upi--2020-05-07--WWE NXT: Adam Cole, Charlotte Flair defend titles

May 7 ( UPI ) -- NXT Champion Adam Cole and NXT Women 's Champion Charlotte Flair defended their titles on WWE NXT .
Cole , in the main event of the night on Wednesday , put his NXT Championship on the line against his rival , The Velveteen Dream .
The contest was fast-paced and hard-hitting from the start .
Cole unleashed two Superkicks early and then attempted to end things with The Last Shot but Dream responded with a vicious Spinebuster .
Cole , who arrived to ring by himself , was eventually joined by his Undisputed Era @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fish and Strong , however , were greeted by the mysterious Dexter Lumis who crawled out from under the ring .
Lumis briefly kept The Undisputed Era away from the action but the referee was accidentally knocked out after Lumis threw Strong into him .
Dream , back inside the ring , nailed The Purple Rainmaker but there was no referee to make the three count .
Dream took out Fish and Strong but got hit by another Superkick by Cole .
The champ then performed The Last Shot and pinned Dream for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the longest-reigning NXT Champion of all time .
Flair defended her title against the No .
1 contender , Io Shirai .
This was Flair 's first title defense since winning the NXT Women 's Championship from Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 36 in April .
Shirai , known as The Evil Genius of the Sky , used her quickness and high-flying offense to bring the fight to Flair .
Flair grew frustrated at how she was unable to keep Shirai down and resorted to using a kendo stick against her opponent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to punish Shirai until Ripley arrived onto the scene .
Ripley smashed Flair 's face into the side of the ring but The Queen was able to escape shortly afterwards .
Shirai , after recovering , was not thankful for Ripley 's help and yelled at The Nightmare in Japanese .
Also on NXT , Karrion Kross made his in-ring debut and was joined by Scarlett .
Kross had a dramatic , black and white entrance that was filled with smoke .
Red flashing lights filled the arena as the sinister duo entered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opponent Leon Ruff , executing two Doomsday Saito Suplexes followed by the Kross Jacket for the victory .
Other moments from NXT included Johnny Gargano defeating Dominik Dijakovic ; Akira Tozawa defeating Jack Gallagher as part of the Interim NXT Cruiserweight Title Tournament ; Chelsea Green defeating Xia Li with help from Aliyah ; Kushida defeating Jake Atlas as part of the tournament ; and Cameron Grimes defeating Denzel Dejournette before he was taken out by Finn Balor .

May 7 (UPI) -- NXT Champion Adam Cole and NXT Women's Champion Charlotte Flair defended their titles on WWE NXT.
Cole, in the main event of the night on Wednesday, put his NXT Championship on the line against his rival, The Velveteen Dream.
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The contest was fast-paced and hard-hitting from the start. Cole unleashed two Superkicks early and then attempted to end things with The Last Shot but Dream responded with a vicious Spinebuster.
Cole, who arrived to ring by himself, was eventually joined by his Undisputed Era teammates Bobby Fish and Roderick Strong. Fish and Strong, however, were greeted by the mysterious Dexter Lumis who crawled out from under the ring.
Lumis briefly kept The Undisputed Era away from the action but the referee was accidentally knocked out after Lumis threw Strong into him. Dream, back inside the ring, nailed The Purple Rainmaker but there was no referee to make the three count.
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Dream took out Fish and Strong but got hit by another Superkick by Cole. The champ then performed The Last Shot and pinned Dream for the three count. Cole continues to be the longest-reigning NXT Champion of all time.
Flair defended her title against the No. 1 contender, Io Shirai. This was Flair's first title defense since winning the NXT Women's Championship from Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 36 in April.
Shirai, known as The Evil Genius of the Sky, used her quickness and high-flying offense to bring the fight to Flair.
Flair grew frustrated at how she was unable to keep Shirai down and resorted to using a kendo stick against her opponent, leading to a disqualification. Flair continued to punish Shirai until Ripley arrived onto the scene.
Ripley smashed Flair's face into the side of the ring but The Queen was able to escape shortly afterwards. Shirai, after recovering, was not thankful for Ripley's help and yelled at The Nightmare in Japanese.
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Also on NXT, Karrion Kross made his in-ring debut and was joined by Scarlett. Kross had a dramatic, black and white entrance that was filled with smoke. Red flashing lights filled the arena as the sinister duo entered the ring.
Kross easily defeated his opponent Leon Ruff, executing two Doomsday Saito Suplexes followed by the Kross Jacket for the victory.
Other moments from NXT included Johnny Gargano defeating Dominik Dijakovic; Akira Tozawa defeating Jack Gallagher as part of the Interim NXT Cruiserweight Title Tournament; Chelsea Green defeating Xia Li with help from Aliyah; Kushida defeating Jake Atlas as part of the tournament; and Cameron Grimes defeating Denzel Dejournette before he was taken out by Finn Balor.


upi--2020-05-07--Bank of England: British economy could decline 14 percent

May 7 ( UPI ) -- A Bank of England report Thursday said the British economy could fall as much as 14 percent this year , which would be it 's worse showing in more than 300 years .
The bank 's Monetary Policy and Interim Financial Stability Reports blamed the coronavirus pandemic for the fall .
`` Social distancing measures are in place in [ Britain ] to stop the spread of COVID-19 , '' the reports said .
`` As a result , many businesses are unable to produce or sell their goods and services .
It also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming in .
Some people are working fewer hours and others have lost their jobs . ''
Bank Gov .
Andrew Bailey said in a statement the economy 's recovery will depend on how quickly society can get past the pandemic .
`` The scale of the shock and the measures necessary to protect public health means that a significant loss of economic output has been inevitable in the near term despite this very significant policy support , '' he said .
`` Economic prospects are highly dependent on the evolution of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses continue to respond to it . ''
The bank said it believes the disruption to the economy is `` temporary '' and it will recover once social distancing guidelines are lifted .
`` We have put in place a package of measures that will support households and businesses , help the economy recover and keep the financial system safe and stable , '' the bank said .
`` Since January , we have cut interest rates and injected a further [ $ 248 ] billion into the [ British ] economy through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that some households and businesses face and will help the economy to recover . ''
Those packages , though , were not able to keep businesses like British Airways , Virgin Atlantic and Debenham from laying off workers this past week .
The British government will announce its first-quarter figures next week .

The Bank of England says the British economy could fall as much as 14 percent in 2020. File Photo by Andy Rain/EPA-EFE
May 7 (UPI) -- A Bank of England report said Thursday the British economy could fall as much as 14 percent this year, which would be its worst showing in more than 300 years. The bank's Monetary Policy and Interim Financial Stability Reports blamed the coronavirus pandemic for the fall. Advertisement
"Social distancing measures are in place in [Britain] to stop the spread of COVID-19," the reports said. "As a result, many businesses are unable to produce or sell their goods and services. It also means that many households have less money coming in. Some people are working fewer hours and others have lost their jobs."
Bank Gov. Andrew Bailey said in a statement the economy's recovery will depend on how quickly society can get past the pandemic.
"The scale of the shock and the measures necessary to protect public health means that a significant loss of economic output has been inevitable in the near term despite this very significant policy support," he said. "Economic prospects are highly dependent on the evolution of the pandemic and how governments, households and businesses continue to respond to it."
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The bank said it believes the disruption to the economy is "temporary" and it will recover once social distancing guidelines are lifted.
"We have put in place a package of measures that will support households and businesses, help the economy recover and keep the financial system safe and stable," the bank said. "Since January, we have cut interest rates and injected a further [$248] billion into the [British] economy through quantitative easing. That reduces the costs that some households and businesses face and will help the economy to recover."
Those packages, though, were not able to keep businesses like British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Debenham from laying off workers. The British government will announce its first-quarter figures next week.


upi--2020-05-07--New Cowboys QB Andy Dalton believes he's 'a starter'

May 7 ( UPI ) -- New Dallas Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton said he believes he 's a starter in the NFL .
Dalton signed with the Cowboys on Monday after he was released May 30 .
Dak Prescott has started every game for the Cowboys since 2016 .
Dalton was a nine-year starter for the Bengals but acknowledged that Prescott is the Cowboys ' starting quarterback .
`` Dak 's the starter on this team , '' Dalton told reporters Wednesday .
`` Dak has played really well .
I knew the situation that I was coming into .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 million pact with Dallas , which could rise to $ 7 million if Dalton reaches incentives .
He could earn a longer contract from the Cowboys or another franchise next off-season , based on a different free agent market .
`` I believe I 'm a starter in this league , '' Dalton said .
`` And I feel like I could bring a lot to the table .
I know I 'm on a one-year deal .
I understand the market 's going to be a little bit different next off-season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in negotiations for a contract extension all off-season .
The Cowboys placed the exclusive franchise tag on Prescott in March , which would result in a salary of at least $ 31 million in 2020 if he does n't agree to an extension before the season .
Prescott is expected to receive between $ 35 and $ 40 million annually if he signs an extension with the Cowboys .
Dalton , 32 , completed 59.2 percent of his throws for 3,494 yards , 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 13 starts last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a Katy , Texas , native and attended TCU before he joined the Bengals in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft .
`` I 'm going to try to be the biggest asset to this team , try to help out this offense , help out Dak , help out everybody as much as I can , '' Dalton said .
`` It 's a different perspective for me , since I 've been a starter the last nine years , but I understand the position I 'm coming into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play . ''

