upi--2020-08-12--Lillard lifts Blazers into playoff picture with 61 vs. Mavericks

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- Damian Lillard left defenders in the dust and set the nets on fire for a second consecutive game with a 61-point barrage to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a win over the Dallas Mavericks in Orlando , Fla. Lillard matched his career high and made 17 of 32 field goal attempts in the 134-131 triumph Tuesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex inside Walt Disney World Resort .
He also made 9 of 17 shots from 3-point range , 18 of 18 free throw attempts , and had eight assists and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do n't live my life or play the game to the standards or expectations of other people , '' Lillard told reporters .
`` I do it for the reasons that I love : to compete for the brotherhood , the connection to my teammates , coaches , staff and fans . ''
Lillard 's huge night came just two days after he scored 51 points in a win against the Philadelphia 76ers .
His hot streak has lifted the Blazers into the playoff picture as the No .
8 seed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a 5-2 record since they entered the league 's protective bubble .
Lillard has averaged 37 points , 9.3 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game in the seven games since the NBA season resumed in the bubble after the campaign was suspended in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic .
`` I 'm going out there thinking I 'm going to do whatever I have to do to win these games , '' Lillard said .
Lillard scored a dozen points to lead the Blazers to a 38-31 lead in the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the second frame to lead the Blazers to a 66-58 edge at halftime .
Lillard poured in 14 points in the third frame , but the Mavericks cut the Blazers ' lead to 98-95 as the clash entered the fourth quarter .
The Blazers and Mavericks exchanged the lead several times in the final frame before Lillard tied the score at 130-130 with a 3-pointer with 1:29 remaining .
Lillard then assisted a Hassan Whiteside dunk with 59.1 seconds remaining to take the lead .
Portland won the game powered by Lillard 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lillard and NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain now are the only two players to score at least 60 points three times in one season .
Chamberlain scored at least 60 points nine times in 1962-1963 and 15 times in 1961-1962 .
Lillard scored 60 points Nov. 8 against the Brooklyn Nets .
He posted 61 points Jan. 20 against the Golden State Warriors .
`` Nobody came into the bubble and wanted to make the playoffs more than 'Dame , ' '' Blazers coach Terry Stotts said .
`` We have one more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and game speaks for itself .
He is bringing the team along with him . ''
The Blazers ( 34-39 ) battle the Nets in their final seeding game at 9 p.m. EDT Thursday in Orlando .
The Mavericks ( 43-31 ) face the Phoenix Suns at 4 p.m. EDT Tuesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex .
The 2020 NBA playoffs start Aug. 17 and the NBA Finals are scheduled to start Sept. 30 .

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has averaged 37 points per game in seven contests since the 2020 NBA season resumed in July in Orlando, Fla. Photo by Erik Lesser/EPA-EFE
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Damian Lillard left defenders in the dust and set the nets on fire for a second consecutive game with a 61-point barrage to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a win over the Dallas Mavericks in Orlando, Fla. Lillard matched his career high and made 17 of 32 field goal attempts in the 134-131 triumph Tuesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex inside Walt Disney World Resort. He also made 9 of 17 shots from 3-point range, 18 of 18 free throw attempts, and had eight assists and five rebounds in the win. Advertisement
"I don't live my life or play the game to the standards or expectations of other people," Lillard told reporters.
"I do it for the reasons that I love: to compete for the brotherhood, the connection to my teammates, coaches, staff and fans."
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Lillard's huge night came just two days after he scored 51 points in a win against the Philadelphia 76ers. His hot streak has lifted the Blazers into the playoff picture as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference standings.
The Blazers have a 5-2 record since they entered the league's protective bubble. Lillard has averaged 37 points, 9.3 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game in the seven games since the NBA season resumed in the bubble after the campaign was suspended in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"I'm going out there thinking I'm going to do whatever I have to do to win these games," Lillard said.
Lillard scored a dozen points to lead the Blazers to a 38-31 lead in the first quarter. He added 13 points in the second frame to lead the Blazers to a 66-58 edge at halftime. Lillard poured in 14 points in the third frame, but the Mavericks cut the Blazers' lead to 98-95 as the clash entered the fourth quarter.
The Blazers and Mavericks exchanged the lead several times in the final frame before Lillard tied the score at 130-130 with a 3-pointer with 1:29 remaining. Lillard then assisted a Hassan Whiteside dunk with 59.1 seconds remaining to take the lead. Portland won the game powered by Lillard's 22 points over the final 12 minutes.
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Lillard and NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain now are the only two players to score at least 60 points three times in one season. Chamberlain scored at least 60 points nine times in 1962-1963 and 15 times in 1961-1962.
Lillard scored 60 points Nov. 8 against the Brooklyn Nets. He posted 61 points Jan. 20 against the Golden State Warriors.
"Nobody came into the bubble and wanted to make the playoffs more than 'Dame,'" Blazers coach Terry Stotts said.
"We have one more game to go, but his leadership and game speaks for itself. He is bringing the team along with him."
The Blazers (34-39) battle the Nets in their final seeding game at 9 p.m. EDT Thursday in Orlando. The Mavericks (43-31) face the Phoenix Suns at 4 p.m. EDT Tuesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.
The 2020 NBA playoffs start Aug. 17 and the NBA Finals are scheduled to start Sept. 30.


