upi--2020-08-18--Rangers' Woodward, Gibaut suspended for actions after Tatis Jr.'s grand slam

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- Texas Rangers manager Chris Woodward and pitcher Ian Gibaut both were suspended for their actions following Fernando Tatis Jr. 's grand slam in Monday night 's game against the San Diego Padres , the league announced Tuesday .
MLB gave Gibaut , who threw a pitch at Manny Machado after Tatis ' controversial home run , a three-game suspension .
Woodward was handed a one-game ban `` as a result of Gibaut 's actions , '' according to the league .
Woodward served his suspension Tuesday when the Rangers played the Padres .
Gibaut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was active for the game .
Both of them were fined an undisclosed amount .
During Monday 's game , Tatis missed a take sign and swung at a 3-0 pitch with the bases loaded and the Padres holding a commanding seven-run lead in the eighth inning .
Following the contest , Woodward questioned Tatis ' sportsmanship for his decision to swing at the 3-0 pitch .
`` There 's a lot of unwritten rules that are constantly being challenged in today 's game , '' Woodward said .
`` I did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up by seven in the eighth inning ; it 's typically not a good time to swing 3-0 .
`` It 's kind of the way we were all raised in the game .
But like I said , the norms are being challenged on a daily basis .
Just because I do n't like it does n't mean it 's not right .
...
I 'm not pounding my fist on the table saying this was absolutely horrendous .
I just thought it went just past the line . ''
Padres manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tatis missed the sign from third-base coach Glenn Hoffman .
Tatis said he was n't aware of any such unwritten rule and promised to learn from the moment .
`` I 've been in this game since I was a kid , '' Tatis said .
`` I know a lot of unwritten rules .
I was kind of lost on this .
Those experiences , you have to learn .
Probably next time , I 'll take a pitch . ''
Entering Tuesday , the 21-year-old Tatis led the majors with 11 @ @ @ @ @ @

Entering Tuesday, San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. (R) led the majors with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Texas Rangers manager Chris Woodward and pitcher Ian Gibaut both were suspended for their actions following Fernando Tatis Jr.'s grand slam in Monday night's game against the San Diego Padres, the league announced Tuesday. MLB gave Gibaut, who threw a pitch at Manny Machado after Tatis' controversial home run, a three-game suspension. Woodward was handed a one-game ban "as a result of Gibaut's actions," according to the league. Advertisement
Woodward served his suspension Tuesday when the Rangers played the Padres. Gibaut has decided to appeal the suspension and was active for the game. Both of them were fined an undisclosed amount.
During Monday's game, Tatis missed a take sign and swung at a 3-0 pitch with the bases loaded and the Padres holding a commanding seven-run lead in the eighth inning. Following the contest, Woodward questioned Tatis' sportsmanship for his decision to swing at the 3-0 pitch.
"There's a lot of unwritten rules that are constantly being challenged in today's game," Woodward said. "I didn't like it, personally. You're up by seven in the eighth inning; it's typically not a good time to swing 3-0.
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"It's kind of the way we were all raised in the game. But like I said, the norms are being challenged on a daily basis. Just because I don't like it doesn't mean it's not right. ... I'm not pounding my fist on the table saying this was absolutely horrendous. I just thought it went just past the line."
Padres manager Jayce Tingler said after the game that Tatis missed the sign from third-base coach Glenn Hoffman. Tatis said he wasn't aware of any such unwritten rule and promised to learn from the moment.
"I've been in this game since I was a kid," Tatis said. "I know a lot of unwritten rules. I was kind of lost on this. Those experiences, you have to learn. Probably next time, I'll take a pitch."
Entering Tuesday, the 21-year-old Tatis led the majors with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs.
This week in Major League Baseball


upi--2020-08-18--PSG beats RB Leipzig to earn first trip to Champions League final

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- Paris Saint-Germain cruised to a 3-0 win over RB Leipzig on Tuesday in the UEFA Champions League semifinals to advance to the European competition 's championship game for the first time .
Angel Di Maria had one goal and two assists , while Neymar sliced his way through the Bundesliga side 's defense and recorded two assists for PSG .
Juan Bernat 's goal in the 56th minute clinched the victory for the French club and its first trip to the Champions League final .
`` We ate them up from minute one , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man of the match , said .
`` It 's going to be tough to sleep between now and the final .
We want to make history for the club .
We succeeded tonight and we 're in the final ; that 's very important .
We have to continue like tonight to make our dream come true . ''
Neymar had a shot hit the post after six minutes and had a goal disallowed for a handball shortly later , but the Ligue 1 side kept attacking and took the lead in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just outside of the penalty area and Di Maria 's ensuing free kick found the head of Marquinhos , who beat Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi with the header .
PSG doubled their lead three minutes before halftime when Di Maria buried a close-range chance after a spectacular pass from Neymar .
The Parisians sealed their victory when Bernat headed in a cross from Di Maria near the hour mark .
After the match , Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann said his club had no chance against PSG .
`` We have to accept the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach the game as we wanted , '' Nagelsmann said .
`` They were better than us .
Even if we could have made a lot of things better , maybe it would still not have been enough .
`` They were flexible .
We started well in the first half but then conceded the first goal and then the second from a mistake of ours . ''
Paris Saint-Germain will play either Bayern Munich or Lyon in Sunday 's final .

Angel Di Maria (L) of Paris Saint-Germain celebrates with teammate Neymar (R) after scoring during PSG's UEFA Champions League semifinal match against RB Leipzig on Tuesday in Lisbon, Portugal. Photo by Davis Ramos/EPA-EFE
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Paris Saint-Germain cruised to a 3-0 win over RB Leipzig on Tuesday in the UEFA Champions League semifinals to advance to the European competition's championship game for the first time. Angel Di Maria had one goal and two assists, while Neymar sliced his way through the Bundesliga side's defense and recorded two assists for PSG. Juan Bernat's goal in the 56th minute clinched the victory for the French club and its first trip to the Champions League final. Advertisement
"We ate them up from minute one," Di Maria, who was named man of the match, said. "It's going to be tough to sleep between now and the final. We want to make history for the club. We succeeded tonight and we're in the final; that's very important. We have to continue like tonight to make our dream come true."
Neymar had a shot hit the post after six minutes and had a goal disallowed for a handball shortly later, but the Ligue 1 side kept attacking and took the lead in the 13th minute. Neymar was fouled just outside of the penalty area and Di Maria's ensuing free kick found the head of Marquinhos, who beat Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi with the header.
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PSG doubled their lead three minutes before halftime when Di Maria buried a close-range chance after a spectacular pass from Neymar. The Parisians sealed their victory when Bernat headed in a cross from Di Maria near the hour mark.
After the match, Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann said his club had no chance against PSG.
"We have to accept the result because we weren't able to approach the game as we wanted," Nagelsmann said. "They were better than us. Even if we could have made a lot of things better, maybe it would still not have been enough.
"They were flexible. We started well in the first half but then conceded the first goal and then the second from a mistake of ours."
Paris Saint-Germain will play either Bayern Munich or Lyon in Sunday's final.


upi--2020-08-18--Notre Dame suspends in-person classes after 147 positive COVID-19 tests

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- The University of Notre Dame announced plans to suspend in-person classes beginning Wednesday as nearly 150 people on campus tested positive for COVID-19 .
University President the Rev .
John Jenkins announced Tuesday that classes will move to remote instruction only until Aug. 24 for professional students and graduate students and until Sept. 2 for undergraduates .
The university said 927 people have been tested since Aug. 3 with 146 students and one staff member testing positive .
None of the people who tested positive was hospitalized and the university said most of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked to `` off-campus gatherings where neither masks were worn nor physical distancing observed . ''
Jenkins also announced enhanced testing for students experiencing symptoms and surveillance testing for those without symptoms , describing the coronavirus as `` a formidable foe . ''
`` With the advice and encouragement of Dr. Mark Fox of the St. Joseph County Health Department , we believe we can take steps short of sending students home for remote instruction , at least for the time being , while still protecting the health and safety of the campus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news comes after the Univeristy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced Monday that all in-person classes would shift to remote learning after more than 130 students tested positive for COVID-19 .
Also Tuesday , the World Health Organization warned that young people , particularly those in their 20s , 30s and 40s , are increasingly driving infection rates , mostly passing it unknowingly through asymptomatic spread .