Andy Dalton believes he can still be a starting quarterback in the NFL, but said he will help out Dak Prescott while with the Dallas Cowboys. File Photo by John Sommers II /UPI | License Photo
May 7 (UPI) -- New Dallas Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton said he believes he's a starter in the NFL. Dalton signed with the Cowboys on Monday after he was released May 30. Dak Prescott has started every game for the Cowboys since 2016. Dalton was a nine-year starter for the Bengals but acknowledged that Prescott is the Cowboys' starting quarterback. Advertisement
"Dak's the starter on this team," Dalton told reporters Wednesday. "Dak has played really well. I knew the situation that I was coming into."
Dalton signed a one-year, $3 million pact with Dallas, which could rise to $7 million if Dalton reaches incentives. He could earn a longer contract from the Cowboys or another franchise next off-season, based on a different free agent market.
"I believe I'm a starter in this league," Dalton said. "And I feel like I could bring a lot to the table. I know I'm on a one-year deal. I understand the market's going to be a little bit different next off-season."
Prescott and the Cowboys have been in negotiations for a contract extension all off-season. The Cowboys placed the exclusive franchise tag on Prescott in March, which would result in a salary of at least $31 million in 2020 if he doesn't agree to an extension before the season.
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Prescott is expected to receive between $35 and $40 million annually if he signs an extension with the Cowboys.
Dalton, 32, completed 59.2 percent of his throws for 3,494 yards, 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 13 starts last season. The two-time Pro Bowl selection is a Katy, Texas, native and attended TCU before he joined the Bengals in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
"I'm going to try to be the biggest asset to this team, try to help out this offense, help out Dak, help out everybody as much as I can," Dalton said. "It's a different perspective for me, since I've been a starter the last nine years, but I understand the position I'm coming into and the role I'm going to play."


upi--2020-05-07--Google re-releases hip-hop music game in latest Doodle

May 7 ( UPI ) -- Google has brought back its hip-hop music game from 2017 in the latest Doodle @ @ @ @ @ the letter `` G '' in the company 's logo using a turntable while the @ @ @ @ @ break dances .
The letter `` o '' represents the records that are spinning .
@ @ @ @ @ history lesson on the birth of hip-hop from Fab 5 Freddy , rapper and former @ @ @ @ @ .
Users are then invited to scratch and mix their own records from a selection @ @ @ @ @ has started to re-release old Doodle games as many stay indoors due to the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ re-released its Halloween game from 2016 .
`` As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around @ @ @ @ @ families everywhere are spending more time at home .
In light of this , we @ @ @ @ @ series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games , '' Google @ @

Google is again featuring its hip-hop music game in the latest Doodle. Image courtesy of Google
May 7 (UPI) -- Google has brought back its hip-hop music game from 2017 in the latest Doodle. Google's homepage features the letter "G" in the company's logo using a turntable while the second letter "g" break dances. The letter "o" represents the records that are spinning. Advertisement
The interactive game gives a history lesson on the birth of hip-hop from Fab 5 Freddy, rapper and former host of Yo MTV Raps.
Users are then invited to scratch and mix their own records from a selection of legendary tracks.
Google has started to re-release old Doodle games as many stay indoors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company recently re-released its Halloween game from 2016.
"As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we're launching a throwback Doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games," Google said.


upi--2020-05-07--Australian Cardinal George Pell knew of child abuse, report says

May 7 ( UPI ) -- Australian Cardinal George Pell was aware of credible allegations of child sexual abuse against priests under his authority as early as the 1970s but failed to take action , a government inquiry has found .
Pell , a former Vatican treasurer , was aware of child abuse being committed by clergy by 1973 , contrary to his long-held assertions that he knew nothing about the accusations , according to the findings of a royal commission of inquiry .
An unredacted version of the inquiry 's findings was not made public until Thursday in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Catholic prelate was convicted of child abuse in 2018 , but was released from prison last month when Australia 's supreme court threw out the conviction .
The move triggered the release of more than 100 previously unseen pages of the royal commission 's report .
Among its findings , the investigators found it `` implausible '' that Pell had not been told of child abuse allegations made against priest Gerald Ridsdale in the early 1970s .
Ridsdale later admitted to committing dozens of offenses against children over a 20-year span @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a boys ' school in the Australian city of Ballarat .
`` We are satisfied that in 1973 Father Pell turned his mind to the prudence of Ridsdale taking boys on overnight camps , '' the commissioners said in the report .
`` We are also satisfied that by 1973 , Cardinal Pell was not only conscious of child sexual abuse by clergy , but he also considered measures of avoiding situations which might provoke gossip about it . ''
The inquiry also found that Pell was explicitly told of Ridsdale 's `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Thursday he was `` surprised '' by the commission 's findings and asserted they are `` not supported by evidence . ''

Australian Cardinal George Pell speaks to members of news media at the Vatican on June 29, 2017. File photo by Massimo Percossi/EPA
May 7 (UPI) -- Australian Cardinal George Pell was aware of credible allegations of child sexual abuse against priests under his authority as early as the 1970s but failed to take action, a government inquiry has found. Pell, a former Vatican treasurer, was aware of child abuse being committed by clergy by 1973, contrary to his long-held assertions that he knew nothing about the accusations, according to the findings of a royal commission of inquiry. Advertisement
An unredacted version of the inquiry's findings was not made public until Thursday in order to avoid prejudicing legal proceedings against Pell.
The Catholic prelate was convicted of child abuse in 2018, but was released from prison last month when Australia's supreme court threw out the conviction. The move triggered the release of more than 100 previously unseen pages of the royal commission's report.
Among its findings, the investigators found it "implausible" that Pell had not been told of child abuse allegations made against priest Gerald Ridsdale in the early 1970s.
Ridsdale later admitted to committing dozens of offenses against children over a 20-year span, many while serving as chaplain at a boys' school in the Australian city of Ballarat.
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"We are satisfied that in 1973 Father Pell turned his mind to the prudence of Ridsdale taking boys on overnight camps," the commissioners said in the report.
"We are also satisfied that by 1973, Cardinal Pell was not only conscious of child sexual abuse by clergy, but he also considered measures of avoiding situations which might provoke gossip about it."
The inquiry also found that Pell was explicitly told of Ridsdale's "sexual transgressions" in 1982.
Pell said Thursday he was "surprised" by the commission's findings and asserted they are "not supported by evidence."


upi--2020-05-07--Specially trained dogs could start screening humans for coronavirus within weeks

Experts say trained dogs, like this one pictured at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, could factor heavily into future outbreaks if the virus re-emerges at some point with a mutated formulation. Photo courtesy University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
May 7 (UPI) -- Researchers in the United States and Britain are looking into an intriguing possibility that's come out of the global COVID-19 crisis -- whether some dogs have an ability to literally sniff out the coronavirus disease in human patients. If it's ultimately determined that certain canines have such a capability, they would aid mass testing efforts worldwide. Advertisement
At the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, or Penn Vet, a pilot training program with several dogs is studying their coronavirus potential.
Meanwhile, in Britain, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Durham University have partnered with Medical Detection Dogs to train a half-dozen canines to screen for the virus in human subjects.
Previous research has shown it highly likely that dogs have the ability to detect some medical conditions, including certain forms of cancer, neurological diseases, bacterial infections and malaria.
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"The aim is that dogs will be able to screen anyone, including those who are asymptomatic, and tell us whether they need to be tested," said Claire Guest, co-founder and CEO of Medical Detection Dogs, a 12-year-old private organization that says it's at the "forefront of the research into the fight against cancer and helping people with life-threatening diseases."
Cynthia Otto, director of Penn Vet's Working Dog Center, said specialty "bio-detection" dogs often can accurately pick up unique scent signatures -- traces of a volatile organic compound, or VOC -- associated with diseases in humans.
"We think it's very likely that if there is an odor associated with COVID-19, a person that's infected will have that odor," she said.
That particular scent, Otto notes, might be produced by the virus or the manner in which it interacts with the human body.
To pick it up, if the scent exists, canines can be trained in laboratory settings by running through a series of smell tests involving a positive COVID-19 sample, experts say.
Researchers then must study whether dogs that pass the test also can tell the difference between a positive sample and a negative sample.
Because COVID19 is contagious, the study groups must train the dogs with a deactivated viral sample.
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Also, canines will sniff only the air around a human test subject, without making physical contact. Because it's estimated that dogs have a sense of smell and olfactory analytical capabilities many times greater than those of humans, experts believe contact isn't necessary for the trained canines to hit on a positive sample.
"[They] detect life-threatening diseases from sweat, breath, urine and fecal samples," Guest said.
Dogs trained to find the virus also could play a significant role in future coronavirus outbreaks if it re-emerges with a mutated formulation -- which some scientists say already has happened.
"If the research is successful, we could use COVID-19 detection dogs at airports at the end of the [pandemic] to rapidly identify people carrying the virus," Durham University public health Professor Steve Lindsay said.
"This would help prevent the re-emergence of the disease after we have brought the present [outbreak] under control," he said.
Guest and Otto said, however, that trained dogs already stationed at U.S. airports and other public places to find drugs and explosives would not make good candidates to sniff out the coronavirus. Because they're already trained to lock onto other smells, training them to find the virus likely would confuse them.
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"Let's say we had a COVID-19 dog at an airport and it was screening for COVID-19, and it came up with a positive test alert," Otto hypothesized. "If that dog also was trained for explosives, it really confounds how we respond to that positive alert."
Once all the research is completed, Medical Detection Dogs said its dogs can be fully trained to perform human screening within eight weeks. And Penn Vet said canine-involved human screenings could begin as soon as July.
"This would be fast, effective and non-invasive, and make sure limited [hospital] testing resources are only used where they are really needed," Guest said.
Scenes from a pandemic: World copes with COVID-19


upi--2020-05-07--U.N. triples coronavirus aid appeal to help most vulnerable countries

