume football activities after a recovery time of more than seven months .
Gotsis began 2019 as a starter , but lost his spot after four games and was shut down because of a knee injury .
He played only 283 snaps .
“ This is not my first go-around so I understood the work ethic and commitment required to successfully recover from this type of injury , ” he said .
Gotsis has been training at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s opportunity .
Philadelphia has two linebacker spots open and rookie/CU alum Davion Taylor , a rookie third-round pick , will be in a competition to start .
Taylor is learning all three positions .
“ Now that I ’ m at this level , I can ’ t make no excuses , ” he told the Philadelphia media .
“ I just have to go out there and be a pro about it .
I have to be spending extra time in the playbook , probably more than everybody else , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office ( and ) just doing the extra things to make sure that I ’ m ready because I can ’ t really use the excuse that I ’ m very raw.
” Taylor , who played two years for the Buffs , helped his draft stock by running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine .
Footnotes .
The NFL suspended free agent receiver Antonio Brown for the first eight games of the season for violating the league ’ s personal conduct policy ( stemming from a lawsuit filed against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was sexually assaulted by Brown ) .
If Brown signs with a team this month , he can participate in all preseason practices .
As for any interested teams , good luck .
… As if learning a second offense in as many years wasn ’ t tough enough , Giants quarterback Daniel Jones lost his left tackle when CU alum Nate Solder opted out of the season .
… As of Friday , New England had six players opt out , including starting linebacker Dont ’ a Hightower and safety Patrick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Week 5 .

Back in 2004, when Joe Gibbs returned to the NFL to coach Washington, he wanted to have a night practice to change up the routine so players and coaches boarded buses to a northern Virginia high school.
Coach Joe really changed things up during the workout’s final period.
Live blocking/tackling.
At the goal-line.
Starters vs. starters.
I can’t even remember if running back Clinton Portis was able to cross the goal line, but I do recall the post-play trash talk and high-fives between offense and defense.
The intensity was off the charts and it was awesome.
It was also rare. I only recall one other “live” training camp period and that was Jacksonville in 2013 and Justin Forsett sustained a toe injury during an inside run-game drill. But in this season of extraordinary circumstances (no preseason games), Broncos coach Vic Fangio floated the possibility of live practice periods this month.
“Obviously with no preseason games, we’ll lose those evaluation times,” he said. “It will be a challenge for young players to learn and adapt to the game. … Maybe in practices, we’ll have to have some live action in there on occasion. I’ve never been many places where that’s been done in practice. We just relied on the preseason games for that.”
This is what Fangio should do: Have live periods of practice for the back half of the roster. The starters go to one field and do their thing to prepare for the Sept. 14 opener against Tennessee. On another field, Fangio oversees live practice situations.
“All of them, you can’t evaluate them totally until it’s live action,” he said. “Who can tackle? Who’s willing to tackle? Who can break tackles?”
Going old school for just a handful of plays during camp could pay off.
Broncos rank 25th. On Friday, Forbes unveiled its annual rankings of the sports world’s most valuable franchises and the Broncos checked in at No. 25 (11th in the NFL) with a valuation of $3 billion.
The top five: Dallas Cowboys ($5.5 billion, first for the fifth consecutive year), New York Yankees ($5 billion), New York Knicks ($4.6 billion), Los Angeles Lakers ($4.4 billion) and Golden State Warriors ($4.3 billion).
The top five (NFL): Cowboys, New England Patriots ($4.1 billion, seventh overall), New York Giants ($3.9 billion, ninth), Los Angeles Rams ($3.8 billion, 11th) and San Francisco 49ers ($3.5 billion, 12th).
No other Colorado pro team ranked in the top 50. Stan Kroenke, whose holding company owns the Avalanche, Nuggets and Rapids, was ninth with the Rams and 47th with Arsenal ($2.27 billion).
Cutting down to 80. When the league gave teams the option of cutting down to 80 players by last Tuesday (from 90), the natural concern was undrafted rookies would be waived without ever touching the practice field.
But in reducing their roster, the Broncos took the right approach: Keep most of their undrafted rookies so they can be seen on the field and, just as importantly, be evaluated to see if they merit a spot on the 16-man practice squad.
Broncos add behavior specialist. The Broncos have hired Dr. Nicole Linen to the newly-created position of behavior health specialist.
The team said Linen will work with Broncos players and coaches and consult with the medical and training staffs. A member of the American Psychological Association, Linen joined the Broncos from Auburn, where she worked in the Tigers’ athletic department from 2017-20.
Gotsis back healthy. Via email from his publicist, former Broncos defensive end Adam Gotsis said he has been cleared by doctors to resume football activities after a recovery time of more than seven months. Gotsis began 2019 as a starter, but lost his spot after four games and was shut down because of a knee injury. He played only 283 snaps.
“This is not my first go-around so I understood the work ethic and commitment required to successfully recover from this type of injury,” he said.
Gotsis has been training at Next Level Performance in Golden.
Update (Sunday, 8:45 a.m.): The Jacksonville Jaguars announced they have agreed to terms with Gotsis.
Taylor’s opportunity. Philadelphia has two linebacker spots open and rookie/CU alum Davion Taylor, a rookie third-round pick, will be in a competition to start. Taylor is learning all three positions.
“Now that I’m at this level, I can’t make no excuses,” he told the Philadelphia media. “I just have to go out there and be a pro about it. I have to be spending extra time in the playbook, probably more than everybody else, spend more time in the coach’s office (and) just doing the extra things to make sure that I’m ready because I can’t really use the excuse that I’m very raw.”
Taylor, who played two years for the Buffs, helped his draft stock by running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine.
Footnotes. The NFL suspended free agent receiver Antonio Brown for the first eight games of the season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy (stemming from a lawsuit filed against him by a former trainer who alleged she was sexually assaulted by Brown). If Brown signs with a team this month, he can participate in all preseason practices. As for any interested teams, good luck. … As if learning a second offense in as many years wasn’t tough enough, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones lost his left tackle when CU alum Nate Solder opted out of the season. … As of Friday, New England had six players opt out, including starting linebacker Dont’a Hightower and safety Patrick Chung. The Broncos travel to Foxborough in Week 5.


thedenverpost--2020-08-02--Ask Amy: Spouse wonders if church will hurt the marriage

Dear Amy : My husband of two years has recently become interested in exploring Christianity .
He went to church as a child , but stopped going when he was a teen .
He is now very concerned about what will happen after he dies .
He says he wants to find “ peace.
” Amy , I have no interest in going with him .
I was baptized , but I never went to church as a child .
I am not a believer and to be honest , I don ’ t feel comfortable participating in organized religion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is anything wrong with him going to church by himself or with another family member ( we have one who keeps inviting us to their church ) .
Do I need to be a part of this ?
I feel like I will hate every minute of it and become resentful .
But if I don ’ t go , will it ruin our marriage ?
Dear Concerned : Your marriage should not be contingent on you forcing yourself to worship alongside your husband .
I do suggest that you remain open to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the service went and what the topic of the sermon was , and perhaps attend special holiday services if he seems eager to share them with you .
The churchgoing experience will bring your husband into a belief system , as well as a new social system .
Any time anyone forms new relationships , it could place a strain on the marriage – but the alternative ( shadowing him out of fear that the marriage will be threatened ) is a non-starter .
If he dives in and starts attending Bible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you will discover that church activities are very time consuming .
This might negatively affect your relationship , but his faith practice could also lead him to a more loving , compassionate , and – yes , peaceful — place .
Dear Amy : My neighbor picks flowers off of our trees/plants in the front yard .
The first time we caught her doing this , she told us she uses them for prayer and asked if it was OK .
This is becoming a daily routine .
We hardly have any flowers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find a whole branch missing off my plumeria tree .
When asked about it she replied , “ I picked a flower , and the branch broke off.
” Those branches are very sturdy , the flowers need no force when picked , which makes me believe she did it on purpose .
I ’ m getting fed up but feel uncomfortable saying something since she uses the flowers for prayer .
What do you think I should do ?
Dear Keeper : This may seem like a benign activity to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from private property is theft .
Your neighbor asked permission only after she was caught .
You gave her permission , and now you are going to have to withdraw it .
Perhaps only an avid gardener would understand how truly disturbing this could be .
( Gardening is my primary hobby , and yes – it would bother me a great deal . )
Because you grow plumeria ( a tropical plant ) , I infer that you live in a warm climate .
You have invested in , tend , water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Taking blossoms deprives you of the right to enjoy them .
Breaking off a branch will wound the tree ( and the gardener ’ s pride ) .
Many religions use flowers as part of prayer ceremonies , but maybe you also want to use these blooms for your own kind of worship .
My point is that your neighbor ’ s use of these blooms is NOT more noble than yours .
Perhaps you could take her a potted geranium ( their blooms tend to regrow quickly when plucked ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ plant for you as a gift from us .
Do not take any more blooms from our yard .
You do NOT have permission to do this anymore .
Do you understand ?
” There is no need to explain further .
Post a small sign near the edge of your yard saying , “ Private Property , ” as a little visual reminder that every time she wanders in , she is trespassing .
Dear Amy : I was highly offended by your comment in a recent answer : “ I love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought you were being cute , but since when is a violent uprising a good thing ?
Dear Disgusted : I happened to compose that answer on the Fourth of July .
There are any number of insurrections I would consider justified , including the one that helped to form this country .
Other readers also reported being offended , and I apologize to those that were .

