upi--2020-06-26--Rare color photos show Korean War through Colombian soldier's eyes

SEOUL , June 26 ( UPI ) -- As South Korea commemorates the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War this week , an online exhibition launched Friday offers a rare , in-depth perspective of life during the conflict from a Colombian soldier .
The exhibition , `` The Korean War Through the Eyes of a Colombian Veteran , '' was inaugurated at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul with a ceremony Friday .
It features 152 photos taken by retired Sgt .
Maj. Gilberto Diaz during his 14-month stint in Korea .
Fifty other photos were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was the only Latin American country to send troops to fight under the United Nations Command in the 1950-53 conflict .
The exhibition will be online until the end of the year .
`` The camera was my best friend in Korea , '' Diaz , 86 , told a group of journalists earlier this week in a video call from his home in Bogota .
`` We were always together and even now it 's a part of my life .
It still works perfectly . ''
Diaz bought his Kodak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took about 400 photos , mostly in color , before and after his arrival in Incheon as an 18-year-old soldier in June 1952 .
Many of his images focus on everyday life in camps and bunkers , with fellow soldiers posing for snapshots , doing training exercises , attending religious services in the field or relaxing during their downtime by playing volleyball or guitar .
For Diaz and his fellow Colombians , one of the most challenging adjustments to life in Korea was the weather .
`` It was the first time I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Diaz recalled .
`` It was especially tough and challenging to endure the winter , because we do n't have those kinds of temperatures in Colombia . ''
Diaz would also experience the horrors of the brutal war up close , including a bloody engagement in March 1953 on Old Baldy , a strategically located hill on the front lines that was the site of numerous battles throughout the conflict .
Both sides suffered massive losses , including one of Diaz 's closest friends .
`` It was n't easy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Diaz said .
`` But I remembered that he had a mustache , and not many people had mustaches at that time .
So I started touching faces in the piles of bodies until I was able to find my friend . ''
At an opening ceremony for the exhibition on Friday , several ambassadors and military personnel commemorated the 70th anniversary of the start of the war and expressed thanks to the contributions from Colombia , which sent more than 5,000 troops and saw more than 200 killed or missing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all about the precious value of freedom , '' said South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo .
`` The noble sacrifice and dedication of Colombian veterans have allowed South Korea to keep its peace .
The Republic of Korea will forever remember the sacrifice your country made . ''
U.S .
Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris praised Colombian troops , who `` fought bravely and fiercely '' during the conflict .
`` Seven decades later , we can all now look back and be amazed and proud of the achievements forged in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Harris said .
`` As we look to the future , let us recognize the impact of our actions , and both sustain and strengthen what we have fought so hard to achieve . ''
Diaz said his contribution to the history of the Korean War was an accidental one .
`` When I started taking pictures , it was just a hobby , '' he said .
`` I had no idea that my pictures were going to be relevant in world history .
But now I feel very proud and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the history of both Koreans and Colombians . ''

1/7
Gilberto Diaz Velasco and fellow Colombian soldiers pose in a field of wildflowers in the spring of 1953. A new online exhibition displays over 150 photos taken by Diaz over 14 months during the Korean War. Photo courtesy of Gilberto Diaz Velasco
SEOUL, June 26 (UPI) -- As South Korea commemorates the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War this week, an online exhibition launched Friday offers a rare, in-depth perspective of life during the conflict from a Colombian soldier. The exhibition, "The Korean War Through the Eyes of a Colombian Veteran," was inaugurated at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul with a ceremony Friday. It features 152 photos taken by retired Sgt. Maj. Gilberto Diaz during his 14-month stint in Korea. Advertisement
Fifty other photos were also provided by veterans from Colombia, which was the only Latin American country to send troops to fight under the United Nations Command in the 1950-53 conflict. The exhibition will be online until the end of the year.
"The camera was my best friend in Korea," Diaz , 86, told a group of journalists earlier this week in a video call from his home in Bogota. "We were always together and even now it's a part of my life. It still works perfectly."
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Diaz bought his Kodak camera for $5 in Tokyo and took about 400 photos, mostly in color, before and after his arrival in Incheon as an 18-year-old soldier in June 1952.
Many of his images focus on everyday life in camps and bunkers, with fellow soldiers posing for snapshots, doing training exercises, attending religious services in the field or relaxing during their downtime by playing volleyball or guitar.
For Diaz and his fellow Colombians, one of the most challenging adjustments to life in Korea was the weather.
"It was the first time I had experienced four seasons in my life," Diaz recalled. "It was especially tough and challenging to endure the winter, because we don't have those kinds of temperatures in Colombia."
Diaz would also experience the horrors of the brutal war up close, including a bloody engagement in March 1953 on Old Baldy, a strategically located hill on the front lines that was the site of numerous battles throughout the conflict.
Both sides suffered massive losses, including one of Diaz's closest friends.
"It wasn't easy to tell which body belonged to him," Diaz said. "But I remembered that he had a mustache, and not many people had mustaches at that time. So I started touching faces in the piles of bodies until I was able to find my friend."
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At an opening ceremony for the exhibition on Friday, several ambassadors and military personnel commemorated the 70th anniversary of the start of the war and expressed thanks to the contributions from Colombia, which sent more than 5,000 troops and saw more than 200 killed or missing in action.
"These photos remind us all about the precious value of freedom," said South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo. "The noble sacrifice and dedication of Colombian veterans have allowed South Korea to keep its peace. The Republic of Korea will forever remember the sacrifice your country made."
U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris praised Colombian troops, who "fought bravely and fiercely" during the conflict.
"Seven decades later, we can all now look back and be amazed and proud of the achievements forged in the defense of freedom and democracy," Harris said. "As we look to the future, let us recognize the impact of our actions, and both sustain and strengthen what we have fought so hard to achieve."
Diaz said his contribution to the history of the Korean War was an accidental one.
"When I started taking pictures, it was just a hobby," he said. "I had no idea that my pictures were going to be relevant in world history. But now I feel very proud and happy that I can be a part of the history of both Koreans and Colombians."
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South Korea marks 70th anniversary of start of Korean War
A military band prepares to play at a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the start of the Korean War and the opening of an exhibition of photos by a Colombian war veteran at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul on Friday. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI | License Photo


upi--2020-06-26--Sled dogs are closely related to 9,500-year-old 'ancient dog'

June 26 ( UPI ) -- Modern sled dogs are part of an ancient lineage , according to a study published Friday in the journal Science .
`` We have extracted DNA from a 9,500-year-old dog from the Siberian island of Zhokhov , which the dog is named after , '' Mikkel Sinding , doctoral student at the University of Copenhagen 's Globe Institute , said in a news release .
`` Based on that DNA we have sequenced the oldest complete dog genome to date , and the results show an extremely early diversification of dogs into types of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the authors on the study .
Until now , most scientists assumed Zhokhov was a kind of proto-dog -- an ancient dog .
Breeds , researchers estimated , came later .
But when scientists compared the DNA of modern dogs to DNA extracted from the 9,500-year-old dog , they found considerable overlap between the genomes of the Siberian Husky , the Alaskan Malamute and the Greenland sledge dog and the genome of Zhokhov .
`` This means that modern sledge dogs and Zhokhov had the same common origin in Siberia more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gopalakrishnan , assistant professor at the Globe Institute .
`` Until now , we have thought that sledge dogs were only 2-3,000 years old . ''
Researchers also analyzed the genomes of a 33,000-year-old Siberian wolf and ten modern Greenlandic sledge dogs , as well as dogs and wolves from different parts of the world .
`` We can see that the modern sledge dogs have most of their genomes in common with Zhokhov , '' said Sinding .
`` So , they are more closely related to this ancient dog than to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just that -- we can see traces of crossbreeding with wolves such as the 33,000-year-old Siberian wolf -- but not with modern wolves .
It further emphasizes that the origin of the modern sledge dog goes back much further than we had thought . ''
The modern sled dogs have more genetic overlap with other breeds than they do with Zhokhov .
The Greenland sled dogs have the least overlap with other breeds of any modern breed -- suggesting the Greenland sled dogs were one of the earliest breeds , the original sled @ @

New research shows modern sledge dogs are closely related to a 9,500-year-old 'ancient dog' from the Siberian island of Zhokhov. Photo by Markus Trienke /Wikimedia
June 26 (UPI) -- Modern sled dogs are part of an ancient lineage, according to a study published Friday in the journal Science. Genetic analysis suggests sled dogs emerged much earlier than previously thought, researchers report. Advertisement
"We have extracted DNA from a 9,500-year-old dog from the Siberian island of Zhokhov, which the dog is named after," Mikkel Sinding, doctoral student at the University of Copenhagen's Globe Institute, said in a news release.
"Based on that DNA we have sequenced the oldest complete dog genome to date, and the results show an extremely early diversification of dogs into types of sledge dogs," said Sinding, one of the authors on the study.
Until now, most scientists assumed Zhokhov was a kind of proto-dog -- an ancient dog. Breeds, researchers estimated, came later.
But when scientists compared the DNA of modern dogs to DNA extracted from the 9,500-year-old dog, they found considerable overlap between the genomes of the Siberian Husky, the Alaskan Malamute and the Greenland sledge dog and the genome of Zhokhov.
"This means that modern sledge dogs and Zhokhov had the same common origin in Siberia more than 9,500 years ago," Shyam Gopalakrishnan, assistant professor at the Globe Institute. "Until now, we have thought that sledge dogs were only 2-3,000 years old."
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Researchers also analyzed the genomes of a 33,000-year-old Siberian wolf and ten modern Greenlandic sledge dogs, as well as dogs and wolves from different parts of the world.
"We can see that the modern sledge dogs have most of their genomes in common with Zhokhov," said Sinding. "So, they are more closely related to this ancient dog than to other dogs and wolves. But not just that -- we can see traces of crossbreeding with wolves such as the 33,000-year-old Siberian wolf -- but not with modern wolves. It further emphasizes that the origin of the modern sledge dog goes back much further than we had thought."
The modern sled dogs have more genetic overlap with other breeds than they do with Zhokhov. The Greenland sled dogs have the least overlap with other breeds of any modern breed -- suggesting the Greenland sled dogs were one of the earliest breeds, the original sled dog.