May 7 ( UPI ) -- The United Nations more than tripled its humanitarian aid appeal on Thursday from $ 2 billion to $ 6.7 billion to accommodate its updated global plan to help the poorest nations fight the coronavirus pandemic .
Mark Lowcock , the U.N. 's humanitarian chief , made the increased appeal alongside announcing nine additional vulnerable countries have been included in the Global Humanitarian Response Plan introduced by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in March .
Benin , Djibouti , Liberia , Mozambique , Pakistan , the Philippines , Sierra Leone , Togo and Zimbabwe have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , as have programs to respond to the growth in food insecurity .
The coronavirus pandemic has infected nearly 3.8 million people worldwide , killing more than 260,000 of them , according to a tracker of the virus by Johns Hopkins University .
While some of the countries first hit hard by the virus are now planning to reopen their economies , Lowcock said the world 's poorest nations are not expected to see the peak of their outbreaks until sometime in the next six months .
In those countries , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplies are dwindling and children are going without meals and needed vaccinations .
`` The COVID-19 pandemic is hurting us all , '' he said in a statement .
`` But the most devastating and destabilizing effects will be felt in the world 's poorest countries .
In the poorest countries , we can already see economies contracting as export earnings , remittances and tourism disappear .
Unless we take action now , we should be prepared for a significant rise in conflict , hunger and poverty . ''
`` The specter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Global Humanitarian Response Plan , introduced by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in March , is the United Nations ' primary fundraising tool to help the poorest countries respond to the humanitarian impacts caused by the coronavirus as well as prevent the virus from further spreading .
The plan includes protections for those deemed the most vulnerable to the virus , including the elderly , children , women and people with disabilities , among others .
However , since it was launched only $ 1 billion has been raised , the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the installation of handwashing facilities in places such as refugee camps , created new transport hubs from which supplies can be transported by air and trained more than 1.7 million people in virus identification and protection measures through the World Health Organization 's online training portal .
According to the U.N. 's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs , the cost of protecting the world 's most vulnerable 10 percent from the worst impacts of the pandemic is approximately $ 90 billion .
`` The needs are vast , but not insurmountable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the threat of the coronavirus can save lives , '' U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said in a statement .
`` Timely , generous and flexible response from all our supporters is critical . ''

Palestinian health workers wear protective facemasks in the courtyard of a United Nations agency school to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus at the Khan Younis refugee camp in southern Gaza on March 18. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI | License Photo
May 7 (UPI) -- The United Nations more than tripled its humanitarian aid appeal on Thursday from $2 billion to $6.7 billion to accommodate its updated global plan to help the poorest nations fight the coronavirus pandemic. Mark Lowcock, the U.N.'s humanitarian chief, made the increased appeal alongside announcing nine additional vulnerable countries have been included in the Global Humanitarian Response Plan introduced by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in March. Advertisement
Benin, Djibouti, Liberia, Mozambique, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Togo and Zimbabwe have been included in the updated plane, Lowcock said, as have programs to respond to the growth in food insecurity.
The coronavirus pandemic has infected nearly 3.8 million people worldwide, killing more than 260,000 of them, according to a tracker of the virus by Johns Hopkins University.
While some of the countries first hit hard by the virus are now planning to reopen their economies, Lowcock said the world's poorest nations are not expected to see the peak of their outbreaks until sometime in the next six months.
In those countries, he said, incomes are plummeting, food supplies are dwindling and children are going without meals and needed vaccinations.
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"The COVID-19 pandemic is hurting us all," he said in a statement. "But the most devastating and destabilizing effects will be felt in the world's poorest countries. In the poorest countries, we can already see economies contracting as export earnings, remittances and tourism disappear. Unless we take action now, we should be prepared for a significant rise in conflict, hunger and poverty."
"The specter of multiple famines looms," he said.
The Global Humanitarian Response Plan, introduced by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in March, is the United Nations' primary fundraising tool to help the poorest countries respond to the humanitarian impacts caused by the coronavirus as well as prevent the virus from further spreading.
The plan includes protections for those deemed the most vulnerable to the virus, including the elderly, children, women and people with disabilities, among others.
However, since it was launched only $1 billion has been raised, the United Nations said.
That money has funded the installation of handwashing facilities in places such as refugee camps, created new transport hubs from which supplies can be transported by air and trained more than 1.7 million people in virus identification and protection measures through the World Health Organization's online training portal.
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According to the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the cost of protecting the world's most vulnerable 10 percent from the worst impacts of the pandemic is approximately $90 billion.
"The needs are vast, but not insurmountable, and only collective action to curb the threat of the coronavirus can save lives," U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said in a statement. "Timely, generous and flexible response from all our supporters is critical."


upi--2020-05-07--First ICE detainee dies from COVID-19

First ICE detainee dies from COVID-19

May 7 ( UPI ) -- An asylum seeker has died from complications of the coronavirus while in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility , officials said , marking the first death of a detainee to COVID-19 in immigration custody .
California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez announced the death Wednesday on Twitter , stating the detainee had been held at the Otay Mesa Detention Facility in San Diego .
Dr. Eric McDonald , the medical director for San Diego County 's epidemiology immunization branch , told reporters the 57-year-old detainee died Wednesday morning and had been hospitalized since late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 132 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed among the Otay Mesa Detention Facility 's detainee population , making it by far the most infected ICE detention facility .
At least 10 employees there have also tested positive for the virus .
McDonald said the facility also contains San Diego 's largest coronavirus outbreak .
The American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego last month filed a lawsuit against ICE and CoreCivic , owner of the Otay Mesa facility , to reduce the number of detainees at the site to protect their health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , deputy director of immigration policy at the ACLU , called the man 's death `` a terrible tragedy '' and one that was `` entirely predictable and preventable . ''
`` For months , public health experts and corrections officials have warned that detention centers would be Petri dishes for the spread of COVID-19 -- and a death trap for thousands of people in civil detention , '' Flores said in a statement .
`` Unless ICE acts quickly to release far more people from detention , they will keep getting sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Ranit Mishori , senior medical advisor at Physicians for Human Rights , also called on ICE to release more detainees .
`` If ICE wants this tragic COVID-19 death to be an outlier rather than the new normal , it must act now to release detainees on humanitarian and public health grounds , '' Mishori said in a statement .
`` All people deserve to shelter in place with their families rather than be confined to the potential death traps of ICE detention facilities . ''
The death came amid a greater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ACLU , for all forms of detention facilities to release detainees , particularly those who suffer from underlying health conditions that put them at greater risk of the coronavirus .
ICE confirmed its first COVID-19-positive detainee on March 24 .
In the six weeks since , it has reported 705 confirmed cases among the 1,460 detainees it has tested .