Dear Amy: My husband of two years has recently become interested in exploring Christianity.
He went to church as a child, but stopped going when he was a teen. He is now very concerned about what will happen after he dies. He says he wants to find “peace.”
Amy, I have no interest in going with him. I was baptized, but I never went to church as a child. I am not a believer and to be honest, I don’t feel comfortable participating in organized religion.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with him going to church by himself or with another family member (we have one who keeps inviting us to their church).
Do I need to be a part of this? I feel like I will hate every minute of it and become resentful. But if I don’t go, will it ruin our marriage?
— Concerned Wife
Dear Concerned: Your marriage should not be contingent on you forcing yourself to worship alongside your husband. I do suggest that you remain open to hearing about his experience – ask him how the service went and what the topic of the sermon was, and perhaps attend special holiday services if he seems eager to share them with you.
The churchgoing experience will bring your husband into a belief system, as well as a new social system. Any time anyone forms new relationships, it could place a strain on the marriage – but the alternative (shadowing him out of fear that the marriage will be threatened) is a non-starter.
If he dives in and starts attending Bible study and joins church-centered social groups, you will discover that church activities are very time consuming. This might negatively affect your relationship, but his faith practice could also lead him to a more loving, compassionate, and – yes, peaceful — place.
Dear Amy: My neighbor picks flowers off of our trees/plants in the front yard.
The first time we caught her doing this, she told us she uses them for prayer and asked if it was OK.
This is becoming a daily routine. We hardly have any flowers left.
Today, I came out to find a whole branch missing off my plumeria tree.
When asked about it she replied, “I picked a flower, and the branch broke off.” Those branches are very sturdy, the flowers need no force when picked, which makes me believe she did it on purpose.
I’m getting fed up but feel uncomfortable saying something since she uses the flowers for prayer.
What do you think I should do?
— Keeper of Flowers
Dear Keeper: This may seem like a benign activity to the person doing it, but taking flowers from private property is theft. Your neighbor asked permission only after she was caught. You gave her permission, and now you are going to have to withdraw it.
Perhaps only an avid gardener would understand how truly disturbing this could be. (Gardening is my primary hobby, and yes – it would bother me a great deal.)
Because you grow plumeria (a tropical plant), I infer that you live in a warm climate. You have invested in, tend, water, prune, and protect your plantings. Taking blossoms deprives you of the right to enjoy them. Breaking off a branch will wound the tree (and the gardener’s pride).
Many religions use flowers as part of prayer ceremonies, but maybe you also want to use these blooms for your own kind of worship. My point is that your neighbor’s use of these blooms is NOT more noble than yours.
Perhaps you could take her a potted geranium (their blooms tend to regrow quickly when plucked). Tell her, “Here is a plant for you as a gift from us. Do not take any more blooms from our yard. You do NOT have permission to do this anymore. Do you understand?”
There is no need to explain further.
Post a small sign near the edge of your yard saying, “Private Property,” as a little visual reminder that every time she wanders in, she is trespassing.
Dear Amy: I was highly offended by your comment in a recent answer: “I love a good insurrection.” I gather you thought you were being cute, but since when is a violent uprising a good thing?
— Disgusted
Dear Disgusted: I happened to compose that answer on the Fourth of July. There are any number of insurrections I would consider justified, including the one that helped to form this country. Other readers also reported being offended, and I apologize to those that were.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-08-03--Avalanche stuns Blues with last-second power-play goal

In Western Conference round-robin seeding Sunday at Rogers Place , Nazem Kadri scored a power-play goal with 0.1-second remaining in the third period to give the Avalanche a dramatic 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues in Edmonton .
Officials took approximately seven minutes in looking at replays before ruling that Kadri had indeed scored , making sure the puck fully crossed the line before there was 0.0 on the clock .
They proclaimed it a good goal and the center-ice faceoff was made at 0.1 seconds .
“ I was aware — not quite to the decimal point but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time left , ” said Kadri , who slapped in a rebound after Gabe Landeskog shot off the post .
“ I knew ( the puck ) hit the back of the net before the buzzer went off but I wasn ’ t quite sure if the buzzer was late.
” If the goal didn ’ t count , both teams would have been awarded a point , with an extra point to the 3-on-3 overtime or shootout winner .
But Colorado , which trailed conference-leading St. Louis by a point with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its season March 12 , took both points and blank the Blues to climb into the conference lead .
“ As a team , as a whole , I look at that as a big step forward from our exhibition game , ” Avs coach Jared Bednar said .
“ We got some guys who still got to pick it up and fortunately we have a couple games that we can still do that in before we get into the ( 16-team ) playoffs.
” Colorado , which trailed 1-0 entering the third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s goal early in the final frame .
Goalie Philipp Grubauer stopped all 28 shots he faced in the second and third periods after allowing a first-period power-play goal .
“ Felt really good , even though it ’ s been a while , ” said Grubauer , who hadn ’ t played in a meaningful game since Feb. 15 , when he was injured in the outdoor game at the Air Force Academy .
Graves ’ goal was his 10th of the season , and it came after he fumbled a first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I had a Grade-A shot .
Obviously worked out .
Sometimes things just work out for you , ” Graves said .
The Avs controlled play in the first period , outshooting the Blues 16-4 , but entered the second trailing 1-0 .
The difference was David Perron ’ s power-play goal at 16:46 of the period .
“ I was really proud of the guys for sticking in there and battling back , ” Kadri said .
“ This is just one game , and we ’ re not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s certainly nice to start off with a win.
” He added : “ I suppose it feels a little bit better against these guys — obviously division rival , great team .
So we ’ re happy to get the win .
That ’ s as close of a regular playoff game that you can get and that ’ s good preparation moving forward.
” Final shots were 38-32 Colorado , which next plays the Dallas Stars on Wednesday .
The Avs ’ final round-robin game is Saturday against the Vegas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winger Matt Nieto , a primary penalty killer who had played in all 70 regular-season games , was a surprise scratch .
He was replaced by Tyson Jost .
Only Nieto and defenseman Sam Girard had not previously missed a game for Colorado this season , playing in all 20 .
“ I really liked Jost ’ s competitiveness through training camp .
I ’ ve liked the intensity he ’ s played with .
He just seems real dialed in , ” Bednar said .
“ To me , he earned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on having a better camp than some guys .
”