The University of Notre Dame suspended in-person classes through the end of the month after 146 students and one staff member tested positive for COVID-19. Photo by Matthew Rice/ Wikimedia Commons
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- The University of Notre Dame announced plans to suspend in-person classes beginning Wednesday as nearly 150 people on campus tested positive for COVID-19. University President the Rev. John Jenkins announced Tuesday that classes will move to remote instruction only until Aug. 24 for professional students and graduate students and until Sept. 2 for undergraduates. Advertisement
The university said 927 people have been tested since Aug. 3 with 146 students and one staff member testing positive.
None of the people who tested positive was hospitalized and the university said most of the cases involved seniors living off-campus and were linked to "off-campus gatherings where neither masks were worn nor physical distancing observed."
Jenkins also announced enhanced testing for students experiencing symptoms and surveillance testing for those without symptoms, describing the coronavirus as "a formidable foe."
"With the advice and encouragement of Dr. Mark Fox of the St. Joseph County Health Department, we believe we can take steps short of sending students home for remote instruction, at least for the time being, while still protecting the health and safety of the campus community," he said.
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The news comes after the Univeristy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced Monday that all in-person classes would shift to remote learning after more than 130 students tested positive for COVID-19.
Also Tuesday, the World Health Organization warned that young people, particularly those in their 20s, 30s and 40s, are increasingly driving infection rates, mostly passing it unknowingly through asymptomatic spread.


upi--2020-08-18--California Gov. Gavin Newsom declares emergency over wildfires, extreme heat

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- California Gov .
Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Tuesday as extreme heat overtook the state , fueling dozens of wildfires .
The proclamation covers the entire state and speeds up the availability of resources to fight fires .
`` We are deploying every resource available to keep communities safe as California battles fires across the state during these extreme conditions , '' Newsom said .
`` California and its federal and local partners are working in lockstep to meet the challenge and remain vigilant in the face of continued dangerous weather conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a complex of about 20 wildfires caused by lightning has led to evacuations in several Northern California counties .
The fires , known as the Santa Clara Unit Lightning Complex , were situated in Alameda , Contra Costa , San Joaquin , Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties .
As of 1:30 p.m. , the complex grew to 25,000 acres and was 0 % contained .
Officials ordered evacuations in Alameda , Contra Costa and Stanislaus counties , and issued warnings elsewhere .
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said the blazes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in steep , inaccessible terrain .
It said firefighters are being challenged by fast spread , difficult terrain and triple-digit temperatures .
In Southern California , firefighters have nearly contained the Apple Fire , which as of Tuesday morning burned more than 33,000 acres .
The blaze spans across Riverside and San Bernardino counties , north of Banning .
It 's situated mostly in the San Bernardino National Forest .
Officials closed the San Gorgonio Wilderness and portions of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail in response to the blaze .
Thunderstorms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of possible mudslides in the burn-scarred area .
In neighboring Los Angeles County , the Lake Fire grew to more than 21,000 acres and was 38 % contained .
There were mandatory evacuation orders in place in the northwestern portion of the county , where more than 4,500 structures were threatened by flames .

Wildfires have been sparked by lightning in several counties in Northern California, including Alameda County. Photo courtesy of Alameda County Fire Department
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Tuesday as extreme heat overtook the state, fueling dozens of wildfires. The proclamation covers the entire state and speeds up the availability of resources to fight fires. Advertisement
"We are deploying every resource available to keep communities safe as California battles fires across the state during these extreme conditions," Newsom said. "California and its federal and local partners are working in lockstep to meet the challenge and remain vigilant in the face of continued dangerous weather conditions."
Newsom's action comes as a complex of about 20 wildfires caused by lightning has led to evacuations in several Northern California counties.
The fires, known as the Santa Clara Unit Lightning Complex, were situated in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties. As of 1:30 p.m., the complex grew to 25,000 acres and was 0% contained.
Officials ordered evacuations in Alameda, Contra Costa and Stanislaus counties, and issued warnings elsewhere.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said the blazes, broken up into three zones, are in steep, inaccessible terrain. It said firefighters are being challenged by fast spread, difficult terrain and triple-digit temperatures.
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In Southern California, firefighters have nearly contained the Apple Fire, which as of Tuesday morning burned more than 33,000 acres.
The blaze spans across Riverside and San Bernardino counties, north of Banning. It's situated mostly in the San Bernardino National Forest.
Officials closed the San Gorgonio Wilderness and portions of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail in response to the blaze.
Thunderstorms expected later Tuesday have fire officials concerned of possible mudslides in the burn-scarred area.
In neighboring Los Angeles County, the Lake Fire grew to more than 21,000 acres and was 38% contained.
There were mandatory evacuation orders in place in the northwestern portion of the county, where more than 4,500 structures were threatened by flames.


upi--2020-08-18--Mozambique firm says it bought ammonium nitrate at center of Beirut blast

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- An explosives manufacturing company from Mozambique said Tuesday that it purchased the ammonium nitrate that sparked the devastating blast in Beirut 's port .
Fabrica de Explosivos Mocambique told CNN it originally ordered the 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate to be used for mining , but the order never made it to Mozambique but rather remained in a container at Beirut 's port for more than six years before the Aug. 4 blast that killed 154 people .
`` This is not common .
It 's absolutely not common , '' a representative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when you place an order for whatever it is that you 're buying , it 's not common that you do n't get the goods .
This is a vessel , it 's not like one thing that was lost in the mail , it 's a big quantity . ''
The representative said FEM worked with an outside trading company to facilitate the transfer of the ammonium nitrate , which originated in Georgia before being transported on the Russsian ship , Rhosus .
The ship was detained and later impounded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rocked Beirut 's port on Aug. 4 with a smaller explosion stemming from a fire that started inside a warehouse and a larger secondary blast that sent a shockwave miles throughout the city registering a magnitude-3.3 earthquake .
Last week , Lebanon 's Chemical Biological Radio Nuclear Events Preparedness reported materials including flammable liquids and unsafe combinations of fuels and oxidizers were safely removed from the area .
Fabien Tarably , director of security consulting and intelligence firm NIGMA Conseil , described the impact of the blast and its effects on recovery efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficulty is the magnitude of the explosion -- everything has been pulverized , '' Tarably said .
`` It 's going to be very hard , because everything that is of interest has probably disappeared . ''
A Lebanese civil defense officer said they are still looking for firefighters dispatched to the scene despite fears of heavily damaged silos collapsing .
`` We 're still searching , but we 've brought in engineers to assess their structural integrity and see if we can continue , '' the officer said .
`` We 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ca n't find .
It 's like it was vaporized . ''

A Mozambican explosives manufacturing company said it purchased the ammonium nitrate at the center of the deadly blast in Beirut to be used for mining but it never arrived after being detained in Lebanon. Photo by Mustafa Jamaleddine/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- An explosives manufacturing company from Mozambique said Tuesday that it purchased the ammonium nitrate that sparked the devastating blast in Beirut's port. Fabrica de Explosivos Mocambique told CNN it originally ordered the 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate to be used for mining, but the order never made it to Mozambique but rather remained in a container at Beirut's port for more than six years before the Aug. 4 blast that killed 154 people. Advertisement
"This is not common. It's absolutely not common," a representative for the company said. "Usually, when you place an order for whatever it is that you're buying, it's not common that you don't get the goods. This is a vessel, it's not like one thing that was lost in the mail, it's a big quantity."
The representative said FEM worked with an outside trading company to facilitate the transfer of the ammonium nitrate, which originated in Georgia before being transported on the Russsian ship, Rhosus. The ship was detained and later impounded by Lebanese officials.
A pair of explosions rocked Beirut's port on Aug. 4 with a smaller explosion stemming from a fire that started inside a warehouse and a larger secondary blast that sent a shockwave miles throughout the city registering a magnitude-3.3 earthquake.
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Last week, Lebanon's Chemical Biological Radio Nuclear Events Preparedness reported materials including flammable liquids and unsafe combinations of fuels and oxidizers were safely removed from the area.
Fabien Tarably, director of security consulting and intelligence firm NIGMA Conseil, described the impact of the blast and its effects on recovery efforts.
"The first and main technical difficulty is the magnitude of the explosion -- everything has been pulverized," Tarably said. "It's going to be very hard, because everything that is of interest has probably disappeared."
A Lebanese civil defense officer said they are still looking for firefighters dispatched to the scene despite fears of heavily damaged silos collapsing.
"We're still searching, but we've brought in engineers to assess their structural integrity and see if we can continue," the officer said. "We're still looking for a 30-ton fire truck we can't find. It's like it was vaporized."


upi--2020-08-18--Ohio Supreme Court upholds death penalty for man convicted of killing 2 teens

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- The Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the death sentence for a man convicted of killing two teenagers .
Anthony Kirkland , 51 , was given two death sentences in 2010 for the rapes and murders of Casonya Crawford , 14 , in 2006 and Esme Kenney , 13 , in 2009 .
Both bodies were set on fire .
He previously served 16 years in prison for manslaughter for the death of his uncle 's girlfriend , Leona Douglas , in 1987 .
He also was sentenced to 70 years to life in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jo Newton and Kimya Rolison , to which he pleaded guilty .
The state 's high court earlier overturned Kirkland 's death sentence but after a new penalty hearing in 2018 , he was again sentenced to death .
The high court upheld that new sentence Tuesday .
Kirkland 's attorneys said he should receive life in prison because he had a brain injury .
Three doctors testified for the prosecution that scans of Kirkland 's brain did n't show any damage .
Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph Deters said he was pleased by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do not seek the death penalty often but when I do , in cases such as Kirkland , it is appropriate .
There are some progressive prosecutors around the country who vow never to seek the death penalty , instead preferring to house and feed criminals such as Kirkland for the rest of their life , '' he said .
`` Kirkland murdered five women and , if ever released from prison , would not hesitate to kill again . ''

Aug. 18 (UPI) -- The Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the death sentence for a man convicted of killing two teenagers.
Anthony Kirkland, 51, was given two death sentences in 2010 for the rapes and murders of Casonya Crawford, 14, in 2006 and Esme Kenney, 13, in 2009. Both bodies were set on fire.
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He previously served 16 years in prison for manslaughter for the death of his uncle's girlfriend, Leona Douglas, in 1987. He also was sentenced to 70 years to life in prison for the 2006 deaths of Mary Jo Newton and Kimya Rolison, to which he pleaded guilty.
The state's high court earlier overturned Kirkland's death sentence but after a new penalty hearing in 2018, he was again sentenced to death. The high court upheld that new sentence Tuesday.
Kirkland's attorneys said he should receive life in prison because he had a brain injury. Three doctors testified for the prosecution that scans of Kirkland's brain didn't show any damage.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph Deters said he was pleased by the court's unanimous decision.
"I do not seek the death penalty often but when I do, in cases such as Kirkland, it is appropriate. There are some progressive prosecutors around the country who vow never to seek the death penalty, instead preferring to house and feed criminals such as Kirkland for the rest of their life," he said. "Kirkland murdered five women and, if ever released from prison, would not hesitate to kill again."