May 7 (UPI) -- An asylum seeker has died from complications of the coronavirus while in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, officials said, marking the first death of a detainee to COVID-19 in immigration custody.
California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez announced the death Wednesday on Twitter, stating the detainee had been held at the Otay Mesa Detention Facility in San Diego.
Advertisement There has been a confirmed death caused by Covid-19 of a detainee from the Otay Mesa Detention Facility.— Lorena (@LorenaSGonzalez) May 6, 2020
Dr. Eric McDonald, the medical director for San Diego County's epidemiology immunization branch, told reporters the 57-year-old detainee died Wednesday morning and had been hospitalized since late April.
According to ICE's website, 132 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed among the Otay Mesa Detention Facility's detainee population, making it by far the most infected ICE detention facility. At least 10 employees there have also tested positive for the virus.
McDonald said the facility also contains San Diego's largest coronavirus outbreak.
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The American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego last month filed a lawsuit against ICE and CoreCivic, owner of the Otay Mesa facility, to reduce the number of detainees at the site to protect their health amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Andrea Flores, deputy director of immigration policy at the ACLU, called the man's death "a terrible tragedy" and one that was "entirely predictable and preventable."
"For months, public health experts and corrections officials have warned that detention centers would be Petri dishes for the spread of COVID-19 -- and a death trap for thousands of people in civil detention," Flores said in a statement. "Unless ICE acts quickly to release far more people from detention, they will keep getting sick and many more will die."
Dr. Ranit Mishori, senior medical advisor at Physicians for Human Rights, also called on ICE to release more detainees.
"If ICE wants this tragic COVID-19 death to be an outlier rather than the new normal, it must act now to release detainees on humanitarian and public health grounds," Mishori said in a statement. "All people deserve to shelter in place with their families rather than be confined to the potential death traps of ICE detention facilities."
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The death came amid a greater push by activists, such as the ACLU, for all forms of detention facilities to release detainees, particularly those who suffer from underlying health conditions that put them at greater risk of the coronavirus.
ICE confirmed its first COVID-19-positive detainee on March 24. In the six weeks since, it has reported 705 confirmed cases among the 1,460 detainees it has tested.


upi--2020-05-07--Study to track COVID-19 spread among children, families

U.S. researchers have started enrolling participants in a study to assess the rate of new coronavirus infection among children and their families .
The study -- sponsored and funded by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases -- will also examine if rates of new coronavirus infection differ between children with and without asthma or other allergic conditions .
`` One interesting feature of this novel coronavirus pandemic is that very few children have become sick with COVID-19 compared to adults , '' said NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci .
`` Is this because children are resistant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are infected , but do not develop symptoms ? ''
Fauci said in a NIAID news release .
The researchers seek to enroll 6,000 people from 2,000 U.S. families already participating in National Institutes of Health-funded child research studies in 11 cities .
The study will include both healthy children and children with asthma or other allergic conditions .
Researchers will follow these children and their families for six months to determine who gets infected with the new coronavirus , whether the virus is transmitted to other family members , and which family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Tina Hartert , director of the Center for Asthma and Environmental Sciences Research at Vanderbilt University in Nashville , Tenn. , will lead the new study .
`` So far , data on the extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the U.S. population have been limited to people who physically interact with the health care system : those who are tested , especially those who test positive , and those with severe disease , '' Hartert said in the release .
`` These data provide real-time guidance in a setting of limited test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to understand the full extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the entire population .
The [ new ] study will help fill this knowledge gap and inform public health interventions , '' she said .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on COVID-19 .

People enjoy ice cream at Kilwins as others walk on the sidewalk in St. Charles, Missouri on Monday. The business on Historic Main Street has reopened with other selected businesses after being closed for nearly two months by an emergency state order, due to coronavirus fears. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
U.S. researchers have started enrolling participants in a study to assess the rate of new coronavirus infection among children and their families. The study -- sponsored and funded by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases -- will also examine if rates of new coronavirus infection differ between children with and without asthma or other allergic conditions. Advertisement
"One interesting feature of this novel coronavirus pandemic is that very few children have become sick with COVID-19 compared to adults," said NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci.
"Is this because children are resistant to infection with SARS-CoV-2, or because they are infected, but do not develop symptoms?" Fauci said in a NIAID news release.
The researchers seek to enroll 6,000 people from 2,000 U.S. families already participating in National Institutes of Health-funded child research studies in 11 cities.
The study will include both healthy children and children with asthma or other allergic conditions. Researchers will follow these children and their families for six months to determine who gets infected with the new coronavirus, whether the virus is transmitted to other family members, and which family members with the virus develop COVID-19.
Dr. Tina Hartert, director of the Center for Asthma and Environmental Sciences Research at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., will lead the new study.
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"So far, data on the extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the U.S. population have been limited to people who physically interact with the health care system: those who are tested, especially those who test positive, and those with severe disease," Hartert said in the release.
"These data provide real-time guidance in a setting of limited test availability, but they don't enable us to understand the full extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the entire population. The [new] study will help fill this knowledge gap and inform public health interventions," she said.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on COVID-19.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-05-07--Gas leak at India chemical plant kills at least 8, sickens hundreds

May 7 ( UPI ) -- At least eight people were dead and hundreds were hospitalized after toxic gas leaked from a chemical factory in southern India early Thursday , officials said .
Srijana Gummalla , the commissioner for the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation , said hundreds of people fell unconscious or suffered breathing issues after inhaling gas leaked at around 2:30 a.m. from the LG Chemical facility in Visakhapatnam .
Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police Damodar Gautam Sawang confirmed six people were killed by gas while two others died in accidents while fleeing the area .
Between 200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local hospitals , a police official said .
District Collector Vinay Chand said the chemical leaked was Styrene while police commissioner Rajiv Kumar Meena said at least five villages were affected .
`` Villages evacuation is underway , '' said Mekapati Goutham Reddy , Andhra Pradesh 's minister of Industries , Commerce and Information Technology , via Twitter .
`` Request citizens not to panic and cooperate with authorities . ''
Satya Pradhan , director general of the National Disaster Response Force , posted a short video to Twitter showing members of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rescue operations on site .
India 's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he has spoken with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Disaster Management Authority about the leak .
`` I pray for everyone 's safety and well-being in Visakhapatnam , '' Modi said via Twitter .
South Korea 's LG Chem said in a statement to The New York Times it was working with local authorities to assess the damage to the public and was doing `` whatever it takes to protect them and our workers . ''
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under control , '' it said .
`` But the gas can cause vomiting and dizziness when inhaled .
We are doing all we can to ensure medical treatment as quickly as possible . ''
The company said it was investigating `` the cause of deaths '' and other damage .
Rahul Gandhi , a member of the Indian Parliament , said he was `` shocked '' to hear about the leak and urged congress to provide all necessary support to those affected .
`` My condolences to the families of those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
`` I pray that those hospitalized make a speedy recovery . ''

The toxic leak came from a plant run by South Korea-based LG Chem. Photo courtesy of National Disaster Response Force Director General Satya Pradhan/ Twitter
May 7 (UPI) -- At least eight people died and hundreds were hospitalized after toxic gas leaked from a chemical factory in southern India early Thursday, officials said. Srijana Gummalla, the commissioner for the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corp., said hundreds of people fell unconscious or suffered breathing issues after inhaling gas leaked around 2:30 a.m. from the LG Chemical facility in Visakhapatnam. Advertisement
Damodar Gautam Sawang, director general of police in Andhra Pradesh state, confirmed six people were killed by gas while two others died in accidents while fleeing the area.
Between 200 and 500 people were being treated at local hospitals, a police official said.
District Collector Vinay Chand identified the leaked chemical as styrene. Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar Meena said at least five villages were affected.
"Villages evacuation is underway," Mekapati Goutham Reddy, Andhra Pradesh's minister of Industries, Commerce and Information Technology, said on Twitter. "Request citizens not to panic and cooperate with authorities."
Satya Pradhan, director general of the National Disaster Response Force, posted a short video to Twitter showing members of a special chemical accident team conducting search-and-rescue operations on site.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he has spoken with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Disaster Management Authority about the leak.
"I pray for everyone's safety and well-being in Visakhapatnam," Modi said via Twitter.
South Korea's LG Chem said in a statement to The New York Times it was working with local authorities to assess the damage to the public and was doing "whatever it takes to protect them and our workers."
"The gas leak from the factory is now under control," it said. "But the gas can cause vomiting and dizziness when inhaled. We are doing all we can to ensure medical treatment as quickly as possible."
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The company said it was investigating "the cause of deaths" and other damage.
Rahul Gandhi, a member of the Indian Parliament, said he was "shocked" to hear about the leak and urged congress to provide all necessary support to those affected.
"My condolences to the families of those who have perished," he said in a statement. "I pray that those hospitalized make a speedy recovery."


upi--2020-05-07--Famous birthdays for May 7: Aidy Bryant, Alexander Ludwig

May 7 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Taurus .