Sudden death was replaced by suddenly dead.
In Western Conference round-robin seeding Sunday at Rogers Place, Nazem Kadri scored a power-play goal with 0.1-second remaining in the third period to give the Avalanche a dramatic 2-1 victory over St. Louis in Edmonton.
Officials took nearly seven minutes looking at replays before ruling that Kadri had indeed scored. They were making sure the puck fully crossed the line before there was 0.0 on the clock. The center-ice faceoff was made at 0.1 seconds — the amount of time Colorado led in the game.
“I was aware — not quite to the decimal point but I knew there wasn’t much time left,” said Kadri, who slapped in a rebound after Gabe Landeskog shot off the post. “I knew (the puck) hit the back of the net before the buzzer went off but I wasn’t quite sure if the buzzer was late.”
If the goal didn’t count, both teams would have been awarded a point, with an extra point to the 3-on-3 overtime or shootout winner. But Colorado, which trailed conference-leading St. Louis by a point with a game in hand when the NHL paused its season March 12, took both points to climb into the conference lead.
“As a team, as a whole, I look at that as a big step forward from our exhibition game,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “We got some guys who still got to pick it up and fortunately we have a couple games that we can still do that in before we get into the (16-team) playoffs.”
Colorado, which trailed 1-0 entering the third, tied it on Ryan Graves’s goal early in the final frame. Goalie Philipp Grubauer stopped all 28 shots he faced in the second and third periods after allowing a first-period power-play goal.
“Felt really good, even though it’s been a while,” said Grubauer, who hadn’t played in a meaningful game since Feb. 15, when he was injured in the outdoor game at the Air Force Academy.
Graves’ goal was his 10th of the season, and it came after he fumbled a first shot attempt from between the circles.
“I had a Grade-A shot. Obviously worked out. Sometimes things just work out for you,” Graves said.
The Avs controlled play in the first period, outshooting the Blues 16-4, but entered the second trailing 1-0. The difference was David Perron’s power-play goal at 16:46.
“I was really proud of the guys for sticking in there and battling back,” Kadri said. “This is just one game, and we’re not going to get too high on it but it’s certainly nice to start off with a win.”
He added: “I suppose it feels a little bit better against these guys — obviously division rival, great team. So we’re happy to get the win. That’s as close of a regular playoff game that you can get and that’s good preparation moving forward.”
Final shots were 38-32 Colorado, which next plays Dallas on Wednesday. The Avs’ final round-robin game is Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The 16-team, best-of-seven series tournament begins Aug. 11.
Footnotes. Avs depth winger Matt Nieto, a primary penalty killer who had played in all 70 regular-season games, was a surprise scratch. He was replaced by Tyson Jost. Only Nieto and defenseman Sam Girard had not previously missed a game for Colorado this season, playing in all 20. “I really liked Jost’s competitiveness through training camp. I’ve liked the intensity he’s played with. He just seems real dialed in,” Bednar said. “To me, he earned the right to play in this game just based on having a better camp than some guys.” … The Avs finished 1-of-5 on the power play (9:14), scoring on their last opportunity. The Blues scored on their first and ended 1-of-4 (6:17).


thedenverpost--2020-08-03--Microsoft confirms talks seeking to buy U.S. arm of TikTok

NEW YORK — Microsoft confirmed Sunday it is in talks with Chinese company ByteDance to acquire the U.S. arm of its popular video app TikTok and has discussed with President Donald Trump his concerns about security and censorship surrounding such an acquisition .
In a statement , Microsoft said Microsoft and ByteDance have provided notice of their intent to explore a deal resulting in Microsoft owning and operating the TikTok service in the U.S. , Canada , Australia and New Zealand .
The company said it expects those talks to conclude by Sept. 15 .
Trump said on Friday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States .
Trump and CEO Satya Nadella have spoken , the company said , and Microsoft was prepared to continue exploring the purchase of TikTok ’ s U.S. operations after their conversation .
“ Microsoft fully appreciates the importance of addressing the President ’ s concerns .
It is committed to acquiring TikTok subject to a complete security review and providing proper economic benefits to the United States , including the United States Treasury , ” the Microsoft statement said .
The White House did not immediately comment on the Microsoft statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Microsoft was in advanced talks to buy the U.S. operations of TikTok , which has been a source of national security and censorship concerns for the Trump administration .
Earlier Sunday , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo again raised the administration ’ s warnings about social media platform .
“ These Chinese software companies doing business in the United States , whether it ’ s TikTok or WeChat — there are countless more … are feeding data directly to the Chinese Communist Party , their national security apparatus , ” Pompeo said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morning Futures.
” “ Could be their facial recognition patterns .
It could be information about their residence , their phone numbers , their friends , who they ’ re connected to .
Those — those are the issues that President Trump has made clear we ’ re going to take care of , ” Pompeo said .
In its statement , Microsoft said it may invite other American investors to participate on a minority basis in the purchase of TikTok .
Financial terms were undisclosed .
TikTok ’ s U.S. user data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strict controls on employee access , and its biggest investors come from the U.S. , the company said earlier Sunday .
“ We are committed to protecting our users ’ privacy and safety as we continue working to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform , ” a TikTok spokesperson said .
A federal committee has been reviewing whether Trump could ban TikTok in the U.S. Its members agree that TikTok can not remain in the U.S. in its current form because it “ risks sending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said .
“ We all agree there has to be a change … everybody agrees it can ’ t exist as it does , ” Mnuchin said Sunday on ABC ’ s “ This Week.
” As speculation grew over a ban or sale of the social media platform ’ s U.S. business , TikTok posted a video on Saturday saying , “ We ’ re not planning on going anywhere.
” TikTok ’ s catchy videos and ease of use has made it popular , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users in the U.S. and hundreds of millions globally .
Its parent company , Bytedance Ltd. , launched TikTok in 2017 .
It bought Musical.ly , a video service popular with teens in the U.S. and Europe , and combined the two .
It has a similar service , Douyin , for users in China .
But TikTok ’ s Chinese ownership has raised concern about the potential for sharing user data with Chinese officials as well as censorship of videos critical of the Chinese government .
TikTok says it does not censor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese government access to U.S. user data .
“ The President , when he makes his decision , will make sure that everything we have done drives us as close to zero risk for the American people , ” Pompeo said .
“ That ’ s the mission set that he laid out for all of us when we get — we began to evaluate this now several months back .
We ’ re closing in on a solution .
And I think you will see the president ’ s announcement shortly.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. security crackdown on Chinese companies , including telecom providers Huawei and ZTE .
The Trump administration has ordered that the U.S. stop buying equipment from those providers to be used in U.S. networks .
Trump has also tried to steer allies away from Huawei over concerns that the Chinese government has access to its data , which Huawei denies .
AP Business Writers Anne D ’ Innocenzio and Tali Arbel contributed to this report .

NEW YORK — Microsoft confirmed Sunday it is in talks with Chinese company ByteDance to acquire the U.S. arm of its popular video app TikTok and has discussed with President Donald Trump his concerns about security and censorship surrounding such an acquisition.
In a statement, Microsoft said Microsoft and ByteDance have provided notice of their intent to explore a deal resulting in Microsoft owning and operating the TikTok service in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The company said it expects those talks to conclude by Sept. 15.
Trump said on Friday that he would soon ban TikTok in the United States. Trump and CEO Satya Nadella have spoken, the company said, and Microsoft was prepared to continue exploring the purchase of TikTok’s U.S. operations after their conversation.
“Microsoft fully appreciates the importance of addressing the President’s concerns. It is committed to acquiring TikTok subject to a complete security review and providing proper economic benefits to the United States, including the United States Treasury,” the Microsoft statement said.
The White House did not immediately comment on the Microsoft statement.
Previously, there were reports that Microsoft was in advanced talks to buy the U.S. operations of TikTok, which has been a source of national security and censorship concerns for the Trump administration. Earlier Sunday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo again raised the administration’s warnings about social media platform.
“These Chinese software companies doing business in the United States, whether it’s TikTok or WeChat — there are countless more … are feeding data directly to the Chinese Communist Party, their national security apparatus,” Pompeo said on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”
“Could be their facial recognition patterns. It could be information about their residence, their phone numbers, their friends, who they’re connected to. Those — those are the issues that President Trump has made clear we’re going to take care of,” Pompeo said.
In its statement, Microsoft said it may invite other American investors to participate on a minority basis in the purchase of TikTok. Financial terms were undisclosed.
TikTok’s U.S. user data is stored in the U.S., with strict controls on employee access, and its biggest investors come from the U.S., the company said earlier Sunday. “We are committed to protecting our users’ privacy and safety as we continue working to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform,” a TikTok spokesperson said.
A federal committee has been reviewing whether Trump could ban TikTok in the U.S. Its members agree that TikTok cannot remain in the U.S. in its current form because it “risks sending back information on 100 million Americans,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.
“We all agree there has to be a change … everybody agrees it can’t exist as it does,” Mnuchin said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”
As speculation grew over a ban or sale of the social media platform’s U.S. business, TikTok posted a video on Saturday saying, “We’re not planning on going anywhere.”
TikTok’s catchy videos and ease of use has made it popular, and it says it has tens of millions of users in the U.S. and hundreds of millions globally. Its parent company, Bytedance Ltd., launched TikTok in 2017. It bought Musical.ly, a video service popular with teens in the U.S. and Europe, and combined the two. It has a similar service, Douyin, for users in China.
But TikTok’s Chinese ownership has raised concern about the potential for sharing user data with Chinese officials as well as censorship of videos critical of the Chinese government. TikTok says it does not censor videos and it would not give the Chinese government access to U.S. user data.
“The President, when he makes his decision, will make sure that everything we have done drives us as close to zero risk for the American people,” Pompeo said. “That’s the mission set that he laid out for all of us when we get — we began to evaluate this now several months back. We’re closing in on a solution. And I think you will see the president’s announcement shortly.”
The debate over TikTok parallels a broader U.S. security crackdown on Chinese companies, including telecom providers Huawei and ZTE. The Trump administration has ordered that the U.S. stop buying equipment from those providers to be used in U.S. networks. Trump has also tried to steer allies away from Huawei over concerns that the Chinese government has access to its data, which Huawei denies.
AP Business Writers Anne D’Innocenzio and Tali Arbel contributed to this report.