upi--2020-08-12--Hong Kong mogul Jimmy Lai released on bail

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- The Hong Kong media tycoon arrested Monday on charges of violating the city 's new national security law was released on bail with other executives of Next Digital media firm , but could still face trial on the Chinese mainland .
Jimmy Lai , founder of the company 's popular newspaper Apple Daily , was among 10 people who were let go after being arrested by Hong Kong police .
Lai was in police custody for about 40 hours , before he was released from Mong Kok Police Station , Radio Television Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kong authorities came after a committee of China 's National People 's Congress agreed to extend the term of Hong Kong 's legislative body by a year , following a highly criticized decision to delay local elections .
Apple Daily , which live streamed Lai 's release and his visit to the newsroom , reported employees lined the stairwells of the office and welcomed him with loud applause and cheers .
`` Luckily I was not [ extradited ] to the Chinese mainland , '' Lai said , according to the report .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ articles that upset the pro-China political forces and Hong Kong , '' Lai said in jest .
`` I 'm very touched , we will fight on , '' Lai went to say , according to The Guardian .
`` We have the support of the Hong Kong people .
We ca n't let them down . ''
Agnes Chow , a local activist who was also arrested Monday on charges of violating the national security law , was released late Tuesday from Tai Po Police Station .
Protesters in Hong Kong have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's dramatic arrest , which involved hundreds of police officers who raided Apple Daily .
Some of the protesters were arrested on charges of violating the city 's social distancing guidelines , according to Hong Kong Free Press .

Hong Kong media tycoon and founder of Apple Daily, Jimmy Lai (C) is surrounded by members of the media as he leaves a police station after he was released on bail in Hong Kong, China before returning to his office after midnight, Wednesday. File Photo by Jerome Favre/EPA-EFE
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- The Hong Kong media tycoon arrested Monday on charges of violating the city's new national security law was released on bail with other executives of Next Digital media firm, but could still face trial on the Chinese mainland. Jimmy Lai, founder of the company's popular newspaper Apple Daily, was among 10 people who were let go after being arrested by Hong Kong police. Lai was in police custody for about 40 hours, before he was released from Mong Kok Police Station, Radio Television Hong Kong reported Wednesday. Advertisement
The decision from Hong Kong authorities came after a committee of China's National People's Congress agreed to extend the term of Hong Kong's legislative body by a year, following a highly criticized decision to delay local elections.
Apple Daily, which live streamed Lai's release and his visit to the newsroom, reported employees lined the stairwells of the office and welcomed him with loud applause and cheers.
"Luckily I was not [extradited] to the Chinese mainland," Lai said, according to the report.
"Let us continue to keep writing articles that upset the pro-China political forces and Hong Kong," Lai said in jest.
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"I'm very touched, we will fight on," Lai went to say, according to The Guardian. "We have the support of the Hong Kong people. We can't let them down."
Agnes Chow, a local activist who was also arrested Monday on charges of violating the national security law, was released late Tuesday from Tai Po Police Station.
Protesters in Hong Kong have been gathering in the evening following Lai's dramatic arrest, which involved hundreds of police officers who raided Apple Daily. Some of the protesters were arrested on charges of violating the city's social distancing guidelines, according to Hong Kong Free Press.