Aidy Bryant attends the 70th annual Primetime Emmy Award at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles on September 17, 2018. The actor turns 33 on May 7. File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI | License Photo
May 7 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Taurus. They include: Advertisement
-- Pope Innocent X in 1574
-- Scottish philosopher David Hume in 1711
-- English poet Robert Browning in 1812
-- German composer Johannes Brahms in 1833
-- Russian composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1840
-- Western actor George "Gabby" Hayes in 1885
-- Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito in 1892
President Gerald Ford (L) leans over to chat with Josip Broz Tito, the president of Yugoslavia, during state dinner on August 3, 1975. UPI File Photo
-- Actor Gary Cooper in 1901
-- Argentine political figure Eva Peron in 1919
-- Actor Anne Baxter in 1923
-- Singer Teresa Brewer in 1931
-- Singer Johnny Maestro in 1939
-- Author Peter Carey in 1943 (age 77)
-- Television journalist Tim Russert in 1950
File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
-- Filmmaker Amy Heckerling in 1954 (age 66)
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-- Musician Eagle Eye Cherry in 1968 (age 52)
-- Actor Breckin Meyer in 1974 (age 46)
-- Medal of Honor recipient Mike Murphy in 1976
-- Singer J Balvin in 1985 (age 35)
-- Country singer Russell Dickerson in 1987 (age 33)
-- Comedian/actor Aidy Bryant in 1987 (age 33)
-- Actor Alexander Ludwig in 1992 (age 28)


upi--2020-05-07--On This Day, May 7: Eisenhower accepts Nazi Germany's surrender

May 7 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1718 , city of New Orleans was founded .
In 1789 , the first U.S. presidential inaugural ball , celebrating the inauguration of George Washington , was conducted in New York City .
In 1824 , Beethoven 's Ninth Symphony was performed for the first time .
In 1913 , homemade bombs found under the bishop 's throne in St. Paul 's Cathedral and opposite the offices of Evening Star in Bouverie Street , were deemed by police to have been the work of suffragettes .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British liner Lusitania off the coast of Ireland , killing nearly 1,200 people .
In 1921 , in an exclusive interview with the United Press , Sun Yat Sen , president of the Canton Chinese government , outlined his policy proposals as he sought recognition for his fledgling government .
In 1945 , U.S. Army Gen. Dwight Eisenhower accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany from Gen. Alfred Jodl .
In 1954 , rebel Viet Minh forces overran the French stronghold of Dien Bien Phu , bringing about the end of French control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vietnam .
In 1987 , Rep. Stewart McKinney , R-Conn. , died at age 56 , the first member of Congress identified as a victim of AIDS .
McKinney contracted the virus following a tainted blood transfusion .
In 1994 , The Scream , Edvard Munch 's famed expressionist painting , was found in a hotel room south of the Norwegian capital of Oslo three months after it was stolen .
Thieves stole the painting again in 2004 and it was recovered a second time in 2006 .
In 2000 , Vladimir Putin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president in the first democratic transfer of executive power in the nation 's 1,000-year history .
In 2007 , officials reported no survivors in the crash of a Kenyan Airlines plane that went down in a Cameroon mangrove swamp with 114 people aboard .
In 2014 , a Thai court , in an abuse-of-power ruling , removed Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from office .
In 2017 , France elects Emmanuel Macron , of La République En Marche !
Party , president over Marine Le Pen of the National Front .
In 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ psychedelic mushrooms by a margin of fewer than 2,000 votes .

1/3
Germany's Gen. Gustav Jodl (C) signs the unconditional surrender documents on May 7, 1945, in Reims, France, ending the war in Europe. He is flanked by Col. Wilhelm Oxenius (L), his aide, and German Adm. Hans Georg von Friedeburg. UPI File Photo
May 7 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1718, city of New Orleans was founded. Advertisement
In 1789, the first U.S. presidential inaugural ball, celebrating the inauguration of George Washington, was conducted in New York City.
In 1824, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was performed for the first time.
In 1913, homemade bombs found under the bishop's throne in St. Paul's Cathedral and opposite the offices of Evening Star in Bouverie Street, were deemed by police to have been the work of suffragettes.
In 1915, a German U-boat sank the British liner Lusitania off the coast of Ireland, killing nearly 1,200 people.
In 1921, in an exclusive interview with the United Press, Sun Yat Sen, president of the Canton Chinese government, outlined his policy proposals as he sought recognition for his fledgling government.
File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI
In 1945, U.S. Army Gen. Dwight Eisenhower accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany from Gen. Alfred Jodl.
In 1954, rebel Viet Minh forces overran the French stronghold of Dien Bien Phu, bringing about the end of French control in Indochina and creating the division of Vietnam.
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In 1987, Rep. Stewart McKinney, R-Conn., died at age 56, the first member of Congress identified as a victim of AIDS. McKinney contracted the virus following a tainted blood transfusion.
In 1994, The Scream, Edvard Munch's famed expressionist painting, was found in a hotel room south of the Norwegian capital of Oslo three months after it was stolen. Thieves stole the painting again in 2004 and it was recovered a second time in 2006.
In 2000, Vladimir Putin was sworn in as Russia's second president in the first democratic transfer of executive power in the nation's 1,000-year history.
In 2007, officials reported no survivors in the crash of a Kenyan Airlines plane that went down in a Cameroon mangrove swamp with 114 people aboard.
In 2014, a Thai court, in an abuse-of-power ruling, removed Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from office.
File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI
In 2017, France elects Emmanuel Macron, of La République En Marche! Party, president over Marine Le Pen of the National Front.
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In 2019, Denver residents voted in favor of decriminalizing psychedelic mushrooms by a margin of fewer than 2,000 votes.


upi--2020-05-07--U.S. hemp-based construction advances with fire-safety tests, new book

DENVER , May 7 ( UPI ) -- Natural materials builders seeking to grow a market for industrial hemp in the United States are moving forward after successful testing for building safety codes and recognition by a national architecture and design program at a U.S. university .
Hemp advocates have identified lime-hemp building material , called `` hempcrete , '' as an opportunity to build a market for hemp grown for fiber .
Challenges have been a lack of supply , building code regulations and a lack of education among architects and designers , builders say .
Hemp advocates are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving forward faster than expected , said Dion Markgraaff , vice president of the recently formed U.S. Hemp Building Association , based in Denver .
Already this spring , hempcrete passed fire safety tests under the jurisdiction of ASTM International , formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials .
Hempcrete was deemed inflammable in smoke development and flame-spreading tests .
The building association also has applied for certification from the International Code Council , where engineers are working to determine the technical standards and mix ratios to include hempcrete as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States .
`` They 're excited to help us get this done , '' Markgraaff said .
`` We thought it would take years , but it 's moving very quickly . ''
Hemp construction products have the potential to generate jobs and economic growth on a local level , he said .
`` Farmers can grow hemp locally .
Lime is everywhere , water 's everywhere .
This building material can boost the local economy and have a smaller [ carbon ] footprint , '' Markgraaff said .
Chipped hemp bark , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make hempcrete .
The material dries to a strong , stone-like substance that is fireproof , mold-proof and insect-proof , researchers at New York 's Parsons School of Design 's Healthy Materials Lab said .
Hempcrete has been used in building construction for 30 years in Europe , replacing siding , insulation and drywall , but fewer than 50 hempcrete structures have been built in the United States .
A forthcoming 200-page book , `` Hemp + Lime : Examining the Feasibility of Building with Hemp and Lime , '' edited by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an associate professor of design , presents an overview of a five-year research project on hemp-lime construction as a natural material for affordable housing .
For the book , researchers studied international uses of hempcrete and toured multi-story apartment buildings made of hempcrete in Italy and other European countries .
`` Hemp is a unique plant because the silica inside its stalk allows it to attach to and bind with lime really well , '' Ruth said .
The hemp plant 's cellulose can absorb large amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide while growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 12-inch-thick walls also are breathable and temperature controlling , unlike air-tight traditional building materials that trap off-gases from petroleum-based products , paints and solvents , Ruth said .
Builders and researchers envision hemp building materials in the construction supply chain , available off the shelf for builders .
They have had some successes .
Hempcrete made into pre-formed blocks is lighter in weight than traditional masonry material like brick or stone .
`` These union masonry workers do n't have to break their backs working with hempcrete blocks , '' Ruth said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insulation batts , imported from Canada , which use industrial hemp fiber instead of fiberglass and can be installed with bare hands .
`` With every other insulation material , you have to wear hazmat suits with a full respirator and gloves . ''
said Tommy Gibbons , co-founder of Sun Valley , Idaho , -based Hempitecture .
`` Hemp is the material that the green building industry has been waiting for , '' said Vernon-based architect Bob Escher , president of the hemp builders association .
`` There are so many materials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hemp in the next 50 years , '' Escher said .
`` It will really change the whole construction industry in my mind . ''