upi--2020-06-26--In photos: South Korea marks 70th anniversary of start of Korean War

A military band prepares to play at a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the start of the Korean War and @ @ @ @ @ of photos by a Colombian war veteran at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul @ @ @ @ @ Thomas Maresca/UPI

A military band prepares to play at a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the start of the Korean War and the opening of an exhibition of photos by a Colombian war veteran at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul on Friday. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI


upi--2020-06-26--North Korea defector offices raided, funding ‘under investigation’

June 26 ( UPI ) -- South Korean police raided the office of a North Korean defector who is under investigation for sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border , days after the defector said he distributed material using balloons .
Police raided the offices of Fighters For a Free North Korea , led by Park Sang-hak , and Kuen Saem Education Center on Friday for seven hours , ending operations after 5 p.m. , local news service Newsis reported .
In the warrant for the seizure , Seoul city police included the right to confiscate Park 's vehicle and mobile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The raid comes after Seoul said it would charge Park and others with violating an inter-Korea cooperation law .
Following the raid of the offices , a South Korean police source said they are to also `` thoroughly investigate the sources of funding '' for Park 's operations , including donations .
Park , who has voiced strong opposition to South Korea 's policy of engagement with the North , said Seoul was violating the right to freedom of expression , which is protected under the South Korean Constitution .
Seoul moved to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the activists .
`` This is absurd , '' Park said during the raid , according to News 1 .
`` While [ South Korea ] submits to Kim Jong Un and Kim Yo Jong , the right to freedom of expression is being destroyed .
`` As long as Kim Jong Un 's tyranny persists , and the North Korean people continue to die , and as long as there are political prison camps in North Korea , we will continue to send propaganda leaflets to our beloved 20 million compatriots '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who added he was frisk searched by police .
On Friday police also seized the mobile phone of Park Jung-oh , the brother of Park Sang-hak , and head of Kuen Saem .
Earlier in the week North Korea had vowed to retaliate with anti-South leaflets , but the plan to send as many as `` 12 million flyers '' have been canceled following a decision from Kim Jong Un to suspend military action plans .

North Korean defector Park Sang-hak, the head of Fighters for a Free North Korea, gets in a car in front of the group's office in Seoul on Friday. Police completed their search and seizure of the office as part of their probe into the group's anti-Pyongyang leafleting campaign. Photo by Yonhap/EPA
June 26 (UPI) -- South Korean police raided the office of a North Korean defector who is under investigation for sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border, days after the defector said he distributed material using balloons. Police raided the offices of Fighters For a Free North Korea, led by Park Sang-hak, and Kuen Saem Education Center on Friday for seven hours, ending operations after 5 p.m., local news service Newsis reported. Advertisement
In the warrant for the seizure, Seoul city police included the right to confiscate Park's vehicle and mobile phone, according to the report. The raid comes after Seoul said it would charge Park and others with violating an inter-Korea cooperation law.
Following the raid of the offices, a South Korean police source said they are to also "thoroughly investigate the sources of funding" for Park's operations, including donations.
Park, who has voiced strong opposition to South Korea's policy of engagement with the North, said Seoul was violating the right to freedom of expression, which is protected under the South Korean Constitution. Seoul moved to curb leafleting after Kim Yo Jong condemned the activists.
"This is absurd," Park said during the raid, according to News 1. "While [South Korea] submits to Kim Jong Un and Kim Yo Jong, the right to freedom of expression is being destroyed.
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"As long as Kim Jong Un's tyranny persists, and the North Korean people continue to die, and as long as there are political prison camps in North Korea, we will continue to send propaganda leaflets to our beloved 20 million compatriots" in the North, said Park, who added he was frisk searched by police.
On Friday police also seized the mobile phone of Park Jung-oh, the brother of Park Sang-hak, and head of Kuen Saem.
Earlier in the week North Korea had vowed to retaliate with anti-South leaflets, but the plan to send as many as "12 million flyers" have been canceled following a decision from Kim Jong Un to suspend military action plans.


upi--2020-06-26--U.S. men's soccer star Christian Pulisic helps Chelsea beat Manchester City

June 26 ( UPI ) -- United States Men 's National Team star Christian Pulisic scored a breakaway goal to help Chelsea beat Manchester City in a Premier League clash in London .
Pulisic scored the first goal in the 2-1 victory Thursday at Stamford Bridge .
The Blues ' win over the second-place Sky Blues helped Liverpool clinch their first Premier League title in 30 years .
`` The most important thing was that we got the three points that we desperately needed today , '' Pulisic told reporters .
`` We looked at this game against a big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We were at home , obviously in slightly different circumstances , but we 're happy that we came out and got a really good result . ''
Pulisic , 21 , found the net in the 36th minute .
The Blues defense cleared a ball out of their box and toward midfield to spark the sequence .
Pulisic then sprinted out of the box in pursuit of the ball , which had been misplayed by the Sky Blues .
Pulisic then snuck in and took possession and raced past midfield with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he reached the edge of the box .
He then curled a right-footed shot from right to left , sneaking the strike around Sky Blues keeper Ederson for first blood .
Chelsea held the narrow lead through the halftime whistle .
Sky Blues midfielder Kevin De Bruyne then equalized in the 55th minute with a beautiful free kick .
The Sky Blues star lined up from about 30 yards out on the play .
De Bruyne then lifted his attempt over a wall of Chelsea defenders and into the near-post netting .
Both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half before Chelsea took their final edge on a 78th-minute penalty kick .
Sky Blues defender Fernandinho drew a red card for a handball on the goal line to prompt the penalty .
Blues striker Willian then stepped to the penalty mark with confidence and delivered a strike into the left side of the net as Ederson dove to the right .
Chelsea battles Leicester City in the FA Cup at 11 a.m. EDT Sunday at King Power Stadium in Leicester , England .
City faces Newcastle in the FA Cup at 1:30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park in Newcastle , England .
Pulisic has now scored seven goals this season in the Premier League , the most for any player aged 21 or under .
`` I always planned to start him against City because I know what he can bring in these sorts of games , '' Blues coach Frank Lampard said of Pulisic .
`` He brought it and did really well .
He 's a young player , he 's got so much talent , and he needs to keep working .
He can get better @ @ @ @

Christian Pulisic scored Chelsea's first goal in a 2-1 win against Manchester City Thursday in London. Pool Photo by Paul Childs/EPA-EFE
June 26 (UPI) -- United States Men's National Team star Christian Pulisic scored a breakaway goal to help Chelsea beat Manchester City in a Premier League clash in London. Pulisic scored the first goal in the 2-1 victory Thursday at Stamford Bridge. The Blues' win over the second-place Sky Blues helped Liverpool clinch their first Premier League title in 30 years. Advertisement
"The most important thing was that we got the three points that we desperately needed today," Pulisic told reporters.
"We looked at this game against a big opponent and we wanted to win it. We were at home, obviously in slightly different circumstances, but we're happy that we came out and got a really good result."
Pulisic, 21, found the net in the 36th minute. The Blues defense cleared a ball out of their box and toward midfield to spark the sequence. Pulisic then sprinted out of the box in pursuit of the ball, which had been misplayed by the Sky Blues. Pulisic then snuck in and took possession and raced past midfield with his dribble.
Pulisic outran three defenders before he reached the edge of the box. He then curled a right-footed shot from right to left, sneaking the strike around Sky Blues keeper Ederson for first blood.
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Chelsea held the narrow lead through the halftime whistle. Sky Blues midfielder Kevin De Bruyne then equalized in the 55th minute with a beautiful free kick. The Sky Blues star lined up from about 30 yards out on the play. De Bruyne then lifted his attempt over a wall of Chelsea defenders and into the near-post netting.
Both squads had close chances in the second half before Chelsea took their final edge on a 78th-minute penalty kick. Sky Blues defender Fernandinho drew a red card for a handball on the goal line to prompt the penalty.
Blues striker Willian then stepped to the penalty mark with confidence and delivered a strike into the left side of the net as Ederson dove to the right.
Chelsea battles Leicester City in the FA Cup at 11 a.m. EDT Sunday at King Power Stadium in Leicester, England. City faces Newcastle in the FA Cup at 1:30 p.m. EDT Sunday at St. James' Park in Newcastle, England.
Pulisic has now scored seven goals this season in the Premier League, the most for any player aged 21 or under.
"I always planned to start him against City because I know what he can bring in these sorts of games," Blues coach Frank Lampard said of Pulisic.
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"He brought it and did really well. He's a young player, he's got so much talent, and he needs to keep working. He can get better and better."


upi--2020-06-26--3 die in California after wave sweeps them into ocean

June 26 ( UPI ) -- Three people died near the Pacific Coast Highway in Southern California when a large @ @ @ @ @ along the ocean shore , authorities said .
The Ventura County Fire Department said the @ @ @ @ @ people , who have not been publicly identified , Thursday afternoon close to Deer Creek @ @ @ @ @ conducted a water search and rescued the victims , but died of their injuries .
@ @ @ @ @ all three people were fatally injured , '' the fire department said .
Authorities said @ @ @ @ @ the victims went to the rocks or how long they were there before being struck @ @ @ @ @ When we got on scene we were able to confirm there were three people unaccounted @ @ @ @ @ when we got on scene we were able to do a rapid search of the @ @ @ @ @ to rescue all three out of the water , '' Ventura County Fire Department Capt @ @ @ @ @ `` However , they were fatally injured . ''

Ventura County emergency crews arrive at a location near Deer Creek Road to search for three people who were swept into the Pacific Ocean by a rogue wave Thursday. Photo courtesy of Ventura County Fire Department
June 26 (UPI) -- Three people died near the Pacific Coast Highway in Southern California when a large wave swept them off rocks along the ocean shore, authorities said. The Ventura County Fire Department said the rogue wave struck the three people, who have not been publicly identified, Thursday afternoon close to Deer Creek Road. Authorities said they conducted a water search and rescued the victims, but died of their injuries. Advertisement
"Despite life-saving measures, all three people were fatally injured," the fire department said.
Authorities said it was not clear why the victims went to the rocks or how long they were there before being struck by the wave.
"When we got on scene we were able to confirm there were three people unaccounted for from a family and when we got on scene we were able to do a rapid search of the water and we were able to rescue all three out of the water," Ventura County Fire Department Capt. Brian McGrath said.
"However, they were fatally injured."