upi--2020-08-18--Dallas Cowboys release Gerald McCoy hours after quad surgery

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- The Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday released veteran defensive tackle Gerald McCoy , who underwent season-ending surgery on his ruptured right quadriceps tendon only a few hours before being waived .
The team had an injury waiver on McCoy 's quad , which ruptured Monday during the Cowboys ' first padded practice of training camp .
The six-time Pro Bowl selection had surgery on the tendon Tuesday morning .
The move does n't prevent McCoy from re-signing with the Cowboys in the future .
The organization said it was open to bringing back the interior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know Gerald in just the short time that we got to know him , '' Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters Tuesday afternoon .
`` But knowing from our studies , he 'll push .
He 's a warrior and he 'll get back .
`` In my opinion , he 'll end up playing for the Dallas Cowboys , albeit not this year .
But I see him putting on a [ Cowboys ] uniform in the future . ''
McCoy signed a three-year , $ 18 million contract with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an injury waiver as part of the agreement that would negate the deal if he had any trouble with chronic tendinitis in his right knee or quadriceps .
McCoy will be allowed to keep his $ 3 million signing bonus .
The franchise will save about $ 3.3 million this season following his release .
Earlier Tuesday , Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters he believed McCoy would continue to be around the team as he rehabs .
`` That was part of our conversation , '' McCarthy said .
`` He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was going to be here and be a part of what we 've started here . ''
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected McCoy with the No .
3 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma .
He spent his first nine seasons in Tampa Bay before joining the Carolina Panthers last season .
McCoy has missed more than three games in a single season only once in his professional career .
He has recorded 334 total tackles , 59.5 sacks , six forced fumbles , four fumble recoveries and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Aug. 18 (UPI) -- The Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday released veteran defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who underwent season-ending surgery on his ruptured right quadriceps tendon only a few hours before being waived.
The team had an injury waiver on McCoy's quad, which ruptured Monday during the Cowboys' first padded practice of training camp. The six-time Pro Bowl selection had surgery on the tendon Tuesday morning.
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The move doesn't prevent McCoy from re-signing with the Cowboys in the future. The organization said it was open to bringing back the interior defensive lineman next year.
"I know Gerald in just the short time that we got to know him," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters Tuesday afternoon. "But knowing from our studies, he'll push. He's a warrior and he'll get back.
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"In my opinion, he'll end up playing for the Dallas Cowboys, albeit not this year. But I see him putting on a [Cowboys] uniform in the future."
The #DallasCowboys have released Gerald McCoy via injury waiver Breaking News | @LGUS— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 18, 2020
McCoy signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Cowboys in March. There was an injury waiver as part of the agreement that would negate the deal if he had any trouble with chronic tendinitis in his right knee or quadriceps.
McCoy will be allowed to keep his $3 million signing bonus. The franchise will save about $3.3 million this season following his release.
Earlier Tuesday, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters he believed McCoy would continue to be around the team as he rehabs.
"That was part of our conversation," McCarthy said. "He expressed not only the desire, but he was going to be here and be a part of what we've started here."
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected McCoy with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma. He spent his first nine seasons in Tampa Bay before joining the Carolina Panthers last season.
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McCoy has missed more than three games in a single season only once in his professional career. He has recorded 334 total tackles, 59.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and 23 passes defensed in 139 career games.


upi--2020-08-18--USPS to suspend changes until after election

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said Tuesday that he 's suspending some of the changes he 's made to the U.S .
Postal Service since taking office `` to avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail . ''
DeJoy promised the USPS would be able to handle the expected increase of mail volume in the coming months as Americans receive and return mail-in ballots for the November election .
`` Even with the challenges of keeping our employees and customers safe and healthy as they operate amid a pandemic , we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time and within our well-established service standards .
The American public should know that this is our number one priority between now and election day , '' he said .
DeJoy said he 's expanding a leadership task force on election mail to coordinate with state and local election officials .
Additionally , retail hours at post offices will stay the same , mail sorting equipment and collection boxes will remain in place , no mail processing facilities will be closed , and overtime will be approved as needed .
`` I came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to secure the success of this organization and its long-term sustainability .
I believe significant reforms are essential to that objective , '' he said , adding that some changes began before his time as solicitor general .
`` To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail , I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded . ''
It 's unclear whether DeJoy 's announcement means that collection boxes and mail sorting machines already removed will be returned to their original locations .
It 's also unclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to levels seen before DeJoy assumed his position .
DeJoy 's statement came two days after he agreed to testify next week about changes made to the USPS before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform .
Earlier this month , the USPS warned 46 states and Washington , D.C. , that some mail-in ballots might not be counted in time for the election .
The agency told the states their time frames and deadlines for mail-in voting would be `` incongruous '' with delivery standards , meaning some ballots might not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The financially struggling USPS has been undergoing an organizational overhaul , including removing mail sorting machines from facilities across the country , some of which would normally be used to sort mail-in ballots , Vice reported .
DeJoy , a Trump donor who was tapped to run the USPS three months ago , also has curtailed overtime at the agency , leading to delays in deliveries .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for representatives to return to Washington , D.C. , this week to vote on a bill to prevent the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she says is an attempt to sabotage the general election .
House Democrats held a news conference outside USPS headquarters in Washington , D.C. , Tuesday , supporting the legislation .
`` The actions today where the [ postmaster ] general said we 're not going to implement any of those changes until after the election -- well , we 're going to make sure in law that that is the case because he should not , and he should not have done what he 's done to date , '' House Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he must reverse any adverse consequences of the actions that have been taken to date . ''

1/2
A man pulls crates of mail to a U.S. Postal Service truck in New York City. U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said changes he was brought in to make at the USPS will be suspended until after the election. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said Tuesday that he's suspending some of the changes he's made to the U.S. Postal Service since taking office "to avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail." DeJoy promised the USPS would be able to handle the expected increase of mail volume in the coming months as Americans receive and return mail-in ballots for the November election. Advertisement
"Even with the challenges of keeping our employees and customers safe and healthy as they operate amid a pandemic, we will deliver the nation's election mail on time and within our well-established service standards. The American public should know that this is our number one priority between now and election day," he said.
DeJoy said he's expanding a leadership task force on election mail to coordinate with state and local election officials. Additionally, retail hours at post offices will stay the same, mail sorting equipment and collection boxes will remain in place, no mail processing facilities will be closed, and overtime will be approved as needed.
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"I came to the Postal Service to make changes to secure the success of this organization and its long-term sustainability. I believe significant reforms are essential to that objective," he said, adding that some changes began before his time as solicitor general.
"To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail, I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded."
It's unclear whether DeJoy's announcement means that collection boxes and mail sorting machines already removed will be returned to their original locations. It's also unclear whether the approval of overtime hours will return to levels seen before DeJoy assumed his position.
DeJoy's statement came two days after he agreed to testify next week about changes made to the USPS before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
Earlier this month, the USPS warned 46 states and Washington, D.C., that some mail-in ballots might not be counted in time for the election. The agency told the states their time frames and deadlines for mail-in voting would be "incongruous" with delivery standards, meaning some ballots might not arrive in time to be counted.
The financially struggling USPS has been undergoing an organizational overhaul, including removing mail sorting machines from facilities across the country, some of which would normally be used to sort mail-in ballots, Vice reported.
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DeJoy, a Trump donor who was tapped to run the USPS three months ago, also has curtailed overtime at the agency, leading to delays in deliveries.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for representatives to return to Washington, D.C., this week to vote on a bill to prevent the Trump administration from implementing changes to the USPS that she says is an attempt to sabotage the general election.
House Democrats held a news conference outside USPS headquarters in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, supporting the legislation.
"The actions today where the [postmaster] general said we're not going to implement any of those changes until after the election -- well, we're going to make sure in law that that is the case because he should not, and he should not have done what he's done to date," House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer said. "And he must reverse any adverse consequences of the actions that have been taken to date."


upi--2020-08-18--Ron Meyer leaves NBCUniversal citing extortion attempt related to affair

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- NBCUniversal Vice Chairman Ron Meyer announced his departure from the company on Tuesday , citing an extortion attempt related to an extramarital affair .
Meyer , 75 , issued a statement saying that he disclosed to his family and the company that he reached a settlement `` under threat , with a woman outside the company who had made false accusations against me . ''
He added that he had a `` very brief and consensual affair '' with the woman many years ago .
`` I made this disclosure because other parties learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to extort me into paying them money or else they intended to falsely implicate NBCUniversal , which had nothing to do with this matter , and to publish false allegations about me , '' Meyer wrote .
NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell informed employees of Meyer 's departure in an email on Tuesday .
`` Last week Ron Meyer informed NBCUniversal that he had acted in a manner which we believe is not consistent with our company policies or values , '' Shell wrote .
`` Based on Ron 's disclosure of these actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SHould leave the company , effective immediately . ''
Meyer led the Universal film studio from 1995 to 2012 , before being replaced by Shell , but remained at the company in a diminished role with the title of executive vice chairman .