upi--2020-08-12--Red bricks can be charged, store energy

Red bricks can be charged, store energy

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- Chemists at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a method for converting red bricks , the ubiquitous building material , into `` smart bricks '' that can be charged and store energy like a battery .
Scientists published their proof-of-concept paper this week in the journal Nature Communications .
`` Our method works with regular brick or recycled bricks , and we can make our own bricks as well , '' co-author Julio D'Arcy said in a news release .
`` As a matter of fact , the work that we have published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we bought at Home Depot right here in Brentwood , Missouri ; each brick was 65 cents , '' said D'Arcy , an assistant professor of chemistry at Washington .
Designers and engineers have previously recognized the brick 's ability to absorb and store the sun 's energy , but the latest study marks the first time researchers have developed a strategy for converting a red brick into a supercapacitor .
`` In this work , we have developed a coating of the conducting polymer PEDOT , which is comprised of nanofibers that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brick ; a polymer coating remains trapped in a brick and serves as an ion sponge that stores and conducts electricity , '' D'Arcy said .
The iron oxide , or rust , that give bricks their red color works to trigger the polymerization process .
Authors of the proof-of-concept paper have yet to build a chargeable brick , but their calculations suggest a smart brick could store significantly amounts of energy .
The research team proposed a range of potential applications for their smart bricks .
For example , a collection of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cells and used to power emergency lighting .
`` Advantageously , a brick wall serving as a supercapacitor can be recharged hundreds of thousands of times within an hour .
If you connect a couple of bricks , microelectronics sensors would be easily powered , '' D'Arcy said .

New research suggests red bricks could be converted into electricity-storing smart bricks. Photo by D'Arcy laboratory/Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Chemists at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a method for converting red bricks, the ubiquitous building material, into "smart bricks" that can be charged and store energy like a battery. Scientists published their proof-of-concept paper this week in the journal Nature Communications. Advertisement
"Our method works with regular brick or recycled bricks, and we can make our own bricks as well," co-author Julio D'Arcy said in a news release.
"As a matter of fact, the work that we have published in Nature Communications stems from bricks that we bought at Home Depot right here in Brentwood, Missouri; each brick was 65 cents," said D'Arcy, an assistant professor of chemistry at Washington.
Designers and engineers have previously recognized the brick's ability to absorb and store the sun's energy, but the latest study marks the first time researchers have developed a strategy for converting a red brick into a supercapacitor.
"In this work, we have developed a coating of the conducting polymer PEDOT, which is comprised of nanofibers that penetrate the inner porous network of a brick; a polymer coating remains trapped in a brick and serves as an ion sponge that stores and conducts electricity," D'Arcy said.
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The iron oxide, or rust, that give bricks their red color works to trigger the polymerization process. Authors of the proof-of-concept paper have yet to build a chargeable brick, but their calculations suggest a smart brick could store significantly amounts of energy.
The research team proposed a range of potential applications for their smart bricks. For example, a collection of smart bricks could be linked with solar cells and used to power emergency lighting.
"Advantageously, a brick wall serving as a supercapacitor can be recharged hundreds of thousands of times within an hour. If you connect a couple of bricks, microelectronics sensors would be easily powered," D'Arcy said.


upi--2020-08-12--'Mexican Gothic': Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos developing series for Hulu