thedenverpost--2020-08-02--Brad Keselowski wins in New Hampshire for 3rd win since shutdown

LOUDON , N.H. — Brad Keselowski won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday for his third victory of the NASCAR season and 33rd of his career .
Keselowski and Denny Hamlin swapped stage wins and had the lead a combined 18 times before Keselowski , who is in a contract year for Team Penske , took the checkered flag 1.647 seconds ahead .
After the victory , Keselowski grabbed a U.S. flag and spun his car around in front of a crowd that was masked and socially distanced for much of the race before crowding the fence to chant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the winner .
“ It ’ s so great to be racing back in front of fans again .
It feels like forever , so welcome back , guys , ” Keselowski said .
“ We ’ re just so glad to have them all back .
It feels so weird to be racing without fans , but we ’ re glad you ’ re here .
I hope you stay safe and thank you for being here.
” Martin Truex Jr. was third after working his way back from the rear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a runaway tire in the pits .
Joey Logano was fourth and Kevin Harvick fifth .
Kyle Busch was last after a flat front right tire on the backstretch sent him skidding into the wall after just 15 laps .
The reigning Cup champion is a 12-time winner in New Hampshire , including three in the top series .
“ About halfway down the backstretch I felt it go flat and tried to get slowed down enough without taking everybody else running over me behind me down the straightaway , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ luck with the Pedigree car here at New Hampshire .
… It ’ s still 2020 , but sooner or later we have to turn this stuff around.
” The track has a capacity of 76,000 , but Gov .
Chris Sununu said last week that he expected about 12,000 fans to attend .
A track spokeswoman said attendance would not be announced , but it appeared to be about 10 % full .
The governor gave a brief welcome before the race and thanked fans for cooperating with the restrictions .
Fans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their way around the track but could remove them in their seats .
Hamlin won the first stage after fighting for the lead with Keselowski and Ryan Blaney .
Keselowski took the second stage , passing Hamlin on the final lap of a two-lap sprint following a series of cautions late in the stage .
It was his sixth stage win – the most of any driver .
“ We were going back-and-forth , ” Hamlin said .
“ Wow , that was some really , really good short-track racing there .
Hopefully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with me and the ( No . )
2 for most of the day .
Some great side-by-side racing .
We treated each other fair and it ’ s good that we got 1-2 out of it.
” In his last start in New Hampshire , where he swept the Cup Series events in 2003 , Jimmie Johnson recovered from an early spin to finish 12th .
The seven-time NASCAR champion entered the day 19th in the playoff race — below the cut line — and has only six races left to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said this will be his last year as a full-time Cup driver , was presented with a replica Revolutionary War musket as a parting gift , and “ Thanks Jimmie 48 ” was painted on the inner wall .
A trail on the property was named the Jimmie Johnson 5K trail for the fitness nut , who ran in the Boston Marathon last year .
Bubba Wallace and Corey LaJoie were sent to the back of the grid because of improperly mounted ballast that was discovered during pre-race inspection .
Both crews were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and owner standings .
Jerry Baxter , the crew chief for Wallace ’ s No .
43 car , and Ryan Sparks , the crew chief doe LaJoie ’ s No .
32 , were suspended for the race .

LOUDON, N.H. — Brad Keselowski won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday for his third victory of the NASCAR season and 33rd of his career.
Keselowski and Denny Hamlin swapped stage wins and had the lead a combined 18 times before Keselowski, who is in a contract year for Team Penske, took the checkered flag 1.647 seconds ahead. After the victory, Keselowski grabbed a U.S. flag and spun his car around in front of a crowd that was masked and socially distanced for much of the race before crowding the fence to chant “Brad! “Brad!” at the winner.
“It’s so great to be racing back in front of fans again. It feels like forever, so welcome back, guys,” Keselowski said. “We’re just so glad to have them all back. It feels so weird to be racing without fans, but we’re glad you’re here. I hope you stay safe and thank you for being here.”
Martin Truex Jr. was third after working his way back from the rear of the field because of a penalty for a runaway tire in the pits. Joey Logano was fourth and Kevin Harvick fifth.
Kyle Busch was last after a flat front right tire on the backstretch sent him skidding into the wall after just 15 laps. The reigning Cup champion is a 12-time winner in New Hampshire, including three in the top series.
“About halfway down the backstretch I felt it go flat and tried to get slowed down enough without taking everybody else running over me behind me down the straightaway,” he said. “Seems to be our luck with the Pedigree car here at New Hampshire. … It’s still 2020, but sooner or later we have to turn this stuff around.”
The track has a capacity of 76,000, but Gov. Chris Sununu said last week that he expected about 12,000 fans to attend. A track spokeswoman said attendance would not be announced, but it appeared to be about 10% full.
The governor gave a brief welcome before the race and thanked fans for cooperating with the restrictions. Fans were required to wear masks when making their way around the track but could remove them in their seats.
Hamlin won the first stage after fighting for the lead with Keselowski and Ryan Blaney. Keselowski took the second stage, passing Hamlin on the final lap of a two-lap sprint following a series of cautions late in the stage. It was his sixth stage win – the most of any driver.
“We were going back-and-forth,” Hamlin said. “Wow, that was some really, really good short-track racing there. Hopefully the fans liked what they saw there with me and the (No.) 2 for most of the day. Some great side-by-side racing. We treated each other fair and it’s good that we got 1-2 out of it.”
In his last start in New Hampshire, where he swept the Cup Series events in 2003, Jimmie Johnson recovered from an early spin to finish 12th. The seven-time NASCAR champion entered the day 19th in the playoff race — below the cut line — and has only six races left to make up ground.
Johnson, who has said this will be his last year as a full-time Cup driver, was presented with a replica Revolutionary War musket as a parting gift, and “Thanks Jimmie 48” was painted on the inner wall. A trail on the property was named the Jimmie Johnson 5K trail for the fitness nut, who ran in the Boston Marathon last year.
Bubba Wallace and Corey LaJoie were sent to the back of the grid because of improperly mounted ballast that was discovered during pre-race inspection. Both crews were also docked 10 points in the driver and owner standings.
Jerry Baxter, the crew chief for Wallace’s No. 43 car, and Ryan Sparks, the crew chief doe LaJoie’s No. 32, were suspended for the race.


thedenverpost--2020-08-02--Annual Sturgis rally expecting 250K, stirring coronavirus concerns

SIOUX FALLS , S.D .
— Sturgis is on .
The message has been broadcast across social media as South Dakota , which has seen an uptick in coronavirus infections in recent weeks , braces to host hundreds of thousands of bikers for the 80th edition of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally .
More than 250,000 people are expected to rumble through western South Dakota , seeking the freedom of cruising the boundless landscapes in a state that has skipped lockdowns .
The Aug. 7 to 16 event , which could be the biggest anywhere so far during the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally a chance to make up for losses caused by the coronavirus .
But for many in Sturgis , a city of about 7,000 , the brimming bars and bacchanalia will not be welcome during a pandemic .
Though only about half the usual number of people are expected at this year ’ s event , residents were split as the city weighed its options .
Many worried that the rally would cause an unmanageable outbreak of COVID-19 .
“ This is a huge , foolish mistake to make to host the rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chapman told city counselors at a June meeting .
“ The government of Sturgis needs to care most for its citizens.
” In a survey of residents conducted by the city , more than 60 % said the rally should be postponed .
But businesses pressured the City Council to proceed .
Rallygoers have spent about $ 800 million in past years , according to the state Department of Tourism .
Though the rally has an ignominious history of biker gangs and lawlessness , bikers of a different sort have shown up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for recreation and come flush with cash .
Though the rally still features libertine displays , it also offers charity events and tributes to the military and veterans .
The attorney for a tourism souvenir wholesaler in Rapid City wrote to the City Council reminding that a judge found the city does not solely own rights to the rally and threatening to sue if the city tried to postpone it .
Meanwhile , the Buffalo Chip , which is the largest campground and concert venue that lies outside the bounds of the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some version of the rally .
Rod Woodruff , who operates the Buffalo Chip , said he felt he had little choice but to proceed with the rally .
He employs hundreds of people in August and a smaller full-time staff .
“ We spend money for 355 days of the year without any return on it , hoping people show up for nine days , ” he said .
“ We ’ re a nine-day business.
” Woodruff felt he could pull off a safe event , allowing people to keep their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerts at his campground .
He said he was emboldened by the July 3 fireworks celebration at Mount Rushmore , where 7,500 people gathered without any reported outbreaks after the event , according to health officials .
In the end , Sturgis officials realized the rally would happen whether they wanted it or not .
They decided to try to scale it back , canceling city-hosted events and slashing advertising for the rally .
Jerry Cole , who directs the rally for the city , said organizers are not sure how many people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re expecting at least 250,000 .
Travel restrictions from Canada and other countries have cut out a sizeable portion of potential visitors , he said .
Others think the rally could be the biggest yet .
“ It ’ s the biggest single event that ’ s going on in the United States that didn ’ t get canceled , ” Woodruff said .
“ A lot of people think it ’ s going to be bigger than ever.
” When the rally is over , every year the city weighs all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people showed up .
This year , they will also conduct mass coronavirus testing to see if all those people brought the pandemic to Sturgis .