European buildings have used hemp-and-lime construction for decades, like in this multi-story Italian apartment building. Photo courtesy of Jonsara Ruth
DENVER, May 7 (UPI) -- Natural materials builders seeking to grow a market for industrial hemp in the United States are moving forward after successful testing for building safety codes and recognition by a national architecture and design program at a U.S. university. Hemp advocates have identified lime-hemp building material, called "hempcrete," as an opportunity to build a market for hemp grown for fiber. Challenges have been a lack of supply, building code regulations and a lack of education among architects and designers, builders say. Advertisement
Hemp advocates are encouraged by building safety tests that are moving forward faster than expected, said Dion Markgraaff, vice president of the recently formed U.S. Hemp Building Association, based in Denver.
Already this spring, hempcrete passed fire safety tests under the jurisdiction of ASTM International, formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials. Hempcrete was deemed inflammable in smoke development and flame-spreading tests.
Advertisement
The building association plans to apply soon for certification from the International Code Council, where engineers would to determine the technical standards and mix ratios to include hempcrete as a permissible building material in the United States.
"They're excited to help us get this done," Markgraaff said. "We thought it would take years, but it's moving very quickly."
Hemp construction products have the potential to generate jobs and economic growth on a local level, he said.
"Farmers can grow hemp locally. Lime is everywhere, water's everywhere. This building material can boost the local economy and have a smaller [carbon] footprint," Markgraaff said.
Chipped hemp bark, lime binder and water are mixed together to make hempcrete. The material dries to a strong, stone-like substance that is fireproof, mold-proof and insect-proof, researchers at New York's Parsons School of Design's Healthy Materials Lab said.
Hempcrete has been used in building construction for 30 years in Europe, replacing siding, insulation and drywall, but fewer than 50 hempcrete structures have been built in the United States.
A forthcoming 200-page book, "Hemp + Lime: Examining the Feasibility of Building with Hemp and Lime," edited by architect Alison Mears and Jonsara Ruth, an associate professor of design, presents an overview of a five-year research project on hemp-lime construction as a natural material for affordable housing.
Advertisement
For the book, researchers studied international uses of hempcrete and toured multi-story apartment buildings made of hempcrete in Italy and other European countries.
"Hemp is a unique plant because the silica inside its stalk allows it to attach to and bind with lime really well," Ruth said.
The hemp plant's cellulose can absorb large amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide while growing. When made into hempcrete, 9- to 12-inch-thick walls also are breathable and temperature controlling, unlike air-tight traditional building materials that trap off-gases from petroleum-based products, paints and solvents, Ruth said.
Builders and researchers envision hemp building materials in the construction supply chain, available off the shelf for builders.
They have had some successes.
Hempcrete made into pre-formed blocks is lighter in weight than traditional masonry material like brick or stone.
"These union masonry workers don't have to break their backs working with hempcrete blocks," Ruth said.
Another example is "HempWool" insulation batts, imported from Canada, which use industrial hemp fiber instead of fiberglass and can be installed with bare hands.
"With every other insulation material, you have to wear hazmat suits with a full respirator and gloves." said Tommy Gibbons, co-founder of Sun Valley, Idaho,-based Hempitecture.
"Hemp is the material that the green building industry has been waiting for," said Vermont-based architect Bob Escher, president of the hemp-building association.
Advertisement
"There are so many materials we'll be able to make out of hemp in the next 50 years," Escher said. "It will really change the whole construction industry in my mind."


upi--2020-05-07--Ex-MLB players in Taiwan bolster must-see TV for U.S. sports fans

May 7 ( UPI ) -- Playing in Taiwan once was the last option for Justin Nicolino to continue his professional baseball career .
Now , the former Miami Marlins pitcher is one of many ex-Major League Baseball players on whom fans depend for entertainment .
The CPBL 's popularity has exploded since its April 11 season opener .
American viewers , starved for sports , have flocked to Twitter streams of the games because MLB and other leagues have suspended games due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Nicolino signed with the Monkeys after he and his wife , Jordan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in northwest Taiwan .
`` I said I might as well do it , '' said Nicolino , who was in 50 games for the Marlins from 2015 to 2017 .
`` At this point in our lives and my career , I have no one really jumping to get me [ in MLB ] . ''
Each of the four active teams in the league is allowed to sign four foreign players .
Other former MLB players in the league include Henry Sosa ( Houston Astros ) , Ariel Miranda ( Seattle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reds ) , Ryan Carpenter ( Detroit Tigers ) , Elih Villanueva ( Marlins ) , Esmil Rogers ( New York Yankees ) , and Josh Roenicke and Ryan Feierabend ( Minnesota Twins ) .
Several Minor League Baseball journeymen also play for the Monkeys , CTBC Brothers , Uni-Lions and Fubon Guardians .
`` With age , there comes that fear , '' Woodall said .
`` You worry about what you will miss when the game is gone .
I ca n't take it for granted , whether I 'm 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' American CPBL players live in apartments close to their stadiums in their four respective cities .
The players ' families generally travel to visit them once the regular season starts .
Teams help pay for plane tickets and travel costs .
`` They are very accommodating , '' Nicolino said .
`` Before the pandemic , the team was adamant about making sure they could come visit . ''
Nicolino 's wife and 2-year-old daughter live in Florida .
The second-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2010 MLB Draft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to them when the CPBL season was delayed .
`` The way my wife put it was : 'We are safe .
We will be able to FaceTime , but you have to look at it as we will be able to support our family .
You are one of the select few who can support your family playing baseball . '
`` She does a good job of putting it in perspective . ''
Woodall was injured during the final year of his contract in 2014 .
He signed a deal in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CPBL in 2015 .
He also had interest from MLB clubs , but opted for the financial opportunity provided in Taiwan .
`` It has really worked out for me and my family , '' said Woodall , who takes his family on most road trips when they visit .
Woodall and his wife , Christie , have a 1 1/2-year-old daughter and are expecting a second child .

1/2
Former Minor League Baseball player Bryan Woodall has pitched in the Chinese Professional Baseball League since 2015 and is now one of several former American players fans can watch on Twitter streams. Photo courtesy of the Fubon Guardians
MIAMI, May 7 (UPI) -- Playing in Taiwan once was the last option for Justin Nicolino to continue his professional baseball career. Now the former Miami Marlins pitcher is one of many ex-Major League Baseball players on whom fans depend for entertainment. Nicolino, 28, pitches for the Rakuten Monkeys in the Chinese Professional Baseball League, one of the only active leagues on Earth. Advertisement
The CPBL's popularity has exploded since its April 11 season opener. American viewers, starved for sports, have flocked to Twitter streams of the games because MLB and other leagues have suspended games due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"I guess it was my last option," Nicolino said. "I had thrown for MLB teams in January and thought I threw really well. I thought my off-season pitching was going to help, but there was no real interest."
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Nicolino signed with the Monkeys after he and his wife, Jordan, discussed his 8,500-mile move to Taoyuan in northwest Taiwan.
"I said I might as well do it," said Nicolino, who played in 50 games for the Marlins from 2015 to 2017. "At this point in our lives and my career, I have no one really jumping to get me [in MLB]."
Each of the four active teams in the Chinese league is allowed to sign four foreign players.
Other former MLB players in the league include Henry Sosa (Houston Astros), Ariel Miranda (Seattle Mariners), Lisalverto Bonilla (Cincinnati Reds), Ryan Carpenter (Detroit Tigers), Elih Villanueva (Marlins), Esmil Rogers (New York Yankees) and Josh Roenicke and Ryan Feierabend (Minnesota Twins).
Several Minor League Baseball journeymen also play for the Monkeys, CTBC Brothers, Uni-Lions and Fubon Guardians.
"It's really crazy because before I got this job, it was like 'someone is going to sign me. I know someone will call.' It's crazy that we chose the right opportunity and the right opportunity came knocking," said Nicolino, who pitched in the Dominican Winter League before he joined Rakuten in February.
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CPBL, MLB games differ
Minor league journeyman Bryan Woodall sat in the Brothers' dugout as the roof reverberated from cheerleader stomps. Fan screams and tones from trumpets overwhelmed his ears.
That was five years ago, two days before Woodall played in his first game in CPBL. He said he misses that atmosphere now -- fans aren't yet allowed in stands. The league plans to reopen its park to a maximum of 1,000 fans by Friday.
For now, those fans are replaced by mannequins and robots that can play instruments.
Players compare the atmosphere of a typical CPBL game to college football. Fans stand to cheer. Each team hires 12 to 20 cheer girls to interact with the crowd in stadiums that hold 10,000 to 20,000 fans.
The mascot lineup includes a severed fish head. Cheer girls, players, mascots and a lucky fan dance on the field with the game's MVP after each game.
Tie games can last only 12 innings before they end, with no winner. The CPBL is a more offensive league than MLB, with each team often scoring at least 10 runs per game.
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CPBL teams rely on their experienced foreign pitchers to carry them through a five-game weekly schedule, with three foreign starters and two local starters used each week.
The league plays two half-seasons instead of one full season, similar to the format for most levels of Minor League Baseball. The winner of each half plays in the best-of-seven Taiwan Series.
CPBL players use buses and a high-speed trains to travel to games, with their longest trip about 4 1/2 hours on the island that sits roughly 100 miles off the coast of mainland China. Players navigate between Tainan,
The skill levels of the players in the CPBL and the Korean Baseball Organization in South Korea are similar to Minor League Baseball. But the Korean Baseball Organization includes fewer roster limitations and more former MLB players.
In Taiwan, "the talent is here," said Woodall, who is 2-0 this season as Guardians pitcher. "There is a lack of depth, but it's definitely a high level of baseball. You are seeing a great game and seeing guys drive in runs all night."
Woodall, 33, is in his sixth season in the CPBL. The 21st-round pick in the 2008 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks spent seven years in the minors -- without a big league appearance -- before he moved to Taiwan.
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Players in the CPBL are paid a fraction of what players make from MLB franchises. Contract terms are not disclosed, but estimated top salaries for foreign CPBL players can approach $600,000 a season.
CPBL player temperatures are taken frequently, due to the pandemic. Equipment and facilities are sanitized often. Everyone at the stadium -- other than the players -- is required to wear a mask.
"We are trying to do everything to protect ourselves and others to make sure the season will go on without interruptions so we can bring a sense of normalcy to general public and baseball fans worldwide," CPBL broadcaster Richard Wang said.
Ratings provide opportunity
Woodall trains in the off-season with players from the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics. Nicolino has spoken with players in the United States about his opportunity to play in Asia. They said players in the States like to watch the games.
A job in the CPBL before the coronavirus pandemic didn't have the appeal it does now. These days, players have more opportunities to show off their skills as viewership for the league has ballooned.
Older players on MLB rosters are looking at opportunities in other countries because they face the reality that their careers could end sooner than anticipated because of the pandemic work stoppage. Time could run out for them to showcase their abilities as their legs get slower, arms strength deteriorates and injuries pile up.
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"With age, there comes that fear," Woodall said. "You worry about what you will miss when the game is gone. I can't take it for granted, whether I'm 20 years old or 40 years old."
Eleven Sports Taiwan -- the exclusive broadcast network for the CPBL -- said TV ratings haven't changed for the games, but its Twitter account has grown from 360 followers to nearly 23,000 since opening day.
The first five English broadcasts of CPBL games drew 5 million views on Twitter, with 60 percent of those watching from the United States.
"The feedback has been amazing," Wang said. "Our viewers thanked us for bringing baseball games to them to brighten their days."
Separated from family
American CPBL players live in apartments close to their stadiums in their four respective cities. The players' families generally travel to visit them once the regular season starts. Teams help pay for plane tickets and other travel costs.
"They are very accommodating," Nicolino said. "Before the pandemic, the team was adamant about making sure they could come visit."
Nicolino's wife and 2-year-old daughter live in Florida. The second-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2010 MLB Draft said he first wanted to go home to them when the CPBL season was delayed.
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"The way my wife put it was: 'We are safe. We will be able to FaceTime, but you have to look at it as we will be able to support our family. You are one of the select few who can support your family playing baseball.'
"She does a good job of putting it in perspective."
Woodall was injured during the final year of his contract in 2014. He signed a deal in the Atlantic League before he left for the CPBL in 2015. He also had interest from MLB clubs, but opted for the financial opportunity provided in Taiwan.
"It has really worked out for me and my family," said Woodall, who takes his family on most road trips when they visit. Woodall and his wife, Christie, have a 1 1/2-year-old daughter and are expecting a second child.
Weekend schedule
CPBL weekend series include the Monkeys against the Brothers and the Guardians against the Lions. The first pitch for both series is at 6:35 a.m. EDT Friday. The series continue with first pitches at 5:05 a.m. EDT on Saturday and Sunday. The games will be streamed at Twitter.com/ElevenSportsTW. The Monkeys have won five of the last seven Taiwan Series championships.