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- Kelly Ripa and her husband , Mark Consuelos , are developing a drama series for Hulu based on author Silvia Moreno-Garcia 's horror novel , Mexican Gothic .
Ripa and Consuelos ' Milojo Productions , which acquired the rights to adapt the novel , is collaborating with ABC Signature on the series , Deadline reported .
The married couple are executive producing along with Moreno-Garcia and Albert Bianchini of Milojo Productions .
Consuelos confirmed on Twitter that he is developing a Mexican Gothic series .
The book , published in June , follows Noemi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Mexican countryside after receiving a letter from her newly-wed cousin asking for help .
`` We feel like we hit the literary jackpot , and can not wait to bring Silvia 's gorgeous writing to life , together with Hulu , '' Ripa said in a statement .
`` I am excited to see the novel come to life and to meet the talented , diverse crew and cast members that will take us on this journey , '' Moreno-Garcia said .
Moreno-Garcia is also known for penning Gods of Jade @ @ @

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Kelly Ripa (L) and her husband Mark Consuelos are developing an "Mexican Gothic" series for Hulu. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Kelly Ripa and her husband, Mark Consuelos, are developing a drama series for Hulu based on author Silvia Moreno-Garcia's horror novel, Mexican Gothic. Ripa and Consuelos' Milojo Productions, which acquired the rights to adapt the novel, is collaborating with ABC Signature on the series, Deadline reported. Advertisement
The married couple are executive producing along with Moreno-Garcia and Albert Bianchini of Milojo Productions.
Consuelos confirmed on Twitter that he is developing a Mexican Gothic series.
The book, published in June, follows Noemi Taboada who heads to a distant house in the Mexican countryside after receiving a letter from her newly-wed cousin asking for help.
"We feel like we hit the literary jackpot, and cannot wait to bring Silvia's gorgeous writing to life, together with Hulu," Ripa said in a statement.
"I am excited to see the novel come to life and to meet the talented, diverse crew and cast members that will take us on this journey," Moreno-Garcia said.
Moreno-Garcia is also known for penning Gods of Jade and Shadow.
Longest celebrity relationships


upi--2020-08-12--Luca Guadagnino's first TV drama series to air on BBC

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- We Are Who We Are -- the first TV series helmed by Call Me By Your Name and Suspiria director Luca Guadagnino -- is to air on the BBC .
The eight-part drama , produced by Freemantle , is about two American kids who live on a U.S. military base in Italy .
It stars Chloë Sevigny , Jack Dylan Grazer , Alice Braga , Jordan Kristine Seamón , Spence Moore II , Kid Cudi , Faith Alabi , Francesca Scorsese , Ben Taylor , Corey Knight , Tom Mercier and Sebastiano Pigazzi .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we are attempting to portray the here and now of two families , few generations , many exciting people , '' showrunner Guadagnino said in a press release Tuesday .
`` To see the world from their perspective , it is what I am delighted to share with U.K. audiences .
To do so thanks to the prestigious and remarkable BBC is an accomplishment and a soothing encouragement . ''
No premiere date has been announced yet for the British broadcaster .
It will debut in the United States on HBO and @ @ @ @ @ @

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The BBC said it plans to air Luca Guadagnino's first TV series, "We Are Who We Are." File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- We Are Who We Are -- the first TV series helmed by Call Me By Your Name and Suspiria director Luca Guadagnino -- is to air on the BBC. The eight-part drama, produced by Freemantle, is about two American kids who live on a U.S. military base in Italy. It stars Chloë Sevigny, Jack Dylan Grazer, Alice Braga, Jordan Kristine Seamón, Spence Moore II, Kid Cudi, Faith Alabi, Francesca Scorsese, Ben Taylor, Corey Knight, Tom Mercier and Sebastiano Pigazzi. Advertisement
"With We Are Who We Are, we are attempting to portray the here and now of two families, few generations, many exciting people," showrunner Guadagnino said in a press release Tuesday.
"To see the world from their perspective, it is what I am delighted to share with U.K. audiences. To do so thanks to the prestigious and remarkable BBC is an accomplishment and a soothing encouragement."
No premiere date has been announced yet for the British broadcaster.
It will debut in the United States on HBO and HBO Max on Sept. 14.