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Sturgis is on. The message has been broadcast across social media as South Dakota, which has seen an uptick in coronavirus infections in recent weeks, braces to host hundreds of thousands of bikers for the 80th edition of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
More than 250,000 people are expected to rumble through western South Dakota, seeking the freedom of cruising the boundless landscapes in a state that has skipped lockdowns. The Aug. 7 to 16 event, which could be the biggest anywhere so far during the pandemic, will offer businesses that depend on the rally a chance to make up for losses caused by the coronavirus. But for many in Sturgis, a city of about 7,000, the brimming bars and bacchanalia will not be welcome during a pandemic.
Though only about half the usual number of people are expected at this year’s event, residents were split as the city weighed its options. Many worried that the rally would cause an unmanageable outbreak of COVID-19.
“This is a huge, foolish mistake to make to host the rally this year,” Sturgis resident Lynelle Chapman told city counselors at a June meeting. “The government of Sturgis needs to care most for its citizens.”
In a survey of residents conducted by the city, more than 60% said the rally should be postponed. But businesses pressured the City Council to proceed.
Rallygoers have spent about $800 million in past years, according to the state Department of Tourism. Though the rally has an ignominious history of biker gangs and lawlessness, bikers of a different sort have shown up in recent years — affluent professionals who ride for recreation and come flush with cash. Though the rally still features libertine displays, it also offers charity events and tributes to the military and veterans.
The attorney for a tourism souvenir wholesaler in Rapid City wrote to the City Council reminding that a judge found the city does not solely own rights to the rally and threatening to sue if the city tried to postpone it. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Chip, which is the largest campground and concert venue that lies outside the bounds of the city, made clear that it would hold some version of the rally.
Rod Woodruff, who operates the Buffalo Chip, said he felt he had little choice but to proceed with the rally. He employs hundreds of people in August and a smaller full-time staff.
“We spend money for 355 days of the year without any return on it, hoping people show up for nine days,” he said. “We’re a nine-day business.”
Woodruff felt he could pull off a safe event, allowing people to keep their distance from one another at the outdoor concerts at his campground. He said he was emboldened by the July 3 fireworks celebration at Mount Rushmore, where 7,500 people gathered without any reported outbreaks after the event, according to health officials.
In the end, Sturgis officials realized the rally would happen whether they wanted it or not. They decided to try to scale it back, canceling city-hosted events and slashing advertising for the rally.
Jerry Cole, who directs the rally for the city, said organizers are not sure how many people will show up, but that they’re expecting at least 250,000. Travel restrictions from Canada and other countries have cut out a sizeable portion of potential visitors, he said.
Others think the rally could be the biggest yet.
“It’s the biggest single event that’s going on in the United States that didn’t get canceled,” Woodruff said. “A lot of people think it’s going to be bigger than ever.”
When the rally is over, every year the city weighs all the trash generated to estimate how many people showed up. This year, they will also conduct mass coronavirus testing to see if all those people brought the pandemic to Sturgis.


thedenverpost--2020-08-02--Antonio Senzatela’s stellar start lifts Rockies over Padres to win series at Coors Field

Simple math : A combined 2.00 ERA by their starting pitchers has laid the foundation for the Rockies ’ 6-2 start to the sprint that is the 2020 season .
Right-hander Antonio Senzatela became the latest member of the rotation to confound the opposition .
Deftly mixing his pitches — and fooling batters with a nasty curveball — Senzatela allowed one run over six innings in Colorado ’ s 9-6 victory over San Diego Sunday afternoon at Coors Field .
The Rockies ’ 6-2 record is tied for the second-best start in franchise history ( 2011 , 2015 ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 7-1 start .
“ I think it was about ( Senzatela ’ s ) mix of pitches , ” manager Bud Black said .
“ All of our guys are showing a change of speeds , in and out , up and down .
They are pitching.
” “ I really see this as these four guys are pitching .
They are not throwing , they are pitching , ” Black continued , adding that catcher Tony Wolters and Drew Butera have called excellent games .
Colorado has utilized four starters thus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , lefty Kyle Freeland and Senzatela ) , with right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez scheduled to make his first start Monday night against San Francisco at Coors Field .
Senzatela ( 2-0 , 2.45 ERA ) fanned six and walked just one .
He was stressed in just one inning , the sixth , when San Diego ’ s Jake Cronenworth led off with a triple and scored on Manny Machado ’ s two-out double .
Senzatela needed only 86 pitches ( 57 strikes ) to maneuver through his outing .
“ My fastball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was better , ” said Senzatela , who had just two starts last year in which he struck out six or more .
“ The strikeouts were really important to me because I tried to put the guys away , but on ( fewer ) pitches .
That ’ s a huge part of the game for me right now because it limits the guys on base.
” Black , who does not fire off compliments to pitchers frequently , is clearly pleased with how his rotation has fared .
“ They are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ They are doing a fabulous job ( throwing ) first-pitch strikes and working aggressively .
All of the things you look for.
” The Rockies mashed three home runs : a solo liner that eeked over the right-field wall by Daniel Murphy in the second ; a two-run blast down the left-field line by Matt Kemp in the fourth ; and a two-run homer to dead center by Ryan McMahon in the sixth .
The Rockies cranked out 12 hits and Murphy tied his career-high with four hits , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s done that .
The weak link for the Rockies was their bullpen .
Lefty James Pazos let San Diego back in the game in the eighth , giving up four runs on three hits and a walk .
He left the bases full for Carlos Estevez , who was ripped for a three-run triple off the right-field wall by Wil Myers .
San Diego added another run off Estevez in the ninth before Jairo Diaz came in to throw just one pitch to Manny Machado , who popped out to right to @ @ @ @

Simple math: A combined 2.00 ERA by their starting pitchers has laid the foundation for the Rockies’ 6-2 start to the sprint that is the 2020 season.
Right-hander Antonio Senzatela became the latest member of the rotation to confound the opposition. Deftly mixing his pitches — and fooling batters with a nasty curveball — Senzatela allowed one run over six innings in Colorado’s 9-6 victory over San Diego Sunday afternoon at Coors Field.
The Rockies’ 6-2 record is tied for the second-best start in franchise history (2011, 2015), topped only by the 1995 club’s 7-1 start.
“I think it was about (Senzatela’s) mix of pitches,” manager Bud Black said. “All of our guys are showing a change of speeds, in and out, up and down. They are pitching.”
Black emphasized the word pitching.
“I really see this as these four guys are pitching. They are not throwing, they are pitching,” Black continued, adding that catcher Tony Wolters and Drew Butera have called excellent games.
Colorado has utilized four starters thus far (German Marquez, Jon Gray, lefty Kyle Freeland and Senzatela), with right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez scheduled to make his first start Monday night against San Francisco at Coors Field.
Senzatela (2-0, 2.45 ERA) fanned six and walked just one. He was stressed in just one inning, the sixth, when San Diego’s Jake Cronenworth led off with a triple and scored on Manny Machado’s two-out double. Senzatela needed only 86 pitches (57 strikes) to maneuver through his outing.
“My fastball command today was good but my curve was better,” said Senzatela, who had just two starts last year in which he struck out six or more. “The strikeouts were really important to me because I tried to put the guys away, but on (fewer) pitches. That’s a huge part of the game for me right now because it limits the guys on base.”
Black, who does not fire off compliments to pitchers frequently, is clearly pleased with how his rotation has fared.
“They are setting a great tone,” Black said. “They are doing a fabulous job (throwing) first-pitch strikes and working aggressively. All of the things you look for.”
The Rockies mashed three home runs: a solo liner that eeked over the right-field wall by Daniel Murphy in the second; a two-run blast down the left-field line by Matt Kemp in the fourth; and a two-run homer to dead center by Ryan McMahon in the sixth.
The Rockies cranked out 12 hits and Murphy tied his career-high with four hits, the 22nd time in his career he’s done that.
The weak link for the Rockies was their bullpen. Lefty James Pazos let San Diego back in the game in the eighth, giving up four runs on three hits and a walk. He left the bases full for Carlos Estevez, who was ripped for a three-run triple off the right-field wall by Wil Myers.
San Diego added another run off Estevez in the ninth before Jairo Diaz came in to throw just one pitch to Manny Machado, who popped out to right to end the game.