upi--2020-06-26--Watch: Demi Lovato plays Google Translate Songs with Jimmy Fallon on 'Tonight Show'

June 26 ( UPI ) -- Demi Lovato and Jimmy Fallon performed songs with lyrics changed through Google translate on The Tonight Show .
Each song , on Thursday , was translated into Russian and then back to English , resulting in completely different lyrics .
Lovato kicked things off by performing `` Walking on Sunshine '' by Katrina and The Waves which became `` Now Mom 's in the Sun Now . ''
`` Now mom 's in the sun now , water/ A quality 's poor ! ''
Lovato sang using the new translated lyrics .
Fallon performed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capaldi which became `` All My Favorite Carpets . ''
Lovato ended things with a performance of her own song `` Sorry Not Sorry '' which became `` Apologize to My Infant . ''
`` I will apologize ( to my infant ) / I was affected by the twisting of boards/ I think it 's hot when I 'm on fire , '' Lovato sang .
Lovato stars alongside Will Ferrell , Rachel McAdams , Pierce Brosnan and Dan Stevens in Netflix 's newly released comedy Eurovision Song Contest : The Story @ @ @ @

June 26 (UPI) -- Demi Lovato and Jimmy Fallon performed songs with lyrics changed through Google translate on The Tonight Show.
Each song, on Thursday, was translated into Russian and then back to English, resulting in completely different lyrics.
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Lovato kicked things off by performing "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and The Waves which became "Now Mom's in the Sun Now."
"Now mom's in the sun now, water/ A quality's poor!" Lovato sang using the new translated lyrics.
Fallon performed "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi which became "All My Favorite Carpets." Lovato ended things with a performance of her own song "Sorry Not Sorry" which became "Apologize to My Infant."
"I will apologize (to my infant)/ I was affected by the twisting of boards/ I think it's hot when I'm on fire," Lovato sang.
Lovato stars alongside Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Pierce Brosnan and Dan Stevens in Netflix's newly released comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.
Demi Lovato turns 30: a look back


upi--2020-06-26--Raiders' TE Nick O'Leary, Jack Nicklaus' grandson, 'feels good' after heart attack

June 26 ( UPI ) -- Las Vegas Raiders tight end Nick O'Leary -- the grandson of golf legend Jack Nicklaus -- says he feels `` good '' after he had surgery to clear a 100 % blockage after a heart attack .
O'Leary , 27 , had the heart attack in May and had heart surgery May 19 to clear the blockage .
The 6-foot-3 , 250-pound tight said he will be on blood thinners for up to a year .
He will miss the 2020 NFL season but plans to return in 2021 .
`` I feel good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post .
`` I feel better than I did before .
I 've got to be on blood thinners for six months to a year .
That 's really the only reason now why I ca n't play football .
If I [ got cut ] , they said that would be the biggest problem , would n't be able to stop the bleeding . ''
The Raiders placed O'Leary on the reserve/non-football injury list on Monday .
The Florida State product had 13 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown in 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games for the Jacksonville Jaguars and seven games for the Miami Dolphins in 2019 .
O'Leary entered the league as a sixth-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 2015 NFL Draft .
The Raiders are scheduled to play the Seattle Seahawks in their first preseason game at 10 p.m. EDT Aug. 13 in Seattle .
They will face the Carolina Panthers in their first regular season game at 1 p.m. EDT Sept. 13 in Charlotte , N.C .

June 26 (UPI) -- Las Vegas Raiders tight end Nick O'Leary -- the grandson of golf legend Jack Nicklaus -- says he feels "good" after he had surgery to clear a 100% blockage after a heart attack.
O'Leary, 27, had the heart attack in May and had heart surgery May 19 to clear the blockage. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound tight said he will be on blood thinners for up to a year. He will miss the 2020 NFL season but plans to return in 2021.
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"I feel good," O'Leary told the Palm Beach Post. "I feel better than I did before. I've got to be on blood thinners for six months to a year. That's really the only reason now why I can't play football. If I [got cut], they said that would be the biggest problem, wouldn't be able to stop the bleeding."
The Raiders placed O'Leary on the reserve/non-football injury list on Monday. The Florida State product had 13 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown in 12 games last season. O'Leary played five games for the Jacksonville Jaguars and seven games for the Miami Dolphins in 2019.
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O'Leary entered the league as a sixth-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 2015 NFL Draft.
The Raiders are scheduled to play the Seattle Seahawks in their first preseason game at 10 p.m. EDT Aug. 13 in Seattle. They will face the Carolina Panthers in their first regular season game at 1 p.m. EDT Sept. 13 in Charlotte, N.C.


upi--2020-06-26--Mexico President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador to visit Trump in July

June 26 ( UPI ) -- Mexican President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador will make his first foreign visit since taking office in 2018 with a trip to Washington , D.C. , to meet President Donald Trump , officials said .
Lopez Obrador will make the trip to highlight the start of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement , which will go into effect July 1 .
A date for the visit has not been set .
The Mexican leader and Trump have maintained mostly cordial relations since they have been in office despite contentious issues such as the United States building a wall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has forced asylum seekers to stay in Mexico .
`` [ The U.S.-Mexico relationship is ] based on friendship and it 's also an indispensable commercial and economic relationship , '' Lopez Obrador said in a news conference on Thursday .
`` So , that 's why the trip to the United States . ''
There are some concerns that the Lopez Obrador 's trip could be used as a campaign event for Trump , who is fighting for re-election against presumptive Democratic nominee , former Vice President Joe Biden .
`` There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump before November as there was no justification for the [ 2016 ] meeting , '' Leon Krauze , a Mexican analyst , said .
`` They play Trump 's game .
A shame . ''
While Lopez Obrador said he also invited Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for a possible joint ceremony of the USCMA trade pact , he plans to meet with Trump only about certain related issues .
Trudeau has not committed to the invitation .
The visit would be Trump 's second foreign leader to travel to Washington since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Wednesday , Polish President Andrzej Duda visited the White House and took questions from reporters .

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, shown in a press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City on March 2019, will visit the White House in July. Photo by Jose Mendez/EPA-EFE
June 26 (UPI) -- Mexican President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador will make his first foreign visit since taking office in 2018 with a trip to Washington, D.C., to meet President Donald Trump, officials said. Lopez Obrador will make the trip to highlight the start of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which will go into effect July 1. A date for the visit has not been set. Advertisement
The Mexican leader and Trump have maintained mostly cordial relations since they have been in office despite contentious issues such as the United States building a wall along the border and immigration policies that has forced asylum seekers to stay in Mexico.
"[The U.S.-Mexico relationship is] based on friendship and it's also an indispensable commercial and economic relationship," Lopez Obrador said in a news conference on Thursday. "So, that's why the trip to the United States."
There are some concerns that the Lopez Obrador's trip could be used as a campaign event for Trump, who is fighting for re-election against presumptive Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden.
"There is no way to justify meeting with Trump before November as there was no justification for the [2016] meeting," Leon Krauze, a Mexican analyst, said. "They play Trump's game. A shame."
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While Lopez Obrador said he also invited Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for a possible joint ceremony of the USCMA trade pact, he plans to meet with Trump only about certain related issues. Trudeau has not committed to the invitation.
The visit would be Trump's second foreign leader to travel to Washington since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. On Wednesday, Polish President Andrzej Duda visited the White House and took questions from reporters.


upi--2020-06-26--'Tenet' delayed to August 12

'Tenet' delayed to August 12

June 26 ( UPI ) -- Warner Bros. has once again delayed the theatrical release of director Christopher Nolan 's Tenet , with the film now set to arrive on Aug. 12 .
Tenet was originally set to be released on July 17 , but was recently pushed back to July 31 .
The COVID-19 pandemic has shut down the majority of movie theaters in the United States , but some expect to open in July .
Warner Bros. also postponed the theatrical re-release of 2010 's Inception to July 31 .
Inception , also from Nolan , was being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its 10th anniversary .
`` Warner Bros. is committed to bringing Tenet to audiences in theaters on the big screen , when exhibitors are ready and public health officials say it 's time , '' a spokesperson for Warner Bros. said in a statement .
`` In this moment what we need to be is flexible , and we are not treating this as a traditional movie release .
We are choosing to open the movie mid-week to allow audiences to discover the film in their own time , and we plan to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period far beyond the norm , to develop a very different yet successful release strategy , '' they continued .
John David Washington , Robert Pattinson , Elizabeth Debicki , Dimple Kapadia , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Clemence Posey , Michael Caine and Kenneth Branagh star in Tenet , an international espionage thriller .

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"Tenet" star John David Washington attends the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards on January 2019. "Tenet" received a new August 12 release date. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
June 26 (UPI) -- Warner Bros. has once again delayed the theatrical release of director Christopher Nolan's Tenet, with the film now set to arrive on Aug. 12. Tenet was originally set to be released on July 17, but was recently pushed back to July 31. The COVID-19 pandemic has shut down the majority of movie theaters in the United States, but some expect to open in July. Advertisement
Warner Bros. also postponed the theatrical re-release of 2010's Inception to July 31. Inception, also from Nolan, was being put back into theaters in celebration of its 10th anniversary.
"Warner Bros. is committed to bringing Tenet to audiences in theaters on the big screen, when exhibitors are ready and public health officials say it's time," a spokesperson for Warner Bros. said in a statement.
"In this moment what we need to be is flexible, and we are not treating this as a traditional movie release. We are choosing to open the movie mid-week to allow audiences to discover the film in their own time, and we plan to play longer, over an extended play period far beyond the norm, to develop a very different yet successful release strategy," they continued.
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John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Clemence Posey, Michael Caine and Kenneth Branagh star in Tenet, an international espionage thriller.


upi--2020-06-26--U.S. couple burned in New Zealand volcano eruption sues Royal Caribbean

June 26 ( UPI ) -- An American couple who survived a deadly volcanic eruption during a honeymoon cruise in New Zealand last year are suing Royal Caribbean Cruises , court documents show .
A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Miami last Thursday alleges the cruise line and a tour company , ID Tours of New Zealand Ltd. , are responsible for `` catastrophic injuries '' sustained by Lauren Barham and Matthew Urey during the Dec. 9 eruption of the White Island Volcano .
The newlywed couple were on a shore excursion to White Island when the volcano @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of whom were tourists .
New Zealand 's GeoNet agency had raised White Island 's volcanic alert level in November after noting increasing sulfur dioxide gas and heightened volcanic tremor .
It advised at the time that the island `` may be entering a period where eruptive activity is more likely than normal . ''
The couple assert Royal Caribbean and ID Tours are culpable for their extensive burns because they allowed tours on the island even though the volcano had been active `` multiple times just a few years before the incident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for failure to `` routinely monitor volcanic alert levels and/or volcanic activity '' or notify passengers of increased activity or the increased risk of eruption .
The decision to proceed with the excursion , they alleged , was made `` despite the increased volcanic alert levels , without adequately notifying passengers of the risk entailed . ''
Royal Caribbean declined to comment on the suit .