Vice chairman Ron Meyer departed NBCUniversal Tuesday amid what he described as an extortion attempt related to an extramarital affair that he disclosed to the company. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- NBCUniversal Vice Chairman Ron Meyer announced his departure from the company on Tuesday, citing an extortion attempt related to an extramarital affair. Meyer, 75, issued a statement saying that he disclosed to his family and the company that he reached a settlement "under threat, with a woman outside the company who had made false accusations against me." Advertisement
He added that he had a "very brief and consensual affair" with the woman many years ago.
"I made this disclosure because other parties learned of the settlement and have continuously attempted to extort me into paying them money or else they intended to falsely implicate NBCUniversal, which had nothing to do with this matter, and to publish false allegations about me," Meyer wrote.
NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell informed employees of Meyer's departure in an email on Tuesday.
"Last week Ron Meyer informed NBCUniversal that he had acted in a manner which we believe is not consistent with our company policies or values," Shell wrote. "Based on Ron's disclosure of these actions, we have mutually concluded that Ron SHould leave the company, effective immediately."
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Meyer led the Universal film studio from 1995 to 2012, before being replaced by Shell, but remained at the company in a diminished role with the title of executive vice chairman.


upi--2020-08-18--Commission selects five finalists for new Mississippi state flag

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- Commissioners in Mississippi narrowed the choices for the state 's new flag design to five during a meeting on Tuesday .
The nine-member flag commission selected five designs that will serve as the finalists for the state 's new flag after Gov .
Tate Reeves signed a bill in June mandating the removal of the previous flag , which featured the Confederate emblem .
`` Those flags will fly one after another for a minute or two in front of the Old Capitol a week from ( Tuesday ) at 10:30 a.m. Also , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be clearing the rights with the people who designed the flags , '' said Katie Blount , director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History .
Four of the five finalists feature either a magnolia flower or magnolia tree while the fifth includes a red , white and blue shield with a single star above it .
All five designs include the words `` In God We Trust , '' as required by the mandate to change the flag .
Commissioners on Tuesday modified three of the finalists to include 20 stars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the 20th state in the Union and a gold star made of diamonds to represent the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and other indigenous groups .
Reeves signed the law to replace the previous flag , which was adopted in 1894 and featured blue , white and red stripes and the Confederate emblem in its corner .
The state House and Senate both voted to alter the design , describing the decision as `` a solemn occasion to come together as a Mississippi family , reconcile and move forward together . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the committee before being narrowed down to 147 , nine and ultimately the five that were selected Tuesday .
The commission will meet on Aug. 25 before submitting a final design to Reeves and the state legislature on Sept. 2 .
Finally , Mississippians will cast votes in favor of or against the new design during the Nov. 3 election .

A nine-member commission in Mississippi selected five finalists to replace the state's flag after Gov. Tate Reeves signed a mandate in June to remove the flag which featured the Confederate emblem. Photo courtesy Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Commissioners in Mississippi narrowed the choices for the state's new flag design to five during a meeting on Tuesday. The nine-member flag commission selected five designs that will serve as the finalists for the state's new flag after Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill in June mandating the removal of the previous flag, which featured the Confederate emblem. Advertisement
"Those flags will fly one after another for a minute or two in front of the Old Capitol a week from (Tuesday) at 10:30 a.m. Also, while that's happening, we'll be clearing the rights with the people who designed the flags," said Katie Blount, director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Four of the five finalists feature either a magnolia flower or magnolia tree while the fifth includes a red, white and blue shield with a single star above it. All five designs include the words "In God We Trust," as required by the mandate to change the flag.
Commissioners on Tuesday modified three of the finalists to include 20 stars in a circle representing Mississippi's status as the 20th state in the Union and a gold star made of diamonds to represent the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and other indigenous groups.
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Reeves signed the law to replace the previous flag, which was adopted in 1894 and featured blue, white and red stripes and the Confederate emblem in its corner. The state House and Senate both voted to alter the design, describing the decision as "a solemn occasion to come together as a Mississippi family, reconcile and move forward together."
More than 1,000 designs were submitted to the committee before being narrowed down to 147, nine and ultimately the five that were selected Tuesday.
The commission will meet on Aug. 25 before submitting a final design to Reeves and the state legislature on Sept. 2.
Finally, Mississippians will cast votes in favor of or against the new design during the Nov. 3 election.


upi--2020-08-18--USS Mustin sails through Taiwan Strait after exercise with Japan

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- The Arleigh Burke-class Aegis missile destroyer USS Mustin sailed through the Taiwan Strait Tuesday after completing exercises in the East China Sea .
Taiwan and China dispatched ships to monitor the passage , with China sending a type 052D guided missile destroyer and Taiwan dispatching a Cheng Kung class guided-missile frigate , Taiwan English News reported .
According to the Navy , the Mustin began joint exercises with Japan 's JS Suzutsuk in the East China Saturday and completed them Monday .
The Navy has participated in several joint training exercises with Japan this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USS America ( LHA 6 ) with JS Kunisaki in January ; four Destroyer Squadron 15 ships with JS Suzunami and Sawagiri in February ; USS Gabrielle Giffords ( LCS 10 ) with JS Terazuki in April and again with JS Kashima and Shimayuki in June ; the USS Reagan Carrier Strike Group with JS Teruzuki during a trilateral exercise in July ; and a mine countermeasure exercise involving USS Pioneer ( MCM 9 ) , USS Patriot ( MCM 7 ) , and JS Uraga and Bungo also in July .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules-based order , '' said Cmdr .
Todd Penrod , commanding officer of the ship .
`` Our alliance remains strong , thanks to the close and consistent engagements through integrated operations such as these , which reinforce international norms and stability , DS 15 reported of the East China Sea exercises . ''

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin sails alongside the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force ship JS Suzutsuki. Photo by Cody Beam/U.S. Navy
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- The Arleigh Burke-class Aegis missile destroyer USS Mustin sailed through the Taiwan Strait Tuesday after completing exercises in the East China Sea. Taiwan and China dispatched ships to monitor the passage, with China sending a type 052D guided missile destroyer and Taiwan dispatching a Cheng Kung class guided-missile frigate, Taiwan English News reported. Advertisement
According to the Navy, the Mustin began joint exercises with Japan's JS Suzutsuk in the East China Saturday and completed them Monday.
The Navy has participated in several joint training exercises with Japan this year.
Previous operations this year include USS America (LHA 6) with JS Kunisaki in January; four Destroyer Squadron 15 ships with JS Suzunami and Sawagiri in February; USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) with JS Terazuki in April and again with JS Kashima and Shimayuki in June; the USS Reagan Carrier Strike Group with JS Teruzuki during a trilateral exercise in July; and a mine countermeasure exercise involving USS Pioneer (MCM 9), USS Patriot (MCM 7), and JS Uraga and Bungo also in July.
"We share an enduring commitment to international rules-based order," said Cmdr. Todd Penrod, commanding officer of the ship. "Our alliance remains strong, thanks to the close and consistent engagements through integrated operations such as these, which reinforce international norms and stability, DS 15 reported of the East China Sea exercises."
Advertisement TODAY, the #USNavy destroyer #USSMustin (DDG 89) conducted a transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrating the U.S. commitment to a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific. Mustin is forward-deployed to the @US7thFleet supporting security and stability in the region. pic.twitter.com/87ocmArM2G— U.S. Navy (@USNavy) August 18, 2020


upi--2020-08-18--Powerful supernova could explain extinctions at the end of the Devonian period

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- New research suggests harmful cosmic rays from a nearby supernova might have caused the extinction events that form the boundary between the Devonian-Carboniferous periods .
Around 360 million years ago , a lengthy period of biodiversity declines culminated in a series of extinction events that saw 19 percent of all families and 50 percent of all genera disappear .
Scientists have previously unearthed a diversity of Late Devonian plant spores that show evidence of being burnt by ultraviolet light , signs of a prolonged ozone-depletion event .
`` Earth-based catastrophes such as large-scale volcanism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ layer , too , but evidence for those is inconclusive for the time interval in question , '' lead researcher Brian Fields said in a news release .
`` Instead , we propose that one or more supernova explosions , about 65 light-years away from Earth , could have been responsible for the protracted loss of ozone , '' said Fields , professor of astronomy and physics at the University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign .
Today , the closest supernova threat is the star Betelgeuse , located 600 light-years away .
Scientists estimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 light-years to present a significant threat to life on Earth .
Millions of years ago , however , a variety of closer stars may have presented a graver threat , researchers contend .
Scientists determined that other cosmic threats , like a gamma-ray burst , solar eruption or meteorite explosion , are too short-lived to account for Devonian-Carboniferous extinctions .
Some researchers estimate consisted of a half-dozen different events spread out over thousands , even millions , of years .
According to the new study , published Tuesday in the journal PNAS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one-two punch of electromagnetic energy .
After an initial blast of UV , X-rays and gamma rays , a barrage of supernova debris can sustain a constant supply of irradiation .
The effects of a single supernova , scientists estimated , could affect Earth for up 100,000 years .
The researchers suggest a series of supernovas might have poisoned Earth with ultraviolet rays for a few hundred thousands years .
`` This is entirely possible , '' said grad student Jesse Miller .
`` Massive stars usually occur in clusters with other massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to occur soon after the first explosion . ''
Currently , the possibility that supernova radiation triggered the Devonian-Carboniferous extinctions is only a theory .
But researchers claim it 's a theory that could be confirmed by the discovery of radioactive isotopes plutonium-244 and samarium-146 in rocks from the period .
`` When you see green bananas in Illinois , you know they are fresh , and you know they did not grow here .
Like bananas , Pu-244 and Sm-146 decay over time , '' Fields said .
`` So if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we know they are fresh and not from here -- the green bananas of the isotope world -- and thus the smoking guns of a nearby supernova . ''
Fields and his colleagues are currently working out what Pu-244 or Sm-146 isotope concentrations might look like in Devonian-Carboniferous era rocks , so that scientists will know what to look for if and when they go prospecting .
`` The overarching message of our study is that life on Earth does not exist in isolation , '' Fields said .
`` We are citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cosmos intervenes in our lives -- often imperceptibly , but sometimes ferociously . ''