thedenverpost--2020-08-02--Debate begins for who’s first in line for COVID-19 vaccine

Who gets to be first in line for a COVID-19 vaccine ?
U.S. health authorities hope by late next month to have some draft guidance on how to ration initial doses , but it ’ s a vexing decision .
“ Not everybody ’ s going to like the answer , ” Dr. Francis Collins , director of the National Institutes of Health , recently told one of the advisory groups the government asked to help decide .
“ There will be many people who feel that they should have been at the top of the list.
” Traditionally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are health workers and the people most vulnerable to the targeted infection .
But Collins tossed new ideas into the mix : Consider geography and give priority to people where an outbreak is hitting hardest .
And don ’ t forget volunteers in the final stage of vaccine testing who get dummy shots , the comparison group needed to tell if the real shots truly work .
“ We owe them … some special priority , ” Collins said .
Huge studies this summer aim to prove which of several experimental COVID-19 vaccines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Pfizer Inc. began tests last week that eventually will include 30,000 volunteers each ; in the next few months , equally large calls for volunteers will go out to test shots made by AstraZeneca , Johnson & Johnson and Novavax .
And some vaccines made in China are in smaller late-stage studies in other countries .
For all the promises of the U.S. stockpiling millions of doses , the hard truth : Even if a vaccine is declared safe and effective by year ’ s end , there won ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away — especially as most potential vaccines require two doses .
It ’ s a global dilemma .
The World Health Organization is grappling with the same who-goes-first question as it tries to ensure vaccines are fairly distributed to poor countries — decisions made even harder as wealthy nations corner the market for the first doses .
In the U.S. , the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices , a group established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , is supposed to recommend who to vaccinate and when — advice that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 vaccine decision is so tricky that this time around , ethicists and vaccine experts from the National Academy of Medicine , chartered by Congress to advise the government , are being asked to weigh in , too .
Setting priorities will require “ creative , moral common sense , ” said Bill Foege , who devised the vaccination strategy that led to global eradication of smallpox .
Foege is co-leading the academy ’ s deliberations , calling it “ both this opportunity and this burden.
” With vaccine misinformation abounding and fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Robert Redfield said the public must see vaccine allocation as “ equitable , fair and transparent.
” How to decide ?
The CDC ’ s opening suggestion : First vaccinate 12 million of the most critical health , national security and other essential workers .
Next would be 110 million people at high risk from the coronavirus — those over 65 who live in long-term care facilities , or those of any age who are in poor health — or who also are deemed essential workers .
The general population would come later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to know who ’ s really essential .
“ I wouldn ’ t consider myself a critical health care worker , ” admitted Dr. Peter Szilagyi , a pediatrician at the University of California , Los Angeles .
Indeed , the risks for health workers today are far different than in the pandemic ’ s early days .
Now , health workers in COVID-19 treatment units often are the best protected ; others may be more at risk , committee members noted .
Beyond the health and security fields , does “ essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
And what if the vaccine doesn ’ t work as well among vulnerable populations as among younger , healthier people ?
It ’ s a real worry , given that older people ’ s immune systems don ’ t rev up as well to flu vaccine .
With Black , Latino and Native American populations disproportionately hit by the coronavirus , failing to address that diversity means “ whatever comes out of our group will be looked at very suspiciously , ” said ACIP chairman Dr. Jose Romero , Arkansas ’ interim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who live in crowded conditions , have less access to health care and can ’ t work from home like more privileged Americans , added Dr. Sharon Frey of St. Louis University .
And it may be worth vaccinating entire families rather than trying to single out just one high-risk person in a household , said Dr. Henry Bernstein of Northwell Health .
Whoever gets to go first , a mass vaccination campaign while people are supposed to be keeping their distance is a tall order .
During the 2009 swine flu pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parking lots and at health departments when their turn came up , crowding that authorities know they must avoid this time around .
Operation Warp Speed , the Trump administration ’ s effort to speed vaccine manufacturing and distribution , is working out how to rapidly transport the right number of doses to wherever vaccinations are set to occur .
Drive-through vaccinations , pop-up clinics and other innovative ideas are all on the table , said CDC ’ s Dr. Nancy Messonnier .
As soon as a vaccine is declared effective , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , frankly , to start these programs , ” Messonnier said .
“ It ’ s a long road.
” The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

Who gets to be first in line for a COVID-19 vaccine? U.S. health authorities hope by late next month to have some draft guidance on how to ration initial doses, but it’s a vexing decision.
“Not everybody’s going to like the answer,” Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, recently told one of the advisory groups the government asked to help decide. “There will be many people who feel that they should have been at the top of the list.”
Traditionally, first in line for a scarce vaccine are health workers and the people most vulnerable to the targeted infection.
But Collins tossed new ideas into the mix: Consider geography and give priority to people where an outbreak is hitting hardest.
And don’t forget volunteers in the final stage of vaccine testing who get dummy shots, the comparison group needed to tell if the real shots truly work.
“We owe them … some special priority,” Collins said.
Huge studies this summer aim to prove which of several experimental COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Moderna Inc. and Pfizer Inc. began tests last week that eventually will include 30,000 volunteers each; in the next few months, equally large calls for volunteers will go out to test shots made by AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax. And some vaccines made in China are in smaller late-stage studies in other countries.
For all the promises of the U.S. stockpiling millions of doses, the hard truth: Even if a vaccine is declared safe and effective by year’s end, there won’t be enough for everyone who wants it right away — especially as most potential vaccines require two doses.
It’s a global dilemma. The World Health Organization is grappling with the same who-goes-first question as it tries to ensure vaccines are fairly distributed to poor countries — decisions made even harder as wealthy nations corner the market for the first doses.
In the U.S., the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a group established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is supposed to recommend who to vaccinate and when — advice that the government almost always follows.
But a COVID-19 vaccine decision is so tricky that this time around, ethicists and vaccine experts from the National Academy of Medicine, chartered by Congress to advise the government, are being asked to weigh in, too.
Setting priorities will require “creative, moral common sense,” said Bill Foege, who devised the vaccination strategy that led to global eradication of smallpox. Foege is co-leading the academy’s deliberations, calling it “both this opportunity and this burden.”
With vaccine misinformation abounding and fears that politics might intrude, CDC Director Robert Redfield said the public must see vaccine allocation as “equitable, fair and transparent.”
How to decide? The CDC’s opening suggestion: First vaccinate 12 million of the most critical health, national security and other essential workers. Next would be 110 million people at high risk from the coronavirus — those over 65 who live in long-term care facilities, or those of any age who are in poor health — or who also are deemed essential workers. The general population would come later.
CDC’s vaccine advisers wanted to know who’s really essential. “I wouldn’t consider myself a critical health care worker,” admitted Dr. Peter Szilagyi, a pediatrician at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Indeed, the risks for health workers today are far different than in the pandemic’s early days. Now, health workers in COVID-19 treatment units often are the best protected; others may be more at risk, committee members noted.
Beyond the health and security fields, does “essential” mean poultry plant workers or schoolteachers? And what if the vaccine doesn’t work as well among vulnerable populations as among younger, healthier people? It’s a real worry, given that older people’s immune systems don’t rev up as well to flu vaccine.
With Black, Latino and Native American populations disproportionately hit by the coronavirus, failing to address that diversity means “whatever comes out of our group will be looked at very suspiciously,” said ACIP chairman Dr. Jose Romero, Arkansas’ interim health secretary.
Consider the urban poor who live in crowded conditions, have less access to health care and can’t work from home like more privileged Americans, added Dr. Sharon Frey of St. Louis University.
And it may be worth vaccinating entire families rather than trying to single out just one high-risk person in a household, said Dr. Henry Bernstein of Northwell Health.
Whoever gets to go first, a mass vaccination campaign while people are supposed to be keeping their distance is a tall order. During the 2009 swine flu pandemic, families waited in long lines in parking lots and at health departments when their turn came up, crowding that authorities know they must avoid this time around.
Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s effort to speed vaccine manufacturing and distribution, is working out how to rapidly transport the right number of doses to wherever vaccinations are set to occur.
Drive-through vaccinations, pop-up clinics and other innovative ideas are all on the table, said CDC’s Dr. Nancy Messonnier.
As soon as a vaccine is declared effective, “we want to be able the next day, frankly, to start these programs,” Messonnier said. “It’s a long road.”
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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thedenverpost--2020-08-02--Pac-12 football players urge opt-out amid COVID-19 concerns