This is an aerial view of the White Island volcano erupting in New Zealand on December 9, 2019. An American couple who suffered extensive burns in the deadly eruption have sued Royal Caribbean Cruises. File photo by Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust/EPA-EFE
June 26 (UPI) -- An American couple who survived a deadly volcanic eruption during a honeymoon cruise in New Zealand last year are suing Royal Caribbean Cruises, court documents show. A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Miami last Thursday alleges the cruise line and a tour company, ID Tours of New Zealand Ltd., are responsible for "catastrophic injuries" sustained by Lauren Barham and Matthew Urey during the Dec. 9 eruption of the White Island Volcano. Advertisement
The newlywed couple were on a shore excursion to White Island when the volcano erupted, killing 21 people, most of whom were tourists.
New Zealand's GeoNet agency had raised White Island's volcanic alert level in November after noting increasing sulfur dioxide gas and heightened volcanic tremor. It advised at the time that the island "may be entering a period where eruptive activity is more likely than normal."
The couple assert Royal Caribbean and ID Tours are culpable for their extensive burns because they allowed tours on the island even though the volcano had been active "multiple times just a few years before the incident."
They also fault the companies for failure to "routinely monitor volcanic alert levels and/or volcanic activity" or notify passengers of increased activity or the increased risk of eruption.
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The decision to proceed with the excursion, they alleged, was made "despite the increased volcanic alert levels, without adequately notifying passengers of the risk entailed."
Royal Caribbean declined to comment on the suit.


upi--2020-06-26--House to vote on bill to grant Washington, D.C., statehood

June 25 ( UPI ) -- The House on Friday is set to vote on a bill to grant Washington , D.C. , statehood that has received overwhelming Democratic support .
House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland declared the measure to recognize Washington , D.C. , as a state `` long overdue '' as he noted that 226 lawmakers had co-sponsored the measure ahead of the vote .
`` We are going to pass a bill in the House of Representatives that says those who happen to live within these three-quarters and river are full citizens of America and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full rights of citizenship in our country , '' Hoyer said .
The measure -- introduced by Washington , D.C. , delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton , a nonvoting member of the House representing the capital -- would admit all land in the federal district , except for existing federal buildings and monuments , as a state and provide it with two U.S. senators and at least one House member .
It would also rename Washington , D.C. , to Washington , Douglass Commonwealth after Frederick Douglass .
The Congressional Budget Office estimated it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 years to pay salaries , while Norton or her successor also would become a full voting member .
If passed by the House .
this would be the first time either chamber of Congress has approved a measure on statehood for Washington , D.C. '' We know that statehood is the only way to ensure that we have full representation , that we have votes here in the United States of America capital , but also to make sure that we 're fully autonomous .
And that is our birthright , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The vote comes amid an increased push for statehood after the Trump administration deployed federal law enforcement officers to disperse protesters form an area near St. John 's Church , where President Donald Trump was preparing for a photo opportunity earlier this month .
Supporters also have said the area was shortchanged for funding under the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act , under which it was treated as a territory rather than a state .
Despite strong support in the House and 40 co-sponsors in the Senate , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and President Donald Trump .
McConnell has objected the proposition of statehood for Washington , D.C. , and has said he would not bring the measure up for a floor vote in the chamber .
A White House policy statement issued on Wednesday also stated that Trump 's advisers would recommend that he veto a statehood bill if passed by Congress .
The president told the New York Post that Republicans would be `` very , very stupid '' to allow Washington , D.C. , to become a @ @

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Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., wears a DC 51st state mask as she attends a press conference on voting rights Friday on Capitol Hill. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
June 26 (UPI) -- The House voted Friday in favor of a bill granting Washington, D.C., statehood, legislation that's not expected to gain traction in the Senate. The lower chamber voted 232-180 in favor of statehood, largely along party lines. Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota was the only Democrat to vote against the bill, along with Rep. Justin Amash, I-Mich. Advertisement
Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., who introduced the bill, praised its passage.
"We are buoyed by the priority the House gave D.C. statehood at a time when COVID-19 has meant that only essential bills are coming to the floor this year," she said. "We are undaunted by the lack of support in the Republican-controlled Senate, and the White House. We are certainly not discouraged by President [Donald]Trump's outspoken opposition to home rule and his attempts to control the District of Columbia and the city's police force in acts of brazen presidential irresponsibility."
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House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland declared the measure to recognize Washington, D.C., as a state "long overdue."
"We are going to pass a bill in the House of Representatives that says those who happen to live within these three-quarters and river are full citizens of America and should be accorded, therefore, the full rights of citizenship in our country," Hoyer said.
The measure would admit all land in the federal district, except for existing federal buildings and monuments, as a state and provide it with two U.S. senators and at least one House member with voting powers.
It would also rename Washington, D.C., to Washington, Douglass Commonwealth after Frederick Douglass.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated it would cost about $3 million over 10 years to pay for the new salaries needed in Congress.
Friday's vote marks the first time either chamber of Congress has approved a measure on statehood for Washington, D.C.
"We know that statehood is the only way to ensure that we have full representation, that we have votes here in the United States of America capital, but also to make sure that we're fully autonomous. And that is our birthright," Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said.
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The vote comes amid an increased push for statehood after the Trump administration deployed federal law enforcement officers to disperse protesters from an area near St. John's Church, where the president was preparing for a photo opportunity earlier this month.
Supporters also have said the area was shortchanged for funding under the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act, under which it was treated as a territory rather than a state.
Despite strong support in the House and 40 co-sponsors in the Senate, the bill has received pushback from Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Trump.
McConnell has objected the proposition of statehood for Washington, D.C., and has said he would not bring the measure up for a floor vote in the chamber.
A White House policy statement issued on Wednesday also stated that Trump's advisers would recommend that he veto a statehood bill if passed by Congress. The president told the New York Post that Republicans would be "very, very stupid" to allow Washington, D.C., to become a state.


upi--2020-06-26--UNICEF: Millions of Yemeni children on 'brink of starvation'

June 26 ( UPI ) -- Millions of children in Yemen already suffering under five years of conflict risk being pushed to `` the brink of starvation '' amid the coronavirus pandemic , the United Nations warned Friday as it appealed to the international community for more than $ 460 million .
UNICEF said in a new report published Friday that the number of malnourished children under five years of age could increase by 20 percent to around 2.4 million , or half of all Yemeni children in this demographic , while an additional 30,000 children could develop life-threatening acute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
Another 6,600 children under five could die from preventable causes by the end of 2020 , representing an increase of 28 percent , the report said .
`` Countless childhoods have been lost in this five-year war and we fear we will lose many more as COVID-19 spreads , '' Sara Beysolow Nyanti , UNICEF 's representative in Yemen , said in the report .
`` In one day , a child in Yemen will face injustice and hardship on a scale that most people will never experience in a lifetime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing conflict between Houthi rebels and the Yemen government that began in 2015 has devastated the health system .
Its infrastructure is now under severe strain attempting to combat the coronavirus , threatening to further deteriorate the dire situation children face in the country .
The health system `` is teetering closer to collapse , '' the report said , with only half of Yemen 's health facilities operational as they suffer from shortages in medicine , equipment and staff .
The situation amid the pandemic -- which has infected more than 1,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , according to Johns Hopkins University -- is further exacerbated by some 9.58 million children lacking sufficient access to safe water .
`` We can not overstate the scale of this emergency as children , in what is already the world 's worst humanitarian crisis , battle for survival as COVID-19 takes hold , '' Nyanti said in a statement .
UNICEF is calling on the international community for $ 461 million in humanitarian aid , but said if it does n't receive an additional $ 53 million specifically for its COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severe acute malnutrition will be at an increased risk of dying , 1 million will not receive micronutrient supplements and 500,000 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers will lose nutrition support , among a slew of other health concerns .
`` If we do not receive urgent funding , children will be pushed to the brink of starvation and many will die , '' Nyanti said .
`` The international community will be sending a message that the lives of children in a nation devastated by conflict , disease and economic collapse , simply do @ @ @ @

The number of malnourished children under five years of age could increase to 2.4 million due to the coronavirus pandemic and conflict without international support, UNICEF warned Friday. Photo by Yahya Arhab/EPA-EFE
June 26 (UPI) -- Millions of children in Yemen already suffering under five years of conflict risk being pushed to "the brink of starvation" amid the coronavirus pandemic, the United Nations warned Friday as it appealed to the international community for more than $460 million. UNICEF said in a new report published Friday that the number of malnourished children under five years of age could increase by 20 percent to around 2.4 million, or half of all Yemeni children in this demographic, while an additional 30,000 children could develop life-threatening acute malnutrition in under half a year's time. Advertisement
Another 6,600 children under five could die from preventable causes by the end of 2020, representing an increase of 28 percent, the report said.
"Countless childhoods have been lost in this five-year war and we fear we will lose many more as COVID-19 spreads," Sara Beysolow Nyanti, UNICEF's representative in Yemen, said in the report. "In one day, a child in Yemen will face injustice and hardship on a scale that most people will never experience in a lifetime."
The report details how the ongoing conflict between Houthi rebels and the Yemen government that began in 2015 has devastated the health system. Its infrastructure is now under severe strain attempting to combat the coronavirus, threatening to further deteriorate the dire situation children face in the country.
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The health system "is teetering closer to collapse," the report said, with only half of Yemen's health facilities operational as they suffer from shortages in medicine, equipment and staff.
The situation amid the pandemic -- which has infected more than 1,000 people in the country, killing 288 people, according to Johns Hopkins University -- is further exacerbated by some 9.58 million children lacking sufficient access to safe water.
"We cannot overstate the scale of this emergency as children, in what is already the world's worst humanitarian crisis, battle for survival as COVID-19 takes hold," Nyanti said in a statement.
UNICEF is calling on the international community for $461 million in humanitarian aid, but said if it doesn't receive an additional $53 million specifically for its COVID-19 response by August some 23,500 children with severe acute malnutrition will be at an increased risk of dying, 1 million will not receive micronutrient supplements and 500,000 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers will lose nutrition support, among a slew of other health concerns.
"If we do not receive urgent funding, children will be pushed to the brink of starvation and many will die," Nyanti said. "The international community will be sending a message that the lives of children in a nation devastated by conflict, disease and economic collapse, simply do not matter."
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upi--2020-06-26--United Nations, rights groups call on North Korea to release abductees