Researchers suggest radiation from a supernova located 65 light-years away could have caused a series of extinction events some 360 million years ago. Photo by Jesse Miller
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- New research suggests harmful cosmic rays from a nearby supernova might have caused the extinction events that form the boundary between the Devonian-Carboniferous periods. Around 360 million years ago, a lengthy period of biodiversity declines culminated in a series of extinction events that saw 19 percent of all families and 50 percent of all genera disappear. Advertisement
Scientists have previously unearthed a diversity of Late Devonian plant spores that show evidence of being burnt by ultraviolet light, signs of a prolonged ozone-depletion event.
"Earth-based catastrophes such as large-scale volcanism and global warming can destroy the ozone layer, too, but evidence for those is inconclusive for the time interval in question," lead researcher Brian Fields said in a news release.
"Instead, we propose that one or more supernova explosions, about 65 light-years away from Earth, could have been responsible for the protracted loss of ozone," said Fields, professor of astronomy and physics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
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Today, the closest supernova threat is the star Betelgeuse, located 600 light-years away. Scientists estimate a supernova would have to occur within 25 light-years to present a significant threat to life on Earth.
Millions of years ago, however, a variety of closer stars may have presented a graver threat, researchers contend.
Scientists determined that other cosmic threats, like a gamma-ray burst, solar eruption or meteorite explosion, are too short-lived to account for Devonian-Carboniferous extinctions. Some researchers estimate consisted of a half-dozen different events spread out over thousands, even millions, of years.
According to the new study, published Tuesday in the journal PNAS, a supernova could have delivered a one-two punch of electromagnetic energy.
After an initial blast of UV, X-rays and gamma rays, a barrage of supernova debris can sustain a constant supply of irradiation. The effects of a single supernova, scientists estimated, could affect Earth for up 100,000 years.
The researchers suggest a series of supernovas might have poisoned Earth with ultraviolet rays for a few hundred thousands years.
"This is entirely possible," said grad student Jesse Miller. "Massive stars usually occur in clusters with other massive stars, and other supernovae are likely to occur soon after the first explosion."
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Currently, the possibility that supernova radiation triggered the Devonian-Carboniferous extinctions is only a theory. But researchers claim it's a theory that could be confirmed by the discovery of radioactive isotopes plutonium-244 and samarium-146 in rocks from the period.
"When you see green bananas in Illinois, you know they are fresh, and you know they did not grow here. Like bananas, Pu-244 and Sm-146 decay over time," Fields said. "So if we find these radioisotopes on Earth today, we know they are fresh and not from here -- the green bananas of the isotope world -- and thus the smoking guns of a nearby supernova."
Fields and his colleagues are currently working out what Pu-244 or Sm-146 isotope concentrations might look like in Devonian-Carboniferous era rocks, so that scientists will know what to look for if and when they go prospecting.
"The overarching message of our study is that life on Earth does not exist in isolation," Fields said. "We are citizens of a larger cosmos, and the cosmos intervenes in our lives -- often imperceptibly, but sometimes ferociously."


upi--2020-08-18--S&P 500 sets new record high, officially enters bull market

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- The S & P 500 achieved a new record high at the end of trading on Tuesday , entering a new bull market .
The S & P 500 rose 0.23 % to end the day at 3,389.78 points , surpassing its previous record close of 3,386.15 on Feb. 19 , and erasing its losses since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic .
The Nasdaq Composite ended the day with slight gains , rising 0.73 % , while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 66.84 points or 0.24 % .
Tuesday 's gains saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bear market , which is defined as a 20 % decline , and officially become a bull market after setting a record high .
Tech stocks continued to dictate the markets as Amazon stock increased 4.09 % , Alphabet gained 2.61 % , Netflix grew 1.97 % , Apple rose 0.83 % and Facebook closed up 0.45 % to push markets higher .
On the other hand , Boeing contributed to the Dow 's losses Tuesday as stocks fell 1.03 % following plans to conduct another round of job cuts after previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to canceled orders .
`` The pandemic has been tough on our people , our business and our industry .
While there have been some signs of recovery , the reality is we 're in a challenging position , '' Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said in a message to employees Monday .
Calhoun said a new round of layoffs would be offered to employees next week .

The S&P 500 set a new record high and officially entered a bull market at the end of trading Tuesday, while the Nasdaq Composite finished with slight gains and the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- The S&P 500 achieved a new record high at the end of trading on Tuesday, entering a new bull market. The S&P 500 rose 0.23% to end the day at 3,389.78 points, surpassing its previous record close of 3,386.15 on Feb. 19, and erasing its losses since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Nasdaq Composite ended the day with slight gains, rising 0.73%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 66.84 points or 0.24%. Advertisement
Tuesday's gains saw the S&P 500 rally from a bear market, which is defined as a 20% decline, and officially become a bull market after setting a record high.
Tech stocks continued to dictate the markets as Amazon stock increased 4.09%, Alphabet gained 2.61%, Netflix grew 1.97%, Apple rose 0.83% and Facebook closed up 0.45% to push markets higher.
On the other hand, Boeing contributed to the Dow's losses Tuesday as stocks fell 1.03% following plans to conduct another round of job cuts after previously announcing plans to cut 160,000 employees in response to canceled orders.
"The pandemic has been tough on our people, our business and our industry. While there have been some signs of recovery, the reality is we're in a challenging position," Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said in a message to employees Monday.
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Calhoun said a new round of layoffs would be offered to employees next week.


upi--2020-08-18--Sudden rain leads man to $158,377 lottery jackpot

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- A Virginia man said he was only trying to escape from the sudden rain @ @ @ @ @ 158,377 lottery jackpot .
Garland Harrison of Petersburg told Virginia Lottery officials he was out @ @ @ @ @ downpour left him scrambling for cover .
Harrison said he ducked into the Produce Center @ @ @ @ @ and decided to buy a Print ' n Play Rolling Jackpot ticket .
The man @ @ @ @ @ until he arrived home later that the ticket was a $ 158,377 jackpot winner .
@ @ @ @ @ win , '' Harrison told officials when he claimed his prize .
The winner said @ @ @ @ @ any plans for his windfall .

A Virginia lottery winner said he might not have even bought a ticket if a sudden rainfall hadn't sent him into a nearby store. Photo courtesy of the Virginia Lottery
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Aug. 18 (UPI) -- A Virginia man said he was only trying to escape from the sudden rain when he scored a $158,377 lottery jackpot. Garland Harrison of Petersburg told Virginia Lottery officials he was out walking recently when a sudden downpour left him scrambling for cover. Advertisement
Harrison said he ducked into the Produce Center store to escape the rain and decided to buy a Print 'n Play Rolling Jackpot ticket.
The man said he didn't realize until he arrived home later that the ticket was a $158,377 jackpot winner.
"It feels good to win," Harrison told officials when he claimed his prize.
The winner said he doesn't yet have any plans for his windfall.


upi--2020-08-18--Malian president, prime minister detained in 'likely coup'

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- Soldiers in Mali arrested President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse as well as other government officials Tuesday in a suspected coup , the African Union said .
Moussa Faki Mahamat , the chairman of the African Union Commission , confirmed the arrests in a tweet .
`` I strongly condemn the arrest of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita , the prime minister and other members of the Malian government , and call for their immediate release , '' he said in a post translated by CNN .
Troops stormed the capital of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filled and the streets and surrounded the Independence Monument .
Demonstrators set a fire at a building owned by the minister of justice .
An unnamed French military official told The Washington Post that the incident was a `` likely coup '' attempt .
Earlier in the day , Cisse used Facebook to call for the military to use peaceful means to address concerns .
`` The government calls for reasons and a patriotic sense and asks for the use of arms to be stopped .
There are no problems that can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
In addition to the president and prime minister , troops detained the leader of the National Assembly and finance minister .
The U.S. Embassy in Mali issued a security alert , urging U.S. nationals to avoid Bamako and Kati and for staff to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel .
`` There have been multiple reports of gunfire throughout the city as well as reports of soldiers driving in trucks and firing their weapons in the air , '' the embassy said .
Tuesday 's incident comes after growing tensions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won a majority of vacant seats in an election .
Keita has served as president since 2013 , and was prime minister from 1994 to 2000 .