A group of Pac-12 football players on Sunday threatened to opt out of the coming season unless its concerns about competing during the COVID-19 pandemic and other racial and economic issues in college sports are addressed .
The players posted a statement and list of demands on The Players ’ Tribune website and social media with the hashtag # WeAreUnited and sent out a news release to reporters .
The release listed the names of 13 Pac-12 players from 10 schools , including Oregon star safety Jevon Holland , and provided a statement from each one .
Arizona State offensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the players began connecting about a month ago and have been communicating through the text messaging app GroupMe .
He said the number of players in the group has grown to more than 400 , though it ’ s impossible to gauge everyone ’ s level of commitment .
“ We can ’ t control that , ” said Shear , a junior from Eugene , Oregon , who transferred from the Ducks to ASU this year .
“ To have that many players , we have a pretty good idea there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ athletes in this conference that agree with some if not all that we ’ re asking as far as the player demands .
I can ’ t give you a number , but there ’ s an abundance of players that are messaging in that GroupMe consistently .
It feels like the phone ’ s blowing up every second.
” The public demands from the Pac-12 players follow a surge in athlete empowerment across college football .
Players have called out coaches at Iowa , Oklahoma State and Florida State .
Players have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campuses all over the country to protest racial injustice and police brutality in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd .
Now , as college sports leaders work to salvage a football season being threatened by the pandemic , more players are demanding to be heard .
“ We believe a football season under these conditions would be reckless and put us at needless risk , ” the players said in their news release .
“ We will not play until there is real change that is acceptable to us.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schedule for the coming season .
Officials across college football anticipate disruptions related to COVID-19 .
The Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference also announced plans last week for truncated seasons .
The NCAA has released guidelines for COVID-19 testing and other health and safety protocols to be used by schools , and Power Five conferences — the Pac-12 , Big Ten , Big 12 , ACC and SEC — are finalizing their own similar recommendations .
The Pac-12 also announced Friday that 20 hours per week of mandatory team activities for football @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unpadded walk-through practices , will be permitted to begin Monday .
Preseason football practice for Pac-12 schools is set to begin Aug. 17 .
The states of Arizona and California , home to half the Pac-12 schools , have been hit by some of the most severe surges in COVID-19 cases over the last month .
California-Berkeley has announced the fall semester will begin with all classes being taught online .
USC said most of its classes will be online for the coming semester .
“ Since the system is willing to risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the global pandemic , we must look out for each other , ” Oregon State defensive back Jaydon Grant said in a statement .
Pac-12 spokesman Andrew Walker directed requests for comment from the conference to a statement released Saturday .
“ Neither the Conference nor our university athletics departments have been contacted by this group regarding these topics , ” the Pac-12 said .
“ We support our student-athletes using their voices , and have regular communications with our student-athletes at many different levels on a range of topics.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and safety protections related to COVID-19 ; protection for all college sports programs from being eliminated by budget cuts ; racial injustice in college sports ; and economic rights and compensation for college athletes .
“ This is important to me because I want to see the young men that are being exploited by the PAC12 & NCAA have the right to earn money for their families , ” Holland said in his statement .
“ I want the safety of my peers lives to be placed higher than the sport they play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then we should be compensated as such.
” Among the specifics are : — Player-approved health and safety standards enforced by a third party selected by players to address COVID-19 and serious injury , abuse and death .
— Medical insurance for six years after college .
— 2 % of revenue to support financial aid for low-income Black students and community initiatives .
The other players listed were : Treyjohn Butler of Stanford ; Jake Curhan , Joshua Drayden and Valentino Daltoso of California ; Nick Ford of Utah ; Elisha Guidry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; Dallas Hobbs of Washington State ; and Ty Jones and Joe Tryon of Washington .
Oregon offensive lineman Penei Sewell , who is projected to be one of the first players selected in the next NFL draft , was among the college players who showed support for the movement on social media .
The group said it was committed to forming alliances with athletes from other conferences and that some players from outside the Pac-12 acknowledged the movement .
“ # WeAreUnited in our commitment to secure fair treatment for college athletes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to COVID-19 and other serious concerns , we will opt out of Pac-12 fall camp and game participation unless the following demands are guaranteed in writing by our conference to protect and benefit both scholarship athletes and walk-ons .
”

A group of Pac-12 football players on Sunday threatened to opt out of the coming season unless its concerns about competing during the COVID-19 pandemic and other racial and economic issues in college sports are addressed.
The players posted a statement and list of demands on The Players’ Tribune website and social media with the hashtag #WeAreUnited and sent out a news release to reporters. The release listed the names of 13 Pac-12 players from 10 schools, including Oregon star safety Jevon Holland, and provided a statement from each one.
Arizona State offensive lineman Cody Shear told The Associated Press the players began connecting about a month ago and have been communicating through the text messaging app GroupMe. He said the number of players in the group has grown to more than 400, though it’s impossible to gauge everyone’s level of commitment.
“We can’t control that,” said Shear, a junior from Eugene, Oregon, who transferred from the Ducks to ASU this year. “To have that many players, we have a pretty good idea there’s a lot of kids and college athletes in this conference that agree with some if not all that we’re asking as far as the player demands. I can’t give you a number, but there’s an abundance of players that are messaging in that GroupMe consistently. It feels like the phone’s blowing up every second.”
The public demands from the Pac-12 players follow a surge in athlete empowerment across college football. Players have called out coaches at Iowa, Oklahoma State and Florida State.
Players have led demonstrations, marches and rallies on campuses all over the country to protest racial injustice and police brutality in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd.
Now, as college sports leaders work to salvage a football season being threatened by the pandemic, more players are demanding to be heard.
“We believe a football season under these conditions would be reckless and put us at needless risk,” the players said in their news release. “We will not play until there is real change that is acceptable to us.”
The Pac-12 on Friday released a revised football schedule for the coming season. Officials across college football anticipate disruptions related to COVID-19. The Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference also announced plans last week for truncated seasons.
The NCAA has released guidelines for COVID-19 testing and other health and safety protocols to be used by schools, and Power Five conferences — the Pac-12, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC and SEC — are finalizing their own similar recommendations.
The Pac-12 also announced Friday that 20 hours per week of mandatory team activities for football, including weight training, meetings and unpadded walk-through practices, will be permitted to begin Monday. Preseason football practice for Pac-12 schools is set to begin Aug. 17.
The states of Arizona and California, home to half the Pac-12 schools, have been hit by some of the most severe surges in COVID-19 cases over the last month. California-Berkeley has announced the fall semester will begin with all classes being taught online. USC said most of its classes will be online for the coming semester.
“Since the system is willing to risk our health and safety in the midst of the global pandemic, we must look out for each other,” Oregon State defensive back Jaydon Grant said in a statement.
Pac-12 spokesman Andrew Walker directed requests for comment from the conference to a statement released Saturday.
“Neither the Conference nor our university athletics departments have been contacted by this group regarding these topics,” the Pac-12 said. “We support our student-athletes using their voices, and have regular communications with our student-athletes at many different levels on a range of topics.”
The players’ list of demands addresses healthy and safety protections related to COVID-19; protection for all college sports programs from being eliminated by budget cuts; racial injustice in college sports; and economic rights and compensation for college athletes.
“This is important to me because I want to see the young men that are being exploited by the PAC12 & NCAA have the right to earn money for their families,” Holland said in his statement. “I want the safety of my peers lives to be placed higher than the sport they play. If we are treated like employees then we should be compensated as such.”
Among the specifics are:
— Player-approved health and safety standards enforced by a third party selected by players to address COVID-19 and serious injury, abuse and death.
— 50% of a sport’s revenue distributed evenly to athletes.
— Medical insurance for six years after college.
— Reduced pay of Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott, coaches, administrators.
— 2% of revenue to support financial aid for low-income Black students and community initiatives.
The other players listed were: Treyjohn Butler of Stanford; Jake Curhan, Joshua Drayden and Valentino Daltoso of California; Nick Ford of Utah; Elisha Guidry of UCLA; Malik Hausman of Arizona; Dallas Hobbs of Washington State; and Ty Jones and Joe Tryon of Washington.
Oregon offensive lineman Penei Sewell, who is projected to be one of the first players selected in the next NFL draft, was among the college players who showed support for the movement on social media.
The group said it was committed to forming alliances with athletes from other conferences and that some players from outside the Pac-12 acknowledged the movement.
“#WeAreUnited in our commitment to secure fair treatment for college athletes,” it said. “Due to COVID-19 and other serious concerns, we will opt out of Pac-12 fall camp and game participation unless the following demands are guaranteed in writing by our conference to protect and benefit both scholarship athletes and walk-ons.”