SEOUL , June 26 ( UPI ) -- On the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War , a United Nations human rights panel called for North Korea to repatriate hundreds of abductees taken during and after the war .
`` Despite the return of prisoners of war and displaced civilians being enshrined in the Armistice Agreement , the DPRK has consistently refused to repatriate them or even to allow relatives to communicate freely with their loved ones , '' the group of independent experts said in a letter released on Thursday .
The Democratic People 's Republic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Korea .
`` [ I ] n the decades following the end of the conflict , the DPRK abducted hundreds of other individuals , including Korean , Japanese and other nationals , '' the letter added .
In 2014 , a United Nations Commission of Inquiry found that North Korean authorities had committed crimes against humanity by committing abductions and denying repatriation to its international victims .
Human rights groups in South Korea echoed the U.N. 's call for Pyongyang to release its abductees .
`` North Korea should remember that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that it would be in the interest of North Korean leaders to resolve this decades-old issue that have broken the families and lives of so many , '' said Ethan Shin , a legal analyst with the Seoul-based Transitional Justice Working Group .
Shin also called on Seoul to step up its efforts in aiding the recovery of its citizens still being held in North Korea .
`` The South Korean government should live up to its primary responsibility to protect its POWs and citizens held captive in North Korea for seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday 's war anniversary , a group of human rights lawyers filed a lawsuit against North Korea in the Seoul Central District Court over the abductions .
The group , called Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea , is seeking roughly $ 28 million in damages on behalf of 13 people whose family members were abducted by North Korea during the conflict .
`` North Korea kidnapped civilians during the war and has not yet acknowledged its responsibility and has not even given any whereabouts , '' said the lawyers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and its representative , Kim Jong Un , are jointly liable for damages to abductee victims and their families . ''
North Korea has a long history of abducting South Korean nationals .
The Korean War Abductees Families Union , a victim 's advocacy group , estimates that up to 100,000 South Koreans were abducted during the 1950-53 Korean War .
Accounts vary as to how many remain in North Korea , but most estimates are in the hundreds .
The U.N .
Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances has 316 outstanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ registered in its database .
`` It is high time that the DPRK start genuine cooperation to clarify the fate and whereabouts of all abductees and disappearances cases , '' the United Nations letter said .

A United Nations panel of human rights experts issued a letter calling for North Korea to release hundreds of abductees on the anniversary of the start of the Korean War. Photo by KCNA/UPI | License Photo
SEOUL, June 26 (UPI) -- On the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War, a United Nations human rights panel called for North Korea to repatriate hundreds of abductees taken during and after the war. "Despite the return of prisoners of war and displaced civilians being enshrined in the Armistice Agreement, the DPRK has consistently refused to repatriate them or even to allow relatives to communicate freely with their loved ones," the group of independent experts said in a letter released on Thursday. Advertisement
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea.
"[I]n the decades following the end of the conflict, the DPRK abducted hundreds of other individuals, including Korean, Japanese and other nationals," the letter added.
In 2014, a United Nations Commission of Inquiry found that North Korean authorities had committed crimes against humanity by committing abductions and denying repatriation to its international victims.
Human rights groups in South Korea echoed the U.N.'s call for Pyongyang to release its abductees.
"North Korea should remember that the international community will never forget such atrocities and that it would be in the interest of North Korean leaders to resolve this decades-old issue that have broken the families and lives of so many," said Ethan Shin, a legal analyst with the Seoul-based Transitional Justice Working Group.
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Shin also called on Seoul to step up its efforts in aiding the recovery of its citizens still being held in North Korea.
"The South Korean government should live up to its primary responsibility to protect its POWs and citizens held captive in North Korea for seven decades," he said.
On Thursday's war anniversary, a group of human rights lawyers filed a lawsuit against North Korea in the Seoul Central District Court over the abductions.
The group, called Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea, is seeking roughly $28 million in damages on behalf of 13 people whose family members were abducted by North Korea during the conflict.
"North Korea kidnapped civilians during the war and has not yet acknowledged its responsibility and has not even given any whereabouts," said the lawyers in a press release. "North Korea and its representative, Kim Jong Un, are jointly liable for damages to abductee victims and their families."
North Korea has a long history of abducting South Korean nationals. The Korean War Abductees Families Union, a victim's advocacy group, estimates that up to 100,000 South Koreans were abducted during the 1950-53 Korean War.
Accounts vary as to how many remain in North Korea, but most estimates are in the hundreds. The U.N. Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances has 316 outstanding cases of enforced disappearances in North Korea registered in its database.
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"It is high time that the DPRK start genuine cooperation to clarify the fate and whereabouts of all abductees and disappearances cases," the United Nations letter said.


upi--2020-06-26--Trump administration asks Supreme Court to scrap Obamacare

June 26 ( UPI ) -- Amid the coronavirus pandemic that has sickened more than 2.4 million Americans , the Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to invalidate the Affordable Care Act , arguing the individual mandate has been made unconstitutional due to recent tax legislation .
Submitted near midnight Thursday , the 82-page brief was filed in support of an 18-state coalition led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton who argues that ACA , also known as Obamacare , was rendered unconstitutional by President Donald Trump 's 2017 tax overhaul that removed `` the only constitutional basis for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obamacare 's individual mandate . ''
The Individual mandate , which mandates a minimum level of health insurance coverage with a tax penalty imposed against those who do not comply , was proved constitutional by the Supreme Court in 2012 .
However , the coalition says that when Congress approved Trump 's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that removed the penalty requirement , the individual mandate was made illegal , and they are asking the Supreme Court to scrap the whole legislation , threatening to remove coverage from tens of millions of Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , described the Trump administration 's filing of the brief late Thursday as `` unfathomable cruelty . ''
`` If President Trump gets his way , 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions will lose the ACA 's lifesaving protections and 23 million Americans will lose their health coverage entirely , '' she said in a statement .
`` There is no legal justification and no moral excuse for the Trump administration 's disastrous efforts to take away Americans ' health care . ''
In the brief filed late Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francisco said ACA consists of three provisions that were fashioned to work together and that Congress would not have adopted the other two provisions without the inclusion of the individual mandate .
`` Nothing the 2017 Congress did demonstrates it would have intended the rest of the ACA to continue to operate in the absence of these three integral provisions , '' Francisco said in the filing .
`` The entire ACA thus must fall with the individual mandate . ''
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra , who leads a coalition of 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect ACA , said in a statement that ACA has been `` life-changing '' for some amid the pandemic .
`` Now is not the time to rip away our best tool to address very real and very deadly health disparities in our communities , '' he said .
Since the first cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in the country mid-January , more than 2.4 million people have fallen ill from the virus and some 124,000 have died .
The filing comes a day after House Democrats introduced legislation Wednesday to reinforce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 8.5 percent of household income and authorizing Health and Human Services to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies .

The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to invalidate the Affordable Care Act. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
June 26 (UPI) -- Amid the coronavirus pandemic that has sickened more than 2.4 million Americans, the Trump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to invalidate the Affordable Care Act, arguing the individual mandate has been made unconstitutional by recent tax legislation. Submitted near midnight Thursday, the 82-page brief was filed in support of an 18-state coalition led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who argues that the ACA, also known as Obamacare, was rendered unconstitutional by President Donald Trump's 2017 tax overhaul, which removed "the only constitutional basis for the law: the tax penalty in Obamacare's individual mandate." Advertisement Advertisement
The individual mandate, which requires people to carry a minimum level of health insurance coverage with a tax penalty imposed against those who do not comply, was proved constitutional by the Supreme Court in 2012.
However, the coalition says that when Congress approved Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which removed the penalty, the individual mandate was made illegal. The group is asking the Supreme Court to scrap the whole ACA, which would remove coverage from tens of millions of Americans amid the coronavirus pandemic.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., described the Trump administration's filing of the brief late Thursday as "unfathomable cruelty."
"If President Trump gets his way, 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions will lose the ACA's lifesaving protections and 23 million Americans will lose their health coverage entirely," she said in a statement. "There is no legal justification and no moral excuse for the Trump administration's disastrous efforts to take away Americans' healthcare."
In the brief, U.S. Solicitor General Noel J. Francisco said the ACA consists of three provisions that were fashioned to work together and that Congress would not have adopted the other two provisions without the individual mandate.
"Nothing the 2017 Congress did demonstrates it would have intended the rest of the ACA to continue to operate in the absence of these three integral provisions," Francisco said in the filing. "The entire ACA thus must fall with the individual mandate."
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California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who leads a coalition of 20 states and the District of Columbia seeking to protect the ACA, said in a statement the act has been "life-changing" for some amid the pandemic.
"Now is not the time to rip away our best tool to address very real and very deadly health disparities in our communities," he said.
Since the first cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in the country in mid-January, more than 2.4 million people have fallen ill from the virus and some 124,000 have died.
The filing comes a day after House Democrats introduced legislation Wednesday to reinforce ACA through capping silver health insurance premiums at 8.5 percent of household income and authorizing Health and Human Services to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.