Malian troops lead Mali President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita into a military house after he was seized in Bamako, Mali, on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Stringer/EPA-EFE
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Soldiers in Mali arrested President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse as well as other government officials Tuesday in a suspected coup, the African Union said. Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chairman of the African Union Commission, confirmed the arrests in a tweet. Advertisement
"I strongly condemn the arrest of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the prime minister and other members of the Malian government, and call for their immediate release," he said in a post translated by CNN.
Troops stormed the capital of Bamako on Tuesday morning, and protesters filled and the streets and surrounded the Independence Monument. Demonstrators set a fire at a building owned by the minister of justice.
An unnamed French military official told The Washington Post that the incident was a "likely coup" attempt.
Earlier in the day, Cisse used Facebook to call for the military to use peaceful means to address concerns.
"The government calls for reasons and a patriotic sense and asks for the use of arms to be stopped. There are no problems that cannot be solved in dialogue," he said.
In addition to the president and prime minister, troops detained the leader of the National Assembly and finance minister.
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The U.S. Embassy in Mali issued a security alert, urging U.S. nationals to avoid Bamako and Kati and for staff to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.
"There have been multiple reports of gunfire throughout the city as well as reports of soldiers driving in trucks and firing their weapons in the air," the embassy said.
Tuesday's incident comes after growing tensions in Mali since May after Keita's party won a majority of vacant seats in an election. Keita has served as president since 2013, and was prime minister from 1994 to 2000.


upi--2020-08-18--Look: Sea turtle rescued from condo pool in Caiman Islands

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- Wildlife rescuers in the Caiman Islands were called out to a condo to rescue a large sea turtle that became stranded in a swimming pool .
The Caiman Islands Department of Environment said a turtle rescue team was dispatched when a family that had just moved into a condominium reported a green sea turtle had ended up in their pool and appeared unable to climb out on its own .
Conservation Officer Mark Orr said the turtle is believed to have laid her eggs on the beach the previous night .
`` We found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large nest on the beach , '' Orr told the Cayman Compass .
`` It looks like she made a bad turn while trying to get back to the water , and because the pool is designed so that it is flush with the beach , she must have wandered over and fallen in . ''
Orr led the team that lifted the turtle out of the pool .
`` We kind of corralled her to the shallow end of the pool , '' he said .
`` From there , we got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her up horizontally , and then kind of rolled her out on the side of the pool . ''
The turtle , which was not seriously injured , was returned to the beach .
Orr said the turtle was not the first to end up in the same predicament .
`` This is the second turtle that we have had to rescue from that particular pool , and the fourth turtle that I have had to rescue in my 20 years on the job , '' he said .

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Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Wildlife rescuers in the Cayman Islands were called out to a condo to rescue a large sea turtle that became stranded in a swimming pool.
The Cayman Islands Department of Environment said a turtle rescue team was dispatched when a family that had just moved into a condominium reported a green sea turtle had ended up in their pool and appeared unable to climb out on its own.
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Conservation Officer Mark Orr said the turtle is believed to have laid her eggs on the beach the previous night.
"We found tracks leading from the pool to a large nest on the beach," Orr told the Cayman Compass. "It looks like she made a bad turn while trying to get back to the water, and because the pool is designed so that it is flush with the beach, she must have wandered over and fallen in."
Orr led the team that lifted the turtle out of the pool.
"We kind of corralled her to the shallow end of the pool," he said. "From there, we got a hold of her flippers and stood her up horizontally, and then kind of rolled her out on the side of the pool."
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The turtle, which was not seriously injured, was returned to the beach.
Orr said the turtle was not the first to end up in the same predicament.
"This is the second turtle that we have had to rescue from that particular pool, and the fourth turtle that I have had to rescue in my 20 years on the job," he said.


upi--2020-08-18--Alan Bersten, Britt Stewart, to be among 'Dancing with the Stars' pro lineup

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- Reigning champ Alan Bersten and the first-ever Black female pro , Britt Stewart , will be among the pro lineup for the 29th season of Dancing with the Stars , set to debut Sept. 14 , GMA reported Tuesday .
The new season of the series , in which celebrities perform choreographed dance routines judged by ballroom experts and compete for Mirror Ball trophy , premieres at 8 p.m. EDT on Sept. 14 on ABC .
The only celebrity dancer announced so far is Kaitlyn Bristowe of The Bachelorette , with other celebrity contestants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bersten said he was excited to return and `` hopefully win back to back , '' in GMA 's announcement .
Stewart , a professional dancer and former member of the troupe on Dancing with the Stars , reacted to the announcement on Twitter .
`` It 's actually happening ! ''
Stewart tweeted .
`` I am over the moon to be a first time PRO on Season 29 of @ Dancing ABC .
My heart is filled with gratitude to have been given this opportunity .
I can hardly contain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position . ''
Keo Motsepe , a South African dancer known for being the show 's first Black professional dancer , will also be on Season 29 .
GMA also announced that three married couples will compete : Emma Slater and Sasha Farber ; Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy ; and Pasha Pashkov and Daniella Karagach ; along with Sharna Burgess , Brandon Armstrong , Peta Murgatroyd , Gleb Savchenko , and Cheryl Burke .
Even the married pros on the show are required to live apart under a new rule for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid potential risk of losing two pros at a time , GMA reported .
Last month , it was announced that model and television personality Tyra Banks would host the show .

Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Reigning champ Alan Bersten and the first-ever Black female pro, Britt Stewart, will be among the pro lineup for the 29th season of Dancing with the Stars, set to debut Sept. 14, GMA reported Tuesday.
The new season of the series, in which celebrities perform choreographed dance routines judged by ballroom experts and compete for Mirror Ball trophy, premieres at 8 p.m. EDT on Sept. 14 on ABC.
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The only celebrity dancer announced so far is Kaitlyn Bristowe of The Bachelorette, with other celebrity contestants to be announced at a later date.
Bersten said he was excited to return and "hopefully win back to back," in GMA's announcement.
Stewart, a professional dancer and former member of the troupe on Dancing with the Stars, reacted to the announcement on Twitter.
"It's actually happening!" Stewart tweeted. "I am over the moon to be a first time PRO on Season 29 of @Dancing ABC. My heart is filled with gratitude to have been given this opportunity. I can hardly contain my excitement to step into this new position."
Keo Motsepe, a South African dancer known for being the show's first Black professional dancer, will also be on Season 29.
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GMA also announced that three married couples will compete: Emma Slater and Sasha Farber; Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy; and Pasha Pashkov and Daniella Karagach; along with Sharna Burgess, Brandon Armstrong, Peta Murgatroyd, Gleb Savchenko, and Cheryl Burke.
Even the married pros on the show are required to live apart under a new rule for the show because of the COVID-19 pandemic to avoid potential risk of losing two pros at a time, GMA reported.
Last month, it was announced that model and television personality Tyra Banks would host the show.


upi--2020-08-18--Humidity helps virus particles remain airborne, travel farther

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- Scientists mostly agree that viral particles are airborne , but to what extent is a point of contention -- how long virus particles remain suspended and how far they can travel from their source remain open questions .
When physicists at the University of Missouri used a new model to measure the influence of airflow and fluid flow on the movement of exhaled droplets , they found high levels of humidity can prolong the lifetime of medium-sized droplets by a factor of 23 .
The research team published their results Tuesday in the journal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 particle typically measures less than one-tenth of a micron , the majority of droplets exhaled by coughs , sneezes and breathing are larger -- between 50 to 100 microns in diameter .
For reference , a human hair boasts a diameter of roughly 70 microns .
`` Our paper is not particularly designed for coronavirus , '' lead study author Binbin Wang , assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Missouri , told UPI in an email .
`` Rather , we focus on the fundamental physics of droplets from human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water , lipids , proteins and salt , in addition to virus .
The model developed by Wang and his colleagues considered how environmental conditions and other substances in the atmosphere might impact these droplets .
When researchers compared the results of their model to the predictions of models designed to simulate the movements of similarly sized particles , like corn pollen , they found significant agreement .
At 50 percent relative humidity , researchers found medium-sized droplets traveled no more than 11 feet , but at 100 percent humidity , the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Our finding did show strong influences of temperature and humidity on spreading of droplets both in time and space , '' Wang said .
`` Generally , high humidity will increase evaporation time of a droplet .
How long a droplet will stay in air strongly depends on the initial size of the droplet . ''
While the latest research offers clues as to the effects of air flows , temperature and humidity on exhaled droplets , the relationship between droplets and actual virus particles remains an area of uncertainty .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus is correlated to the droplets , '' Wang said .
`` What would happen to virus once droplets end their life is largely unknown .
We need to be quite careful in interpreting our findings . ''
Still , Wang suggests the findings support the consensus recommendations among public health experts .
`` Social distancing and face covering could significantly mitigate potential virus transmission , '' Wang said .