upi--2020-05-07--Asparagus price bucks norm, spikes during coronavirus pandemic

EVANSVILLE , Ind.
, May 7 ( UPI ) -- While most agricultural prices have plummeted during the coronavirus pandemic , the price of asparagus has bucked the trend and shot up .
That 's because the majority of the asparagus sold in the United States is grown in Mexico and Peru , and the pandemic has seriously disrupted both those markets .
That leaves American farmers as the country 's main providers of asparagus .
`` Prices for fresh asparagus have never been this high for this long , '' said Alan Schreiber , executive director for the Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grower .
Farmers who had not negotiated a price for their crop before the coronavirus struck are receiving more than $ 60 per 28 pound crate .
The open market price last year was closer to $ 40 , Schreiber said .
Higher prices to farmers will not necessarily translate into higher prices for consumers , he noted .
About half of the asparagus sold this year already was under contract at prices that are roughly the same as last year 's before the virus arrived , he said .
On Wednesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for $ 6.38 , while Safeway was selling it for $ 3.99 a pound .
That 's high compared to the average national price of $ 3.08 per pound , as calculated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2016 , the most recent year available .
Grocery stores like Whole Foods and Schnucks , however , have asparagus advertised at $ 2.99 per pound .
`` Generally speaking , there is a shortage of asparagus on the market right now , '' said John Bakker , the executive director of the Michigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be seen how long that will last . ''
That shortage will likely end once Mexico and Peru again are able to supply the United States with asparagus .
Both countries have their own unique coronavirus-induced market disruptions .
In Peru , which harvests asparagus year-round , exporters are unable to find planes to ship the vegetable .
`` Asparagus from Peru normally comes here in the bellies of passenger planes , '' Schreiber said .
`` Those are n't coming , in anymore , and so neither is asparagus . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ truck produce across the border , but Mexican farmers are having trouble obtaining labor to cut and package their crops .
`` Believe it or not , Mexico needs workers from Central America to come up and cut their asparagus , '' Schreiber said .
`` They 're not coming in because of the virus , so the flow from Mexico into the United States is down . ''
For now , only some American growers -- mainly in the Washington state area -- are able to take advantage of the price spike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its asparagus harvest , which usually begins in April and runs through June .
Farmers in Michigan , another leading asparagus growing state , normally begin their harvest in early May .
But cold weather this year has delayed that .
`` We would love to have truckloads of asparagus to sell right now , '' the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Council 's Bakker said .
Also , nearly all the growers in California -- which used to lead the nation in asparagus acres -- have already gone out of business .
Cheap asparagus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement , and California growers could n't compete .
Enough growers have exited the industry that the California Asparagus Commission suspended its activities at the end of last year .
The jump in asparagus price is an outlier in the coronavirus pandemic .
Most fresh produces , as well as dairy and livestock , have experienced plummeting prices due to the loss of food service outlets .
`` It 's hard to enjoy this when literally as I talk to you I 'm driving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had to disk under 240 acres of emerged potato plants , '' the Washington Asparagus Commission 's Schreiber said .
`` I can see this grower 's house right now and I wonder if he can financially survive this .
It is very sobering . ''

Many farmers are receiving their highest price for asparagus in years because of coronavirus-induced market disruptions in top asparagus-producing countries. Photo courtesy of Pixabay
EVANSVILLE, Ind., May 7 (UPI) -- While most agricultural prices have plummeted during the coronavirus pandemic, the price of asparagus has bucked the trend and shot up. That's because the majority of the asparagus sold in the United States is grown in Mexico and Peru, and the pandemic has seriously disrupted both those markets. Advertisement
That leaves American farmers as the country's main providers of asparagus.
"Prices for fresh asparagus have never been this high for this long," said Alan Schreiber, executive director for the Washington Asparagus Commission, who is an asparagus grower.
Farmers who had not negotiated a price for their crop before the coronavirus struck are receiving more than $60 per 28 pound crate. The open market price last year was closer to $40, Schreiber said.
Higher prices to farmers will not necessarily translate into higher prices for consumers, he noted. About half of the asparagus sold this year already was under contract at prices that are roughly the same as last year's before the virus arrived, he said.
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On Wednesday, Target had 1 pound of asparagus advertised for $6.38, while Safeway was selling it for $3.99 a pound. That's high compared to the average national price of $3.08 per pound, as calculated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2016, the most recent year available.
Grocery stores like Whole Foods and Schnucks, however, have asparagus advertised at $2.99 per pound.
"Generally speaking, there is a shortage of asparagus on the market right now," said John Bakker, the executive director of the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board. "It remains to be seen how long that will last."
That shortage will likely end once Mexico and Peru again are able to supply the United States with asparagus.
Both countries have their own unique coronavirus-induced market disruptions. In Peru, which harvests asparagus year-round, exporters are unable to find planes to ship the vegetable.
"Asparagus from Peru normally comes here in the bellies of passenger planes," Schreiber said. "Those aren't coming, in anymore, and so neither is asparagus."
Meanwhile, Mexico still is able to truck produce across the border, but Mexican farmers are having trouble obtaining labor to cut and package their crops.
"Believe it or not, Mexico needs workers from Central America to come up and cut their asparagus," Schreiber said. "They're not coming in because of the virus, so the flow from Mexico into the United States is down."
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For now, only some American growers -- mainly in the Washington state area -- are able to take advantage of the price spike.
Washington is in the middle of its asparagus harvest, which usually begins in April and runs through June. Farmers in Michigan, another leading asparagus growing state, normally begin their harvest in early May. But cold weather this year has delayed that.
"We would love to have truckloads of asparagus to sell right now," the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Council's Bakker said.
Also, nearly all the growers in California -- which used to lead the nation in asparagus acres -- have already gone out of business.
Cheap asparagus from Mexico has flooded the American market since the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and California growers couldn't compete. Enough growers have exited the industry that the California Asparagus Commission suspended its activities at the end of last year.
The jump in asparagus price is an outlier in the coronavirus pandemic. Most fresh produces, as well as dairy and livestock, have experienced plummeting prices due to the loss of food service outlets.
"It's hard to enjoy this when literally as I talk to you I'm driving by the house of a potato grower who had to disk under 240 acres of emerged potato plants," the Washington Asparagus Commission's Schreiber said.
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"I can see this grower's house right now and I wonder if he can financially survive this. It is very sobering."