upi--2020-06-26--Coronavirus baby boom unlikely, survey suggests

Will the stay-at-home orders issued in March and April result in a `` coronavirus baby boom , '' as some have predicted ?
Perhaps not , according to a new survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults , conducted by researchers from Indiana University .
Around half of the people questioned reported no change in their sex lives during the early part of the coronavirus quarantine from mid-March to mid-April -- when a majority of Americans were at home under shelter-in-place orders .
The other half said their sex lives had changed -- with some reporting increases and many reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hugging , kissing , holding hands , or cuddling with a romantic partner , solo masturbation , vaginal sex and `` sexting . ''
The varying findings of the survey -- that some had more sex , some had less sex , and many stayed consistent -- reflect the unique and complex set of factors at play when most of the world was stuck at home .
`` If you were quarantined with a partner , you might find comfort in maintaining a sexual connection with that partner , '' said study co-author @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine .
`` The other side of the coin might be that you have a lot going on at home -- the loss of child care , homeschooling , trying to work at home , balancing a lot of new obligations in a very small amount of space -- might have made people more stressed and less interested in sex , '' she noted .
Decreases in sexual activity were more common than increases , according to the survey .
Certain factors , like having older @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk and symptoms of depression , seemed to really put a damper on sex lives .
People who said they 'd felt depressed or lonely during the quarantine were more likely to report a decrease in sex acts with their partner .
The same held true for those who felt vulnerable to COVID-19 medical consequences .
Those who thought they might lose their job were also more likely to report a decrease in sexual behaviors with their partner .
Instead of shying away from sexual connection when you 're feeling anxious or depressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at McLean Hospital in Boston , urged people to consider utilizing affection and touch as a way of calming anxieties .
`` Recognize that touch is an incredibly powerful force in a relationship and that here we are at an incredibly anxiety-provoking time , and we have this easy , medication-free way of decreasing our anxiety , '' Olds said .
One of the most interesting findings , according to Hensel , was that the age of children at home had a significant impact on the self-reported sex lives of parents .
People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age of 5 -- were three times more likely to report increases in `` partner-bonding activities , '' like hugging , kissing , cuddling or holding hands with a partner .
People with elementary school-aged children -- between the ages of 5 and 12 -- were more likely to report decreases in partner-bonding activities and partnered sexual activity .
The survey found no significant effect of having teenage kids in the house on parents ' sexual activity .
The researchers hypothesized that parents of small children might be more used to having their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more easily maintain pre-pandemic schedules -- such as naps and earlier bedtimes .
Parents of older , school-age children may have had to upend their routines to supervise their children , leaving little time for sex .
Parents may also feel more self-conscious being affectionate with their partner when older children are around all the time , according to Olds .
`` I have talked in my practice to many people who feel self-conscious when their children are always around them , especially junior high and high school children , but also elementary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When possible , Olds encouraged parents to be affectionate with each other around their kids , regardless of age .
`` Parents make a mistake in not being affectionate with each other and only being affectionate with the kids .
It gives wrong messages , '' she said .
`` All those niceties -- kissing , hugging , hand-holding and cuddling -- are not just important for having good sex with a partner , but they 're also little signals to the school-age children that marriage is fun . ''
Olds added that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for signs of how their parents ' relationship is doing . ''
Although stay-at-home orders have been lifted in most parts of the country , Olds said that people should try to appreciate a potential silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic -- spending additional time with their partners and families .
She advised all couples to reflect on the time they had together in quarantine -- both the good and the bad .
`` Most couples need to take time to take stock of what they 've learned about their relationship because you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scrutiny , '' Olds said .
In practice , she said couples could ask each other questions like , `` What have we learned that we cherish about each other ? ''
and `` What have we learned really gets on our nerves about each other ? ''
While some couples can engage in these discussions by themselves , others may need another person to facilitate the conversation .
Hensel advised couples to consider telemedicine for therapy .
`` We 've seen telemedicine work across the board , and I think that might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ways that people can work their way through sexuality-related troubles during pandemic times , '' she said .
The study was released recently as a preprint on medRxiv .
Findings were not subject to peer review and should be considered preliminary .
The American Psychological Association has more on COVID-19 and mental health .

A couple wearing protective masks walk to their car near the UCLA campus in Los Angeles in March, as the coronavirus pandemic was starting to ramp up in the United States. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Will the stay-at-home orders issued in March and April result in a "coronavirus baby boom," as some have predicted? Perhaps not, according to a new survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults, conducted by researchers from Indiana University. Advertisement
Around half of the people questioned reported no change in their sex lives during the early part of the coronavirus quarantine from mid-March to mid-April -- when a majority of Americans were at home under shelter-in-place orders.
The other half said their sex lives had changed -- with some reporting increases and many reporting decreases across 10 sexual behaviors, including hugging, kissing, holding hands, or cuddling with a romantic partner, solo masturbation, vaginal sex and "sexting."
The varying findings of the survey -- that some had more sex, some had less sex, and many stayed consistent -- reflect the unique and complex set of factors at play when most of the world was stuck at home.
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"If you were quarantined with a partner, you might find comfort in maintaining a sexual connection with that partner," said study co-author Devon Hensel, an associate professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine.
"The other side of the coin might be that you have a lot going on at home -- the loss of child care, homeschooling, trying to work at home, balancing a lot of new obligations in a very small amount of space -- might have made people more stressed and less interested in sex," she noted.
Decreases in sexual activity were more common than increases, according to the survey. Certain factors, like having older kids at home, stressing about COVID-19 risk and symptoms of depression, seemed to really put a damper on sex lives.
People who said they'd felt depressed or lonely during the quarantine were more likely to report a decrease in sex acts with their partner. The same held true for those who felt vulnerable to COVID-19 medical consequences.
Those who thought they might lose their job were also more likely to report a decrease in sexual behaviors with their partner.
Instead of shying away from sexual connection when you're feeling anxious or depressed, Dr. Jacqueline Olds, a psychiatrist at McLean Hospital in Boston, urged people to consider utilizing affection and touch as a way of calming anxieties.
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"Recognize that touch is an incredibly powerful force in a relationship and that here we are at an incredibly anxiety-provoking time, and we have this easy, medication-free way of decreasing our anxiety," Olds said.
Age of kids played a part
One of the most interesting findings, according to Hensel, was that the age of children at home had a significant impact on the self-reported sex lives of parents.
People with very young children -- under the age of 5 -- were three times more likely to report increases in "partner-bonding activities," like hugging, kissing, cuddling or holding hands with a partner.
People with elementary school-aged children -- between the ages of 5 and 12 -- were more likely to report decreases in partner-bonding activities and partnered sexual activity. The survey found no significant effect of having teenage kids in the house on parents' sexual activity.
The researchers hypothesized that parents of small children might be more used to having their children at home, and therefore could more easily maintain pre-pandemic schedules -- such as naps and earlier bedtimes. Parents of older, school-age children may have had to upend their routines to supervise their children, leaving little time for sex.
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Parents may also feel more self-conscious being affectionate with their partner when older children are around all the time, according to Olds.
"I have talked in my practice to many people who feel self-conscious when their children are always around them, especially junior high and high school children, but also elementary school children," Olds explained.
Appreciate time with partner
When possible, Olds encouraged parents to be affectionate with each other around their kids, regardless of age.
"Parents make a mistake in not being affectionate with each other and only being affectionate with the kids. It gives wrong messages," she said. "All those niceties -- kissing, hugging, hand-holding and cuddling -- are not just important for having good sex with a partner, but they're also little signals to the school-age children that marriage is fun."
Olds added that children are "always on the alert for signs of how their parents' relationship is doing."
Although stay-at-home orders have been lifted in most parts of the country, Olds said that people should try to appreciate a potential silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic -- spending additional time with their partners and families.
She advised all couples to reflect on the time they had together in quarantine -- both the good and the bad.
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"Most couples need to take time to take stock of what they've learned about their relationship because you very rarely get this time for close scrutiny," Olds said.
In practice, she said couples could ask each other questions like, "What have we learned that we cherish about each other?" and "What have we learned really gets on our nerves about each other?"
While some couples can engage in these discussions by themselves, others may need another person to facilitate the conversation. Hensel advised couples to consider telemedicine for therapy.
"We've seen telemedicine work across the board, and I think that might be one solid recommendation in terms of the ways that people can work their way through sexuality-related troubles during pandemic times," she said. The study was released recently as a preprint on medRxiv.
Findings were not subject to peer review and should be considered preliminary.
More information
The American Psychological Association has more on COVID-19 and mental health.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-06-26--On This Day, June 26: Clinton retaliates for Bush assassination attempt

On this date in history : In 1900 , Dr. Walter Reed and his medical team began a successful campaign to eradicate yellow fever in the Panama Canal Zone .
In 1917 , the first troops of the American Expeditionary Force reached France in World War I .
In 1939 , film censors approved Gone With The Wind but fined Producer David O. Selznick $ 5,000 for objectionable language in Rhett Butler 's famous closing line to Scarlett O'Hara : `` Frankly , my dear , I do n't give a damn . ''
In 1945 , the United Nations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Francisco , was signed by representatives of 50 nations -- the original U.N. members .
The organization officially began operations Oct. 24 , 1945 .
U.N. Day is Oct. 24 each year .
In 1948 , two days after the start of the blockade of Berlin , the Western Allies organized the Berlin airlift to ferry supplies to the people of West Berlin .
In 1959 , U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower and Britain 's Queen Elizabeth II formally opened the St. Lawrence Seaway in Canada .
In 1974 , the bar code @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prices , was used for the first time .
The purchase was a pack of gum at a supermarket in Troy , Ohio .
In 1976 , the CN Tower , then the world 's tallest free-standing structure at 1,815 feet 5 inches tall opened in Toronto .
In 1990 , U.S. President George H.W .
Bush discarded his `` no new taxes '' campaign pledge , saying `` it is clear to me '' taxes are needed as part of a deficit-reduction package .
In 1992 , U.S. Navy Secretary H. Lawrence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Tailhook '' incident involving the harassment of Navy women by naval aviators .
In 1993 , President Bill Clinton ordered a cruise missile attack against the Iraqi intelligence headquarters in Baghdad after `` compelling evidence '' showed the Saddam Hussein regime plotted to assassinate former President George H.W .
Bush in 1992 .
In 1997 , Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone by J.K. Rowling was published , launching the start of a seven-book and series that captured the world 's imagination and spurred several films and assorted spinoffs .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced they had deciphered the genetic code , the human genome .
In 2008 , the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Constitution protects an individual 's right to carry a gun for private use but said the ruling did nothing to alter the ban on gun ownership by felons or the mentally ill , or carrying a gun into such `` sensitive '' areas as schools or government buildings .
In 2015 , the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that states are constitutionally compelled to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , two cities in Florida -- Riviera Beach and Lake City -- paid hackers hundreds of thousands of dollars to relinquish control of their computer systems .