New research suggests humidity can help exhaled droplets remain airborne for longer. Photo by Piqsels /CC
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Scientists mostly agree that viral particles are airborne, but to what extent is a point of contention -- how long virus particles remain suspended and how far they can travel from their source remain open questions. When physicists at the University of Missouri used a new model to measure the influence of airflow and fluid flow on the movement of exhaled droplets, they found high levels of humidity can prolong the lifetime of medium-sized droplets by a factor of 23. Advertisement
The research team published their results Tuesday in the journal Physics of Fluids.
Though a solitary COVID-19 particle typically measures less than one-tenth of a micron, the majority of droplets exhaled by coughs, sneezes and breathing are larger -- between 50 to 100 microns in diameter. For reference, a human hair boasts a diameter of roughly 70 microns.
"Our paper is not particularly designed for coronavirus," lead study author Binbin Wang, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Missouri, told UPI in an email. "Rather, we focus on the fundamental physics of droplets from human respiratory flows."
Exhaled droplets feature water, lipids, proteins and salt, in addition to virus. The model developed by Wang and his colleagues considered how environmental conditions and other substances in the atmosphere might impact these droplets.
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When researchers compared the results of their model to the predictions of models designed to simulate the movements of similarly sized particles, like corn pollen, they found significant agreement.
At 50 percent relative humidity, researchers found medium-sized droplets traveled no more than 11 feet, but at 100 percent humidity, the same droplets traveled as far as 16 feet.
"Our finding did show strong influences of temperature and humidity on spreading of droplets both in time and space," Wang said. "Generally, high humidity will increase evaporation time of a droplet. How long a droplet will stay in air strongly depends on the initial size of the droplet."
While the latest research offers clues as to the effects of air flows, temperature and humidity on exhaled droplets, the relationship between droplets and actual virus particles remains an area of uncertainty.
"We don't know how a virus is correlated to the droplets," Wang said. "What would happen to virus once droplets end their life is largely unknown. We need to be quite careful in interpreting our findings."
Still, Wang suggests the findings support the consensus recommendations among public health experts.
"Social distancing and face covering could significantly mitigate potential virus transmission," Wang said.


upi--2020-08-18--Study suggests 'horrifying' rise in domestic violence during pandemic

X-ray evidence points to pandemic lockdowns triggering a surge in cases of domestic violence .
Data from a major Massachusetts hospital found a significant year-over-year jump in intimate partner violence cases among patients -- nearly all women -- who sought emergency care during the COVID-19 pandemic 's first few weeks .
`` This data confirms what we suspected , '' said study co-author Mardi Chadwick Balcom .
`` Being confined to home for a period of time would increase the possibility for violence between intimate partners . ''
And the new study probably exposes `` only the tip of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Khurana , as it focused only on patients who sought emergency care at Brigham and Women 's Hospital in Boston and reported being a victim of domestic abuse .
Balcom is senior director of community health intervention and prevention programs at the hospital .
Khurana is head of its trauma imaging research and innovation center .
The study focused on results of radiology scans at the hospital between March 11 and May 3 -- the nine-week period after Massachusetts Gov .
Charles Baker declared a state of emergency and closed schools in response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients with injuries consistent with either superficial wounds or serious abuse .
That number was nearly equal to the 27 identified at the hospital during the same weeks in 2018 and 2019 combined .
It also exceeded the 15 cases of physical abuse treated in 2017 .
During spring 2020 , the hospital treated 28 serious domestic abuse injuries -- with some patients sustaining more than one .
Such `` deep '' injuries resulted from strangulation , stabbing , burns or the use of knives or guns , the study reported .
Five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 , compared to one in each of the three previous years .
The study was published Aug. 13 in the journal Radiology .
While deeply troubling , Khurana acknowledged that the findings are from one institution and might not apply more broadly .
Still , Balcom noted they are concerning .
`` Isolation is a big risk factor in [ intimate partner violence and ] COVID-19 has increased isolation both physically and socially for so many people , '' she said .
The findings dovetail with concerns about pandemic-related domestic abuse expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ António Guterres .
`` We know lockdowns and quarantines are essential to suppressing COVID-19 , but they can trap women with abusive partners , '' Guterres said at the time .
`` Over the past weeks , as the economic and social pressures and fear have grown , we have seen a horrifying surge in domestic violence .
`` For many women and girls , '' he added , `` the threat looms largest where they should be safest , in their own homes . ''
Barbara Paradiso , director of the Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado , Denver , echoed that thought .
`` When a victim is required to stay in a home without access to the usual outlets that help to reduce tension [ such as ] time apart when at work , opportunities to visit friends or family , a private place to reach out for help -- the opportunity for violence naturally rises , '' noted Paradiso , who was n't part of the study .
Stress stemming from the pandemic itself probably contributes as well , she added .
`` The person choosing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employs violence as a tool to establish and maintain power and control over their partner , '' Paradiso explained .
`` That need for power is , in part , a reflection of the lack of power they feel over their environment .
COVID has brought with it just about every uncertainty any of us can imagine : Will we lose our jobs ?
Be furloughed ?
When will be allowed to go back to work or school ?
Can I make my rent payment ?
And on and on . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Paradiso said .
`` That lack of control each of us are feeling is likely to be amplified for the abuser , and so they amplify their violence , '' she said .
Many shelters and safe homes have had to move people into hotels to comply with COVID-19 guidelines , so space for domestic abuse victims can be limited .
But help is available , Balcom said .
`` Hotlines and domestic violence programs are operating , '' she said .
Those who need help should contact their local program for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 .
Its website -- thehotline.org -- also has information about local resources .
`` Even if leaving home and going to a shelter is not what a survivor wants to do , the staff at safe home programs are great to talk with , '' Paradiso said .
`` They can provide support , help you to develop a plan to better keep yourself and your children safe , and connect you to lots of valuable resources in the community . ''
More information There 's more about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

An analysis at a hospital in Massachusetts suggests domestic violence has increased during the pandemic. Photo by Counselling /Pixabay
X-ray evidence points to pandemic lockdowns triggering a surge in cases of domestic violence. Data from a major Massachusetts hospital found a significant year-over-year jump in intimate partner violence cases among patients -- nearly all women -- who sought emergency care during the COVID-19 pandemic's first few weeks. Advertisement
"This data confirms what we suspected," said study co-author Mardi Chadwick Balcom. "Being confined to home for a period of time would increase the possibility for violence between intimate partners."
And the new study probably exposes "only the tip of the iceberg," said co-author Dr. Bharti Khurana, as it focused only on patients who sought emergency care at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and reported being a victim of domestic abuse.
Balcom is senior director of community health intervention and prevention programs at the hospital. Khurana is head of its trauma imaging research and innovation center.
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The study focused on results of radiology scans at the hospital between March 11 and May 3 -- the nine-week period after Massachusetts Gov. Charles Baker declared a state of emergency and closed schools in response to COVID-19.
The scans identified 26 patients with injuries consistent with either superficial wounds or serious abuse.
That number was nearly equal to the 27 identified at the hospital during the same weeks in 2018 and 2019 combined. It also exceeded the 15 cases of physical abuse treated in 2017.
During spring 2020, the hospital treated 28 serious domestic abuse injuries -- with some patients sustaining more than one. Such "deep" injuries resulted from strangulation, stabbing, burns or the use of knives or guns, the study reported.
Five victims of severe abuse were identified in 2020, compared to one in each of the three previous years. The study was published Aug. 13 in the journal Radiology.
While deeply troubling, Khurana acknowledged that the findings are from one institution and might not apply more broadly. Still, Balcom noted they are concerning.
"Isolation is a big risk factor in [intimate partner violence and] COVID-19 has increased isolation both physically and socially for so many people," she said.
The findings dovetail with concerns about pandemic-related domestic abuse expressed in April by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
Advertisement
"We know lockdowns and quarantines are essential to suppressing COVID-19, but they can trap women with abusive partners," Guterres said at the time. "Over the past weeks, as the economic and social pressures and fear have grown, we have seen a horrifying surge in domestic violence.
"For many women and girls," he added, "the threat looms largest where they should be safest, in their own homes."
Barbara Paradiso, director of the Center on Domestic Violence at the University of Colorado, Denver, echoed that thought.
"When a victim is required to stay in a home without access to the usual outlets that help to reduce tension [such as] time apart when at work, opportunities to visit friends or family, a private place to reach out for help -- the opportunity for violence naturally rises," noted Paradiso, who wasn't part of the study.
Stress stemming from the pandemic itself probably contributes as well, she added.
"The person choosing to use violence -- the perpetrator -- employs violence as a tool to establish and maintain power and control over their partner," Paradiso explained. "That need for power is, in part, a reflection of the lack of power they feel over their environment. COVID has brought with it just about every uncertainty any of us can imagine: Will we lose our jobs? Be furloughed? When will be allowed to go back to work or school? Can I make my rent payment? And on and on."
Advertisement
The uncertainty is likely to hit abusers hard, Paradiso said. "That lack of control each of us are feeling is likely to be amplified for the abuser, and so they amplify their violence," she said.
Many shelters and safe homes have had to move people into hotels to comply with COVID-19 guidelines, so space for domestic abuse victims can be limited. But help is available, Balcom said.
"Hotlines and domestic violence programs are operating," she said. Those who need help should contact their local program for support or reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. Its website -- thehotline.org -- also has information about local resources.
"Even if leaving home and going to a shelter is not what a survivor wants to do, the staff at safe home programs are great to talk with," Paradiso said. "They can provide support, help you to develop a plan to better keep yourself and your children safe, and connect you to lots of valuable resources in the community."
More information There's more about support for people experiencing abuse at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-08-18--Black, White COVID-19 patients with access to care die at similar rates, study shows