thedenverpost--2020-08-02--Ransomware feared as possible saboteur for November election

WASHINGTON — Federal authorities say one of the gravest threats to the November election is a well-timed ransomware attack that could paralyze voting operations .
The threat isn ’ t just from foreign governments , but any fortune-seeking criminal .
Ransomware attacks targeting state and local governments have been on the rise , with cyber criminals seeking quick money by seizing data and holding it hostage until they get paid .
The fear is that such attacks could affect voting systems directly or even indirectly , by infecting broader government networks that include electoral databases .
Even if a ransomware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could nonetheless rattle confidence in the vote .
On the spectrum of threats from the fantastical to the more probable , experts and officials say ransomware is a particularly realistic possibility because the attacks are already so pervasive and lucrative .
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security have issued advisories to local governments , including recommendations for preventing attacks .
“ From the standpoint of confidence in the system , I think it is much easier to disrupt a network and prevent it from operating than it is to change votes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputy assistant attorney general , said in an interview .
The scenario is relatively simple : Plant malware on multiple networks that affect voter registration databases and activate it just before an election .
Or target vote-reporting and tabulation systems .
“ With the 2020 election , election infrastructure has a target on its back , ” Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said .
“ We know that election infrastructure was attempted to be undermined in 2016 , and we know the techniques are shifting.
” The number of attacks has escalated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas ’ transportation agency and city computers in New Orleans .
A December report by cybersecurity firm Emsisoft tracked attacks against at least 966 entities that interrupted 911 services , rendered medical records inaccessible and hindered police background checks .
“ We ’ re seeing state and local entities targeted with ransomware on a near daily basis , ” said Geoff Hale , a top election security official with Homeland Security ’ s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency .
Steps taken to improve security of voter registration systems after the 2016 election could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They ’ ve also acted to ensure they can recover quickly in the event of an attack .
Colorado , for example , stores redundant versions of its voter registration data at two separate secure locations so officials can easily shift operations .
Backups are regular so the system can be quickly rebuilt if needed .
Even so , ransomware is an added concern for local election officials already confronting staffing and budget constraints while preparing for a shift from in-person voting to absentee balloting because of the pandemic .
In West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the cyberthreat confronting its 55 county election offices than a direct attack on the statewide voter registration system .
One click from a county employee falling victim to a spearphishing attack could grant a hacker access to the county network and eventually to election systems .
“ I ’ m more worried that those people who are working extra hours and working more days , the temporary staff that may be brought in to help process the paperwork , that all this may create a certain malaise or fatigue when they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Tackett , chief information officer for the secretary of state .
In states that rely heavily on in-person voting and use electronic systems to check in voters , a well-timed attack particularly during early voting could prevent officials from immediately verifying a voter ’ s eligibility , making paper backups critical .
For states conducting elections entirely by mail , including Colorado , an attack near Election Day may have little effect on voting because ballots are sent early to all voters , with few votes cast in-person .
But it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots by hand .
In many states , local officials will face an influx of new ballot requests .
That means they ’ ll need constant access to voter data as they handle these requests .
An attack could cause major disruptions .
Hickey said he was unaware of ransomware attacks directly targeting election infrastructure .
But local election offices are often connected to larger county networks and not properly insulated or protected .
A criminal targeting a county or state “ may not even know what parts of the network they got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the malware creeps along and spreads , “ what gets bricked is the entire network — and that includes but is not limited to election infrastructure.
” Even if election infrastructure isn ’ t directly targeted , there would likely be immediate assumptions it was , said Ron Bushar of the FireEye cybersecurity company .
A February advisory issued by the FBI and obtained by The Associated Press recommends local governments separate election-related systems from county and state systems to ensure they aren ’ t affected in an unrelated attack .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network survived multiple ransomware attacks : one occurred six days before the November election through an IT services company shared by the seven impacted counties .
The second hit the state network a day after voting .
At a January meeting of state officials , Louisiana ’ s secretary of state highlighted the attacks as a blueprint for how an adversary like Russia could throw November into disarray .
Jason Ingalls , whose security firm responded to the Louisiana attacks , said in an interview : “ You put me in charge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me a couple of years to stage this and I could pull this off .
”

Eric Tucker, Christina A. Cassidy, Frank Bajak

WASHINGTON — Federal authorities say one of the gravest threats to the November election is a well-timed ransomware attack that could paralyze voting operations. The threat isn’t just from foreign governments, but any fortune-seeking criminal.
Ransomware attacks targeting state and local governments have been on the rise, with cyber criminals seeking quick money by seizing data and holding it hostage until they get paid. The fear is that such attacks could affect voting systems directly or even indirectly, by infecting broader government networks that include electoral databases.
Even if a ransomware attack fails to disrupt elections, it could nonetheless rattle confidence in the vote.
On the spectrum of threats from the fantastical to the more probable, experts and officials say ransomware is a particularly realistic possibility because the attacks are already so pervasive and lucrative. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security have issued advisories to local governments, including recommendations for preventing attacks.
“From the standpoint of confidence in the system, I think it is much easier to disrupt a network and prevent it from operating than it is to change votes,” Adam Hickey, a Justice Department deputy assistant attorney general, said in an interview.
The scenario is relatively simple: Plant malware on multiple networks that affect voter registration databases and activate it just before an election. Or target vote-reporting and tabulation systems.
“With the 2020 election, election infrastructure has a target on its back,” Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said. “We know that election infrastructure was attempted to be undermined in 2016, and we know the techniques are shifting.”
The number of attacks has escalated in recent years, with targets including Texas’ transportation agency and city computers in New Orleans. A December report by cybersecurity firm Emsisoft tracked attacks against at least 966 entities that interrupted 911 services, rendered medical records inaccessible and hindered police background checks.
“We’re seeing state and local entities targeted with ransomware on a near daily basis,” said Geoff Hale, a top election security official with Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Steps taken to improve security of voter registration systems after the 2016 election could help governments fend off election-related ransomware attacks. They’ve also acted to ensure they can recover quickly in the event of an attack.
Colorado, for example, stores redundant versions of its voter registration data at two separate secure locations so officials can easily shift operations. Backups are regular so the system can be quickly rebuilt if needed.
Even so, ransomware is an added concern for local election officials already confronting staffing and budget constraints while preparing for a shift from in-person voting to absentee balloting because of the pandemic.
In West Virginia, state officials are more concerned about the cyberthreat confronting its 55 county election offices than a direct attack on the statewide voter registration system. One click from a county employee falling victim to a spearphishing attack could grant a hacker access to the county network and eventually to election systems.
“I’m more worried that those people who are working extra hours and working more days, the temporary staff that may be brought in to help process the paperwork, that all this may create a certain malaise or fatigue when they are using tools like email,” said David Tackett, chief information officer for the secretary of state.
In states that rely heavily on in-person voting and use electronic systems to check in voters, a well-timed attack particularly during early voting could prevent officials from immediately verifying a voter’s eligibility, making paper backups critical.
For states conducting elections entirely by mail, including Colorado, an attack near Election Day may have little effect on voting because ballots are sent early to all voters, with few votes cast in-person. But it could disrupt vote-tallying, forcing officials to process ballots by hand.
In many states, local officials will face an influx of new ballot requests. That means they’ll need constant access to voter data as they handle these requests. An attack could cause major disruptions.
Hickey said he was unaware of ransomware attacks directly targeting election infrastructure. But local election offices are often connected to larger county networks and not properly insulated or protected.
A criminal targeting a county or state “may not even know what parts of the network they got into,” Hickey said. But as the malware creeps along and spreads, “what gets bricked is the entire network — and that includes but is not limited to election infrastructure.”
Even if election infrastructure isn’t directly targeted, there would likely be immediate assumptions it was, said Ron Bushar of the FireEye cybersecurity company.
A February advisory issued by the FBI and obtained by The Associated Press recommends local governments separate election-related systems from county and state systems to ensure they aren’t affected in an unrelated attack.
That’s how Louisiana’s election network survived multiple ransomware attacks: one occurred six days before the November election through an IT services company shared by the seven impacted counties. The second hit the state network a day after voting.
At a January meeting of state officials, Louisiana’s secretary of state highlighted the attacks as a blueprint for how an adversary like Russia could throw November into disarray.
Jason Ingalls, whose security firm responded to the Louisiana attacks, said in an interview: “You put me in charge of a platoon of Russian hackers and give me a couple of years to stage this and I could pull this off.”