1/4
On June 26, 1993, President Bill Clinton ordered a missile attack against Baghdad after the Hussein regime plotted to assassinate President George H.W. Bush. The tomahawk missiles were launched from the USS Chancellorsville and USS Peterson. File Photo by Peter Burghart/Navy
On this date in history: In 1900, Dr. Walter Reed and his medical team began a successful campaign to eradicate yellow fever in the Panama Canal Zone. Advertisement
In 1917, the first troops of the American Expeditionary Force reached France in World War I.
In 1939, film censors approved Gone With The Wind but fined Producer David O. Selznick $5,000 for objectionable language in Rhett Butler's famous closing line to Scarlett O'Hara: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."
File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
In 1945, the United Nations Charter drawn up at a conference in San Francisco, was signed by representatives of 50 nations -- the original U.N. members. The organization officially began operations Oct. 24, 1945. U.N. Day is Oct. 24 each year.
In 1948, two days after the start of the blockade of Berlin, the Western Allies organized the Berlin airlift to ferry supplies to the people of West Berlin.
In 1959, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II formally opened the St. Lawrence Seaway in Canada.
Advertisement
In 1974, the bar code, allowing for the electronic scanning of prices, was used for the first time. The purchase was a pack of gum at a supermarket in Troy, Ohio.
In 1976, the CN Tower, then the world's tallest free-standing structure at 1,815 feet 5 inches tall opened in Toronto.
In 1990, U.S. President George H.W. Bush discarded his "no new taxes" campaign pledge, saying "it is clear to me" taxes are needed as part of a deficit-reduction package.
In 1992, U.S. Navy Secretary H. Lawrence Garrett resigned, accepting responsibility for the "Tailhook" incident involving the harassment of Navy women by naval aviators.
In 1993, President Bill Clinton ordered a cruise missile attack against the Iraqi intelligence headquarters in Baghdad after "compelling evidence" showed the Saddam Hussein regime plotted to assassinate former President George H.W. Bush in 1992.
In 1997, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling was published, launching the start of a seven-book and series that captured the world's imagination and spurred several films and assorted spinoffs.
File Photo by Dennis Van Tine/UPI
Advertisement
In 2000, two rival groups of scientists announced they had deciphered the genetic code, the human genome.
In 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Constitution protects an individual's right to carry a gun for private use but said the ruling did nothing to alter the ban on gun ownership by felons or the mentally ill, or carrying a gun into such "sensitive" areas as schools or government buildings.
In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that states are constitutionally compelled to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, legalizing gay marriage nationwide.
In 2019, two cities in Florida -- Riviera Beach and Lake City -- paid hackers hundreds of thousands of dollars to relinquish control of their computer systems.


upi--2020-06-26--Women's soccer, return of U.S. team sports highlight weekend schedule

June 26 ( UPI ) -- Team sports in the United States return Saturday with the National Women 's Soccer League Challenge Cup in Utah .
Other leagues , like the PGA Tour , UFC , NASCAR and European soccer also pack the weekend sports slate .
Several notable United States Women 's National Team players have opted to sit out of the June 27 to July 26 tournament , due to positive COVID-19 tests or as a precaution from the pandemic , but many U.S. and international stars will take the field .
Alex Morgan , Tobin Heath , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lloyd are the most-notable names omitted from rosters for the NWSL Challenge Cup , which marks the return of the league from a COVID-19 suspension .
U.S. women 's stars Crystal Dunn , Samantha Mewis , Abby Dahlkemper , Becky Sauerbrunn , Lynn Williams , Lindsey Horan , Julie Ertz , Morgan Brian , Alyssa Naeher , Jessica McDonald , Rose Lavelle , Allie Long and Kelley O'Hara decided to play in the eight-team tournament .
International stars Christine Sinclair , Rachel Daly and Naho Kawasumi also opted in .
The Challenge Cup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Portland Thorns FC at 12:30 p.m. EDT Saturday in Herriman .
The game will feature Dahlkemper , Dunn , Mewis , McDonald , Williams , Sauerbrunn , Horan and Sinclair .
It will air on CBS .
The second game of the Challenge Cup will feature the Chicago Red Stars against the Washington Spirit at 10 p.m. EDT Saturday in Herriman .
Ertz , Naeher and Brian play for Chicago .
Lavelle -- who scored the game-clinching goal in the 2019 Women 's World Cup final -- plays for Washington .
The Challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two Wednesday before more on Fourth of July weekend .
Spain 's La Liga , Italy 's Serie A , England 's Premier League and Germany 's Bundesliga men 's soccer leagues will feature 28 games this weekend .
The PGA Tour continues for a third consecutive weekend with the Travelers Championship , which began Thursday at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell , Conn. World No .
1 Rory McIlroy , No .
3 Justin Thomas and No .
11 Bryson DeChambeau opened as the favorites to win the four-day tournament .
No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 Webb Simpson , No .
51 Graeme McDowell , No .
79 Cameron Champ and No .
1,570 Chase Koepka withdrew from the tournament Wednesday due to the coronavirus .
Brooks Koepka 's caddie , McDowell 's caddie and Champ tested positive for COVID-19 .
Simpson had a family member test positive , while Chase Koepka withdrew after he played a practice round with Brooks and McDowell .
`` We need to use these developments as a stark reminder for everyone involved as we continue to learn from an operational standpoint , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday .
`` We 're making several adjustments to our health and safety plan as noted in the memo sent to players , and we will continuously reinforce to all players , caddies , staff members and support personnel on property at PGA Tour events to adhere to social distancing and other safety professionals that further minimize risk . ''
The final two rounds of the tournament air Saturday and Sunday on PGA Tour Live , the Golf Channel and CBS .
Each round begins at 8 a.m. EDT and live coverage ends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Travelers Championship is $ 7.4 million , with $ 1.33 million for the winner .
American Chez Reavie won the 2019 Travelers Championship .
A full slate of Korean Baseball Organization games continue this weekend , but just two will air on ESPN .
MLB team owners and the players ' union 's recent agreement wo n't see players return to fields in the United States until at least late July but fans now can watch some former MLB stars play in Japan , in addition to the KBO in South Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returned last week .
Former Baltimore Orioles All-Star Adam Jones is the most-notable former MLB player on an NPB roster .
Jones plays for the Orix Buffaloes .
Former World Series champions Gerardo Parra ( Yomiuri Giants ) , Alcides Escobar ( Yakult Swallows ) and Daisuke Matsuzaka ( Seibu Lions ) also play in the NPB .
Escobar and Parra face off at 12:30 a.m. EDT Saturday and at midnight Sunday morning on DAZN.com , which offers a free one-month trial .
Jones ' Buffaloes battle the Lotte Marines on Saturday and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SoftBank Hawks in a weekend series .
The KBO on ESPN features the first-place NC Dinos against the third-place Doosan Bears on Saturday and Sunday .
NPB : Yomiuri Giants vs. Yakult Swallows at 12:30 a.m. EDT at DAZN.com KBO : NC Dinos vs. Doosan Bears at 3:55 a.m. EDT on ESPN Premier League : Aston Villa vs. Wolves at 7 a.m. EDT on NBCSN Bundesliga : VfL Wolfsburg vs. Bayern Munich at 9:30 a.m. EDT on FS1 Bundesliga : Borussia Dortmund vs. Hoffenheim at 9:30 a.m. EDT on FS2 La Liga : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EDT on beIN Sports FA Cup : Manchester United vs. Norwich City at 12:25 p.m. EDT on ESPN NWSL Challenge Cup : North Carolina Courage vs. Portland Thorns FC at 12:30 p.m. EDT on CBS NWSL Challenge Cup : Chicago Red Stars vs. Washington Spirit at 10 p.m. EDT on CBS All Access PGA Tour 's Travelers Championship : Featured holes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT on PGA Tour Live ; Live coverage from 3 to 6 p.m. EDT on CBS .
Gian Villante vs. Maurice Greene after first fight Brendan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Perry vs. Mickey Gall after third fight NPB : Yomiuri Giants vs. Yakult Swallows at midnight EDT at DAZN.com KBO : NC Dinos vs. Doosan Bears at 3:55 a.m. EDT on ESPN FA Cup : Sheffield United vs. Arsenal at 7:55 a.m. EDT on ESPN Premier League : Watford vs. Southampton at 10 a.m. EDT on NBCSN FA Cup : Chelsea vs. Leicester City at 10:50 a.m. EDT on eSPN+ FA Cup : Manchester City vs. Newcastle United at 1:20 p.m. EDT on ESPN+ La Liga : Real Madrid vs. Espanyol at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tour 's Travelers Championship : Featured holes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT on PGA Tour Live ; Live coverage from 3 to 6 p.m. EDT on CBS .