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- White Americans hospitalized with COVID-19 are just as likely to die from the disease as Black Americans , according to a study published Tuesday by JAMA Network Open .
Just over 23 % of White patients with COVID-19 being treated in the hospital ultimately died after getting infected , compared to 19 % of Black patients , the data showed .
Researchers have previously found that Black and Hispanic Americans are hospitalized for the new coronavirus at a rate up to three times their share of the general population , but with access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out .
`` These findings suggest that while Black U.S. residents might be at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and represent a disproportionate share of COVID-19 deaths , mortality for those able to access hospital care does not differ from White patients , '' researchers wrote in the study .
For the new analysis , researchers at Ascension , a network of Catholic hospitals across the country , reviewed data on COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths from 92 hospitals in 12 states between Feb. 19 and May 31 .
The 12 states represented in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illinois , Indiana , Kansas , Maryland , Michigan , New York , Oklahoma , Tennessee , Texas and Wisconsin .
The number of hospitals contributing data from each state ranged from one in Maryland to 18 in Wisconsin .
More than 11,000 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection were treated at the 92 hospitals during the study period -- roughly 4,200 were Black and 5,500 were White , according to the authors .
The patients ranged in age from 46 to 74 , although Black patients tended to be younger -- in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who were typically in their mid-60s .
Twenty-five percent of the Black patients were Medicaid beneficiaries , compared to 13 % of White patients .
Twenty percent of the patients hospitalized with COVID-19 died in the hospital , including 38 % of those who required mechanical ventilation .
Black patients in the study were more likely to have underlying health conditions like asthma , cancer , COPD , diabetes , high blood pressure , heart disease and obesity than their White counterparts , the researchers said .
Most research suggests `` that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by COVID-19 compared to their white counterparts , '' Brandon Brown , an associate professor of social medicine , population and public health at the University of California-Riverside , told UPI .
However , despite the apparent discrepancy , the study fills in an important gap in available research on the impact of COVID-19 : the `` transition from hospitalization to death , by race , '' said Brown , who was not involved in the new study .
`` We know that because of systematic racism ... that people of color are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic and less likely to be able to shelter in place , '' he said .
`` This is a major reason for the increased hospitalizations due to COVID-19 among Black , Indigenous , and Latinx people . ''

Black and White patients hospitalized with COVID-19 die at similar rates, a new study has found. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- White Americans hospitalized with COVID-19 are just as likely to die from the disease as Black Americans, according to a study published Tuesday by JAMA Network Open. Just over 23% of White patients with COVID-19 being treated in the hospital ultimately died after getting infected, compared to 19% of Black patients, the data showed. Advertisement
Researchers have previously found that Black and Hispanic Americans are hospitalized for the new coronavirus at a rate up to three times their share of the general population, but with access to care the death rates appear to even out.
"These findings suggest that while Black U.S. residents might be at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and represent a disproportionate share of COVID-19 deaths, mortality for those able to access hospital care does not differ from White patients," researchers wrote in the study.
For the new analysis, researchers at Ascension, a network of Catholic hospitals across the country, reviewed data on COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths from 92 hospitals in 12 states between Feb. 19 and May 31.
The 12 states represented in the study were Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. The number of hospitals contributing data from each state ranged from one in Maryland to 18 in Wisconsin.
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More than 11,000 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection were treated at the 92 hospitals during the study period -- roughly 4,200 were Black and 5,500 were White, according to the authors.
The patients ranged in age from 46 to 74, although Black patients tended to be younger -- in their early 60s -- compared to White patients, who were typically in their mid-60s. Twenty-five percent of the Black patients were Medicaid beneficiaries, compared to 13% of White patients.
Twenty percent of the patients hospitalized with COVID-19 died in the hospital, including 38% of those who required mechanical ventilation.
Black patients in the study were more likely to have underlying health conditions like asthma, cancer, COPD, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity than their White counterparts, the researchers said.
Most research suggests "that people of color are more highly impacted by COVID-19 compared to their white counterparts," Brandon Brown, an associate professor of social medicine, population and public health at the University of California-Riverside, told UPI.
However, despite the apparent discrepancy, the study fills in an important gap in available research on the impact of COVID-19: the "transition from hospitalization to death, by race," said Brown, who was not involved in the new study.
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"We know that because of systematic racism ... that people of color are more likely to be essential workers during the pandemic and less likely to be able to shelter in place," he said.
"This is a major reason for the increased hospitalizations due to COVID-19 among Black, Indigenous, and Latinx people."


upi--2020-08-18--Watch: Carly Rae Jepsen dances in 'Me & the Boys In the Band' video

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- Carly Rae Jepsen released a new song and video Tuesday .
`` Me & the Boys In the Band '' connects Jepsen with her bandmates , all playing their parts separately while social distancing .
`` I miss travel and performing and my band mates who over the years have become my adopted brothers , '' Jepsen said in a press release .
She called the song `` a from home 'pick me up ' song from all of us to you . '
'' Jepsen filmed herself singing the song in her backyard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bubbles .
Her band members played their instruments from their own homes .
The video also included photo montages of previous in person gigs they 'd played together , including an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden .
On May 21 , Jepsen released a surprise album , Dedicated Side B , a followup to her 2019 album .
Jepsen 's next scheduled tour dates begin June 17 , 2021 according to her website .
The press release also mentioned Jepsen 's five-year anniversary party for the release of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her fans singing and dancing to a track of their choice from the album .
Jepsen will host the karaoke party on Aug. 27 at 6 p.m. EDT on YouTube .

Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Carly Rae Jepsen released a new song and video Tuesday. "Me & the Boys In the Band" connects Jepsen with her bandmates, all playing their parts separately while social distancing.
"I miss travel and performing and my band mates who over the years have become my adopted brothers," Jepsen said in a press release. She called the song "a from home 'pick me up' song from all of us to you.'"
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Jepsen filmed herself singing the song in her backyard and in her bathtub, obscured by bubbles. Her band members played their instruments from their own homes.
The video also included photo montages of previous in person gigs they'd played together, including an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden.
On May 21, Jepsen released a surprise album, Dedicated Side B, a followup to her 2019 album. Jepsen's next scheduled tour dates begin June 17, 2021 according to her website.
The press release also mentioned Jepsen's five-year anniversary party for the release of her third album E*MO*TION. Jepsen solicited videos of her fans singing and dancing to a track of their choice from the album.
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Jepsen will host the karaoke party on Aug. 27 at 6 p.m. EDT on YouTube.


upi--2020-08-18--U.S. B-1 Lancers, B-2 stealth bombers conduct missions in Indo-Pacific

Aug. 18 ( UPI ) -- Pacific Air Forces launched four B-1 Lancers , two B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers and four F-15C Eagles and conducted Bomber Task Force missions simultaneously with joint and allied partners in the Indo-Pacific region over the course of 24 hours , officials said Tuesday .
Pacific Air Force conducted the Bomber Task Force operations , which started on Monday , to show the United States ' commitment to allies and partners in the region , the Air Force said .
`` Our unique strength as an Air Force is our ability to generate integrated actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partners to challenge competitors in a time and place of our choosing , '' Gen. Ken Wilsbach , Pacific Air Forces commander , said in a statement .
`` These simultaneous airpower missions demonstrated our capacity and readiness to deliver a wide range of proactive , scalable options to quickly deploy our forces to support our mission of ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific theater , '' Wilsbach said .
The B-1s departed from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota for the Sea of Japan , where they integrated with the Japan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set of B-1s took off from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam .
The four 15-Cs departed from Kadena Air Base in Japan to integrate with the B-1s as well as the Navy 's USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group , as well as F-35 Lightning IIs assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan and F-15J aircraft from the JASDF to conduct large exercise training .
Also , two B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base , Missouri joined the missions .
Earlier this month , the USS Reagan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ training exercises near Japan .
That event involved Navy Electronic Attack Squadron 131 which transitioned from Whidbey Island , Wash. , in June , and the Air Force 35th Fighter Wing .
`` High end , integrated training with our Air Force peers enhances our capability to respond to any contingency , and meet any challenge , '' said U.S. Navy Rear Adm. George Wikoff , Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group commander .
`` U.S. joint integration demonstrates our unwavering commitment to regional defense agreements with our allies and partners . ''
Wikoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday show the ability of U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command to deliver lethal , ready , long-range strike options to Geographic Combatant Commanders anytime , anywhere .

U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Japan Air Self Defense Force aircraft conduct a large-scale joint and bilateral integration training exercise Tuesday. Photo by Peter Reft/U.S. Air Force
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Pacific Air Forces launched four B-1 Lancers, two B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers and four F-15C Eagles and conducted Bomber Task Force missions simultaneously with joint and allied partners in the Indo-Pacific region over the course of 24 hours, officials said Tuesday. Pacific Air Force conducted the Bomber Task Force operations, which started on Monday, to show the United States' commitment to allies and partners in the region, the Air Force said. Advertisement
"Our unique strength as an Air Force is our ability to generate integrated actions with our joint teammates and allies and partners to challenge competitors in a time and place of our choosing," Gen. Ken Wilsbach, Pacific Air Forces commander, said in a statement.
"These simultaneous airpower missions demonstrated our capacity and readiness to deliver a wide range of proactive, scalable options to quickly deploy our forces to support our mission of ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific theater," Wilsbach said.
The B-1s departed from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota for the Sea of Japan, where they integrated with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
Meanwhile, another set of B-1s took off from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
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The four 15-Cs departed from Kadena Air Base in Japan to integrate with the B-1s as well as the Navy's USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, as well as F-35 Lightning IIs assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan and F-15J aircraft from the JASDF to conduct large exercise training.
Also, two B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri joined the missions.
Earlier this month, the USS Reagan participated in joint Air Force and Navy training exercises near Japan. That event involved Navy Electronic Attack Squadron 131 which transitioned from Whidbey Island,Wash., in June, and the Air Force 35th Fighter Wing.
"High end, integrated training with our Air Force peers enhances our capability to respond to any contingency, and meet any challenge," said U.S. Navy Rear Adm. George Wikoff, Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group commander. "U.S. joint integration demonstrates our unwavering commitment to regional defense agreements with our allies and partners."
Wikoff also said missions like the one conducted Monday show the ability of U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command to deliver lethal, ready, long-range strike options to Geographic Combatant Commanders anytime, anywhere.