upi--2020-08-12--British economy sinks into deepest recession of any nation

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- The British economy has fallen into the deepest recession of any country in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic , government figures showed Wednesday .
The statistics said Britain 's gross domestic product declined in the second quarter by 20.4 % , the nation 's worst quarterly plunge in history .
The Office for National Statistics said the second-quarter decline came on top of the 2.2 % decline in the first quarter .
Economists define a recession as two consecutive quarters of contracting gross domestic product .
Britain is now in the most severe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There have been record quarterly falls in services , production and construction output in Quarter 2 , which have been particularly prevalent in those industries that have been most exposed to government restrictions , '' the ONS said in a statement .
`` This [ data ] captures the direct effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the government measures taken to reduce transmission of the virus . ''
Britain 's last recession occurred in 2008 and lasted for more than a year .
The opposition Labor Party blamed Prime Minister Boris Johnson for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've said before that hard times were ahead and today 's figures confirm that hard times are here , '' Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said .
`` Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost their jobs and , sadly , in the coming months many more will .
`` While there are difficult choices to be made ahead , we will get through this and I can assure people that nobody will be left without hope or opportunity . ''
Data showed Britain 's construction and service sectors saw the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 % , respectively .

The Bank of England is seen in London, Britain. Before this year, Britain's last recession occurred in 2008 and lasted for more than a year. File Photo by Andy Rain/EPA-EFE
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- The British economy has fallen into the deepest recession of any country in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, government figures showed Wednesday. The statistics said Britain's gross domestic product declined in the second quarter by 20.4%, the nation's worst quarterly plunge in history. Advertisement
The Office for National Statistics said the second-quarter decline came on top of the 2.2% decline in the first quarter. Economists define a recession as two consecutive quarters of contracting gross domestic product.
Britain is now in the most severe recession of any major economy.
"There have been record quarterly falls in services, production and construction output in Quarter 2, which have been particularly prevalent in those industries that have been most exposed to government restrictions," the ONS said in a statement.
"This [data] captures the direct effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the government measures taken to reduce transmission of the virus."
Britain's last recession occurred in 2008 and lasted for more than a year.
The opposition Labor Party blamed Prime Minister Boris Johnson for the economy's misfortunes.
"I've said before that hard times were ahead and today's figures confirm that hard times are here," Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said. "Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost their jobs and, sadly, in the coming months many more will.
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"While there are difficult choices to be made ahead, we will get through this and I can assure people that nobody will be left without hope or opportunity."
Data showed Britain's construction and service sectors saw the steepest declines, falling 35% and 20%, respectively.


upi--2020-08-12--Brandon Crawford, Giants edge Astros in extra innings

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- Veteran second baseman Brandon Crawford slapped a single just out of reach of infielders to plate a game-winning run and lead the San Francisco Giants to an extra-innings triumph over the Houston Astros .
Crawford 's decisive hit came in the top of the 10th inning in the 7-6 victory Tuesday at Minute Maid Park in Houston .
The Astros have now lost six of their last seven games .
Crawford entered Tuesday 's matchup with a .178 batting average in 2020 .
Wilmer Flores hit a solo homer in the top of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early lead before the Astros responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning .
Astros star Alex Bregman pushed the lead to 4-1 with another solo shot in the bottom of the third inning .
Alex Dickerson then hit an RBI single for the Giants to cut the Astros ' lead to two runs .
Houston responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to push the lead to 6-2 before the Giants rallied .
Hunter Pence hit a three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Darin Ruf then tied the game with an RBI single in the top of the ninth inning .
New MLB rules allow for each team to start every half inning after the ninth frame with a runner on second base , which meant Flores was already in scoring position for San Francisco in the top of the 10th frame .
Austin Slater pushed Flores to third base with a leadoff single before Crawford settled in against Astros relief pitcher Cy Sneed .
Sneed earned an 0-2 lead in the count before Crawford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 2-2 cutter over Sneed 's head and just to the right of second base .
The shallow smack allowed Flores to jog in from third base for the go-ahead score .
The Astros began the bottom of the inning with George Springer on second base , but Giants reliever Tyler Rogers retired the final three hitters of the game in order and earned a save .
Crawford went 2 for 4 with an RBI , a walk and a strikeout for the Giants .
Pence , Dickerson and Slater also had two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right fielder Tyler Reddick went 2 for 5 with two RBIs in the loss .
Astros starter Brandon Bielak allowed six hits and two runs in five innings , but was not on the record for a decision .
Giants starter Tyler Anderson allowed five hits and four runs in five innings and was also not in line for a decision .
The Astros ( 7-10 ) host the Giants ( 8-11 ) in the final game of the series at 7:10 p.m. EDT Wednesday at Minute Maid Park .