Samantha Mewis (L) and Rose Lavelle will be among the United States Women's National Team stars to take the field Saturday for the NWSL Challenge Cup in Utah. File Photo by David Silpa/UPI | License Photo
June 26 (UPI) -- Team sports in the United States return Saturday with the National Women's Soccer League Challenge Cup in Utah. Other leagues, like the PGA Tour, UFC, NASCAR and European soccer also pack the weekend sports slate. Several notable United States Women's National Team players have opted to sit out of the June 27 to July 26 tournament, due to positive COVID-19 tests or as a precaution from the pandemic, but many U.S. and international stars will take the field. Advertisement
NWSL Challenge Cup soccer
Alex Morgan, Tobin Heath, Megan Rapinoe, Christen Press and Carli Lloyd are the most-notable names omitted from rosters for the NWSL Challenge Cup, which marks the return of the league from a COVID-19 suspension.
U.S. women's stars Crystal Dunn, Samantha Mewis, Abby Dahlkemper, Becky Sauerbrunn, Lynn Williams, Lindsey Horan, Julie Ertz, Morgan Brian, Alyssa Naeher, Jessica McDonald, Rose Lavelle, Allie Long and Kelley O'Hara decided to play in the eight-team tournament.
Advertisement
International stars Christine Sinclair, Rachel Daly and Naho Kawasumi also opted in.
The Challenge Cup begins with the North Carolina Courage battling Portland Thorns FC at 12:30 p.m. EDT Saturday in Herriman. The game will feature Dahlkemper, Dunn, Mewis, McDonald, Williams, Sauerbrunn, Horan and Sinclair. It will air on CBS.
The second game of the Challenge Cup will feature the Chicago Red Stars against the Washington Spirit at 10 p.m. EDT Saturday in Herriman. Ertz, Naeher and Brian play for Chicago. Lavelle -- who scored the game-clinching goal in the 2019 Women's World Cup final -- plays for Washington.
The Challenge Cup continues with two games Tuesday and two Wednesday before more on Fourth of July weekend.
Spain's La Liga, Italy's Serie A, England's Premier League and Germany's Bundesliga men's soccer leagues will feature 28 games this weekend.
Travelers Championship golf
The PGA Tour continues for a third consecutive weekend with the Travelers Championship, which began Thursday at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.
World No. 1 Rory McIlroy, No. 3 Justin Thomas and No. 11 Bryson DeChambeau opened as the favorites to win the four-day tournament.
No. 4 Brooks Koepka, No. 5 Webb Simpson, No. 51 Graeme McDowell, No. 79 Cameron Champ and No. 1,570 Chase Koepka withdrew from the tournament Wednesday due to the coronavirus.
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Brooks Koepka's caddie, McDowell's caddie and Champ tested positive for COVID-19. Simpson had a family member test positive, while Chase Koepka withdrew after he played a practice round with Brooks and McDowell.
"We need to use these developments as a stark reminder for everyone involved as we continue to learn from an operational standpoint," PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said Wednesday.
"We're making several adjustments to our health and safety plan as noted in the memo sent to players, and we will continuously reinforce to all players, caddies, staff members and support personnel on property at PGA Tour events to adhere to social distancing and other safety professionals that further minimize risk."
The final two rounds of the tournament air Saturday and Sunday on PGA Tour Live, the Golf Channel and CBS. Each round begins at 8 a.m. EDT and live coverage ends at 6 p.m.
The purse for the Travelers Championship is $7.4 million, with $1.33 million for the winner. American Chez Reavie won the 2019 Travelers Championship.
Asian baseball
A full slate of Korean Baseball Organization games continue this weekend, but just two will air on ESPN. MLB team owners and the players' union's recent agreement won't see players return to fields in the United States until at least late July but fans now can watch some former MLB stars play in Japan, in addition to the KBO in South Korea.
Advertisement
Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League returned last week. Former Baltimore Orioles All-Star Adam Jones is the most-notable former MLB player on an NPB roster.
Jones plays for the Orix Buffaloes. Former World Series champions Gerardo Parra (Yomiuri Giants), Alcides Escobar (Yakult Swallows) and Daisuke Matsuzaka (Seibu Lions) also play in the NPB.
Escobar and Parra face off at 12:30 a.m. EDT Saturday and at midnight Sunday morning on DAZN.com, which offers a free one-month trial. Jones' Buffaloes battle the Lotte Marines on Saturday and Sunday. Matsuzaka's Lions battle the SoftBank Hawks in a weekend series.
The KBO on ESPN features the first-place NC Dinos against the third-place Doosan Bears on Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday
Baseball
NPB: Yomiuri Giants vs. Yakult Swallows at 12:30 a.m. EDT at DAZN.com
KBO: NC Dinos vs. Doosan Bears at 3:55 a.m. EDT on ESPN
Soccer
Premier League: Aston Villa vs. Wolves at 7 a.m. EDT on NBCSN
Bundesliga: VfL Wolfsburg vs. Bayern Munich at 9:30 a.m. EDT on FS1
Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund vs. Hoffenheim at 9:30 a.m. EDT on FS2
La Liga: Barcelona vs. Celta Vigo at 11 a.m. EDT on beIN Sports
FA Cup: Manchester United vs. Norwich City at 12:25 p.m. EDT on ESPN
Advertisement
NWSL Challenge Cup: North Carolina Courage vs. Portland Thorns FC at 12:30 p.m. EDT on CBS
NWSL Challenge Cup: Chicago Red Stars vs. Washington Spirit at 10 p.m. EDT on CBS All Access
Golf
PGA Tour's Travelers Championship: Featured holes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT on PGA Tour Live; Live coverage from 3 to 6 p.m. EDT on CBS.
NASCAR
Truck Series Pocono Organics 150 at 12:30 p.m. EDT on FS1
Cup Series Pocono Organics 325 at 3:30 p.m. EDT on Fox
UFC Fight Night on ESPN/ESPN+
Sean Woodson vs. Julian Erosa at 8 p.m. EDT
Gian Villante vs. Maurice Greene after first fight
Brendan Allen vs. Kyle Daukaus after second fight
Mike Perry vs. Mickey Gall after third fight
Dustin Poirer vs. Dan Hooker after fourth fight
Sunday
Baseball
NPB: Yomiuri Giants vs. Yakult Swallows at midnight EDT at DAZN.com
KBO: NC Dinos vs. Doosan Bears at 3:55 a.m. EDT on ESPN
Soccer
FA Cup: Sheffield United vs. Arsenal at 7:55 a.m. EDT on ESPN
Premier League: Watford vs. Southampton at 10 a.m. EDT on NBCSN
FA Cup: Chelsea vs. Leicester City at 10:50 a.m. EDT on eSPN+
FA Cup: Manchester City vs. Newcastle United at 1:20 p.m. EDT on ESPN+
Advertisement
La Liga: Real Madrid vs. Espanyol at 4 p.m. EDT on beIN Sports
Golf
PGA Tour's Travelers Championship: Featured holes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT on PGA Tour Live; Live coverage from 3 to 6 p.m. EDT on CBS.
NASCAR
Xfinity Series Pocono Green 225 at 12:30 p.m. EDT on FS1
Cup Series Pocono 350 at 4 p.m. EDT on FS1


upi--2020-06-26--'View,' 'Ellen,' 'Jeopardy!' and 'Y&R' win Daytime Emmys

June 26 ( UPI ) -- The View and The Ellen DeGeneres Show were among the winners at the Daytime Emmy Awards ' virtual prize presentation Friday .
The programs earned the Outstanding Informative and Entertainment talk show awards , respectively .
Kelly Clarkson -- who leads The Kelly Clarkson Show -- was named Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host .
The Today Show won the Emmy for Outstanding Morning Show , while Jeopardy !
was named Outstanding Game Show and its star Alex Trebek was declared Outstanding Game Show Host .
Entertainment Tonight won the Emmy for Outstanding Entertainment News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Culinary Show and The People 's Court won for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Show .
The Young and the Restless was voted Outstanding Drama and cast members Jason Thompson and Bryton James won the Outstanding Lead and Supporting Actor honors , respectively .
The Bold and the Beautiful won the prizes for Lead Actress for Heather Tom and Outstanding Writing Team , and General Hospital was recognized for Outstanding Directing Team and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Tamara Braun .
The online Emmys event aired on CBS and streamed on CBS All Access thanks to videoconferencing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
The Talk stars Sharon Osbourne , Sheryl Underwood , Eve , Carrie Ann Inaba and Marie Osmond hosted the ceremony .
Presenters and other celebrities who appeared throughout the 2-hour program include Gayle King , Kelsey Grammer , Melody Thomas Scott , Kathie Lee Gifford , Cookie Monster , Scott Evans , Patrika Darbo , Kevin Frazier , Wayne Brady , Michael Strahan , James Reynolds , Jacqueline MacInnes Wood , Maurice Benard , Kelly Ripa , Ryan Seacrest , Nate Burleson , Sunny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General Hospital went into the competition with a leading 23 nominations .
This is the 14th time the awards ceremony aired on CBS .
The last time was in 2011 , and the event has been streamed online since 2016 .

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Whoopi Goldberg's "The View" won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show -- Informative on Friday. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
June 26 (UPI) -- The View and The Ellen DeGeneres Show were among the winners at the Daytime Emmy Awards' virtual prize presentation Friday. The programs earned the Outstanding Informative and Entertainment talk show awards, respectively. Advertisement
Kelly Clarkson -- who leads The Kelly Clarkson Show -- was named Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host.
The Today Show won the Emmy for Outstanding Morning Show, while Jeopardy! was named Outstanding Game Show and its star Alex Trebek was declared Outstanding Game Show Host.
Entertainment Tonight won the Emmy for Outstanding Entertainment News Show, Giada Entertains won for Outstanding Culinary Show and The People's Court won for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Show.
The Young and the Restless was voted Outstanding Drama and cast members Jason Thompson and Bryton James won the Outstanding Lead and Supporting Actor honors, respectively.
The Bold and the Beautiful won the prizes for Lead Actress for Heather Tom and Outstanding Writing Team, and General Hospital was recognized for Outstanding Directing Team and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Tamara Braun.
The online Emmys event aired on CBS and streamed on CBS All Access thanks to videoconferencing technology in keeping with social distancing practices intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
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The Talk stars Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood, Eve, Carrie Ann Inaba and Marie Osmond hosted the ceremony.
Presenters and other celebrities who appeared throughout the 2-hour program include Gayle King, Kelsey Grammer, Melody Thomas Scott, Kathie Lee Gifford, Cookie Monster, Scott Evans, Patrika Darbo, Kevin Frazier, Wayne Brady, Michael Strahan, James Reynolds, Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, Maurice Benard, Kelly Ripa, Ryan Seacrest, Nate Burleson, Sunny Hostin and Eric Braeden.
ABC's General Hospital went into the competition with a leading 23 nominations.
This is the 14th time the awards ceremony aired on CBS. The last time was in 2011, and the event has been streamed online since 2016.