upi--2020-05-07--Variety of beverage options leads people to drink less alcohol

There 's a simple way to limit your guests ' boozing : Give them plenty of alternatives .
A British study finds that people are more likely to choose alcohol-free options if they outnumber boozy choices .
There were more than 800 people in the study .
When presented with eight drink choices in an online questionnaire , participants were 48 percent more likely to choose a nonalcoholic beverage when the number of those offered rose from four to six .
When the number fell from four to two , participants were 46 percent less likely to go alcohol-free , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the journal BMC Public Health .
`` Previous research has shown that increasing the availability of healthier food options can increase their selection and consumption relative to less healthy food , '' said corresponding author Anna Blackwell , a senior research associate at the University of Bristol .
`` To our knowledge , this is the first study to demonstrate that increasing the availability of nonalcoholic drinks , relative to alcoholic drinks in an online scenario , can increase their selection , '' Blackwell said in a journal news release .
Worldwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top five disease-risk factors , she pointed out .
When most choices were nonalcoholic , 49 percent of participants chose a nonalcoholic drink , compared with 26 percent when most choices contained alcohol , researchers said .
All the participants were regular drinkers .
Their average age was 38 .
Blackwell said the market for alcohol-free beer , wine and spirit alternatives is still small but it 's growing and improving beverage selection .
It 's also an opportunity for sellers .
`` Many licensed venues already offer several nonalcoholic options but these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for example in low-level fridges behind the bar , '' she said .
`` Our results indicate that making these nonalcoholic products more visible to customers may influence them to make healthier choices . ''
Blackwell said doing so could provide a way for venues to reduce alcohol consumption without losing money .
The U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse has more about alcohol .

With more options, party attendees are less likely to choose an alcoholic beverage. Photo by annca /Pixabay
There's a simple way to limit your guests' boozing: Give them plenty of alternatives. A British study finds that people are more likely to choose alcohol-free options if they outnumber boozy choices. Advertisement
There were more than 800 people in the study. When presented with eight drink choices in an online questionnaire, participants were 48 percent more likely to choose a nonalcoholic beverage when the number of those offered rose from four to six.
When the number fell from four to two, participants were 46 percent less likely to go alcohol-free, according to the study published May 5 in the journal BMC Public Health.
"Previous research has shown that increasing the availability of healthier food options can increase their selection and consumption relative to less healthy food," said corresponding author Anna Blackwell, a senior research associate at the University of Bristol.
"To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that increasing the availability of nonalcoholic drinks, relative to alcoholic drinks in an online scenario, can increase their selection," Blackwell said in a journal news release.
Worldwide, alcohol use is one of the top five disease-risk factors, she pointed out.
When most choices were nonalcoholic, 49 percent of participants chose a nonalcoholic drink, compared with 26 percent when most choices contained alcohol, researchers said.
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All the participants were regular drinkers. Their average age was 38.
Blackwell said the market for alcohol-free beer, wine and spirit alternatives is still small but it's growing and improving beverage selection. It's also an opportunity for sellers.
"Many licensed venues already offer several nonalcoholic options but these are often stored out of direct sight, for example in low-level fridges behind the bar," she said. "Our results indicate that making these nonalcoholic products more visible to customers may influence them to make healthier choices."
Blackwell said doing so could provide a way for venues to reduce alcohol consumption without losing money.
More information
The U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse has more about alcohol.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-05-07--Pentagon: 132 civilians killed in U.S. military operations in 2019

May 7 ( UPI ) -- U.S. military operations last year in four countries , including Afghanistan , killed at least 132 civilians , the Pentagon said .
In its annual Congress-mandated report on civilian casualties linked to U.S. military operations published Wednesday , the Department of Defense said another 91 civilians were injured in Iraq , Syria , Afghanistan and Somalia .
By country , Afghanistan recorded the highest amount of casualties with 108 civilians killed and 75 injured followed by Iraq and Syria where 22 civilians were killed and 13 were injured .
In Somalia , two people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The report said Pentagon assessments did not identify any civilian casualties , which are defined by the military as either deaths or injuries , from U.S. military operations last year in Yemen or Lybia .
The assessments were based on reports of civilian casualties the Department of Defense deemed as credible , it said .
`` All DoD operations in 2019 were conducted in accordance with the law of war requirements , including law of war protections for civilians , such as the fundamental principles of distinction and proportionality , and the requirement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducting attacks to reduce the risk of harm to civilians and other persons and objects , '' the report said .
A total of 611 payments were made during 2019 in compensation for property damage , personal injury or death assessed to have been caused by U.S. military operations in foreign countries .
The report also adjusted previous casualty tallies , discovering an additional eight civilians killed and one injured in Syria in 2018 and 71 killed and 13 injured in Syria and Iraq in 2017 .
Amnesty International USA said that while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Department of Defense was still undercounting civilian casualties .
Daphne Eviatar , the director of the Security with Human Rights program at the international human rights watchdog , said hundreds of casualties her organization has identified as the result of U.S.-led military operations in Syria during 2017 were not included as were n't civilian casualties Amnesty documented over the past two years in Somalia .
`` These reports can be a crucial accountability mechanism for thousands of families around the world waiting for justice , and a tool for transparency for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out by the United States military in its operations every year , '' Eviatar said in a statement .
`` But for these reports to meaningfully contribute to the accountability process , they must contain concrete information based on thorough investigations and must lead to reparations for the families of the victims .
So far , that 's not happening . ''
Eviatar said some of the discrepancies between Amnesty 's tallies and those of the Pentagon are due to the Department of Defense 's `` failure '' to conduct interviews with witnesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where U.S. forces are present .
In the report , the Department of Defense said it `` acknowledges '' the differences between its assessments and those of other organizations , stating it is the result of using different types of information and methodologies as well as some organizations conduct on-the-ground assessments and interviews and others rely on media reporting .
`` Although such information can be valuable , this information alone can be incomplete , and it is important to ensure its validity , '' the Pentagon said in the report .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available information to create its tallies , including what it is given by non-government and international organizations as well as operational planning data and intelligence sources , which are not available to the public .
`` DoD updates existing assessments if new information becomes available , including new information received from NGOs or other outside organizations , '' the report said .

May 7 (UPI) -- U.S. military operations last year in four countries, including Afghanistan, killed at least 132 civilians, the Pentagon said.
In its annual Congress-mandated report on civilian casualties linked to U.S. military operations published Wednesday, the Department of Defense said another 91 civilians were injured in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia.
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By country, Afghanistan recorded the highest amount of casualties with 108 civilians killed and 75 injured followed by Iraq and Syria where 22 civilians were killed and 13 were injured. In Somalia, two people were killed and three were injured.
The report said Pentagon assessments did not identify any civilian casualties, which are defined by the military as either deaths or injuries, from U.S. military operations last year in Yemen or Lybia.
The assessments were based on reports of civilian casualties the Department of Defense deemed as credible, it said.
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"All DoD operations in 2019 were conducted in accordance with the law of war requirements, including law of war protections for civilians, such as the fundamental principles of distinction and proportionality, and the requirement to take feasible precautions in planning and conducting attacks to reduce the risk of harm to civilians and other persons and objects," the report said.
A total of 611 payments were made during 2019 in compensation for property damage, personal injury or death assessed to have been caused by U.S. military operations in foreign countries.
The report also adjusted previous casualty tallies, discovering an additional eight civilians killed and one injured in Syria in 2018 and 71 killed and 13 injured in Syria and Iraq in 2017.
Amnesty International USA said that while the report shows some progress in transparency, the Department of Defense was still undercounting civilian casualties.
Daphne Eviatar, the director of the Security with Human Rights program at the international human rights watchdog, said hundreds of casualties her organization has identified as the result of U.S.-led military operations in Syria during 2017 were not included as weren't civilian casualties Amnesty documented over the past two years in Somalia.
"These reports can be a crucial accountability mechanism for thousands of families around the world waiting for justice, and a tool for transparency for everyone concerned about what is being carried out by the United States military in its operations every year," Eviatar said in a statement. "But for these reports to meaningfully contribute to the accountability process, they must contain concrete information based on thorough investigations and must lead to reparations for the families of the victims. So far, that's not happening."
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Eviatar said some of the discrepancies between Amnesty's tallies and those of the Pentagon are due to the Department of Defense's "failure" to conduct interviews with witnesses and survivors and to visit strike locations where U.S. forces are present.
In the report, the Department of Defense said it "acknowledges" the differences between its assessments and those of other organizations, stating it is the result of using different types of information and methodologies as well as some organizations conduct on-the-ground assessments and interviews and others rely on media reporting.
"Although such information can be valuable, this information alone can be incomplete, and it is important to ensure its validity," the Pentagon said in the report.
The Department of Defense said it uses all available information to create its tallies, including what it is given by non-government and international organizations as well as operational planning data and intelligence sources, which are not available to the public.
"DoD updates existing assessments if new information becomes available, including new information received from NGOs or other outside organizations," the report said.