Wilmer Flores scored the game-winning run in the San Francisco Giants' win over the Houston Astros Tuesday in Houston. Photo by Trask Smith/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Veteran second baseman Brandon Crawford slapped a single just out of reach of infielders to plate a game-winning run and lead the San Francisco Giants to an extra-innings triumph over the Houston Astros. Crawford's decisive hit came in the top of the 10th inning in the 7-6 victory Tuesday at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Advertisement
The Astros have now lost six of their last seven games. Crawford entered Tuesday's matchup with a .178 batting average in 2020.
Wilmer Flores hit a solo homer in the top of the second frame to give the Giants an early lead before the Astros responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Astros star Alex Bregman pushed the lead to 4-1 with another solo shot in the bottom of the third inning.
Alex Dickerson then hit an RBI single for the Giants to cut the Astros' lead to two runs. Houston responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to push the lead to 6-2 before the Giants rallied.
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Hunter Pence hit a three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning to cut the deficit to one run. Darin Ruf then tied the game with an RBI single in the top of the ninth inning.
New MLB rules allow for each team to start every half inning after the ninth frame with a runner on second base, which meant Flores was already in scoring position for San Francisco in the top of the 10th frame.
Austin Slater pushed Flores to third base with a leadoff single before Crawford settled in against Astros relief pitcher Cy Sneed. Sneed earned an 0-2 lead in the count before Crawford evened the exchange.
Crawford then knocked a 2-2 cutter over Sneed's head and just to the right of second base. The shallow smack allowed Flores to jog in from third base for the go-ahead score.
The Astros began the bottom of the inning with George Springer on second base, but Giants reliever Tyler Rogers retired the final three hitters of the game in order and earned a save.
Crawford went 2 for 4 with an RBI, a walk and a strikeout for the Giants. Pence, Dickerson and Slater also had two hits apiece in the win. Astros right fielder Tyler Reddick went 2 for 5 with two RBIs in the loss.
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Astros starter Brandon Bielak allowed six hits and two runs in five innings, but was not on the record for a decision. Giants starter Tyler Anderson allowed five hits and four runs in five innings and was also not in line for a decision.
The Astros (7-10) host the Giants (8-11) in the final game of the series at 7:10 p.m. EDT Wednesday at Minute Maid Park.
This week in Major League Baseball


upi--2020-08-12--Michelle Pfeiffer's 'French Exit' to close the New York Film Festival

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- Michelle Pfeiffer 's French Exit has been chosen as the closing night screening of the 2020 New York Film Festival .
This will mark the world premiere of the Azazel Jacobs-helmed comedy , which features Pfeiffer as a down-on-her-luck socialite , Lucas Hedges as her son and Tracy Letts as the voice of their cat .
The adaptation of Patrick deWitt 's novel was filmed last fall in Montreal and Paris .
DeWitt penned the screenplay .
`` We 've been watching New York filmmaker Azazel Jacobs for more than a decade , since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our New Directors/New Films festival in 2008 , '' New York Film Festival Director Eugene Hernandez said in a statement Tuesday .
`` Now , we 're honored that he 'll make his NYFF debut with closing night selection French Exit , a tour-de-force collaboration with Michelle Pfeiffer that we ca n't wait to share with audiences in NYC and beyond . ''
The 58th edition of the New York Film Festival -- which is scheduled for Sept. 25 through Oct. 11 -- will consist of mostly outdoor and virtual screenings in keeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the coronavirus .

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Michelle Pfeiffer's "French Exit" has been selected as the closing night film for the New York Film Festival. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Michelle Pfeiffer's French Exit has been chosen as the closing night screening of the 2020 New York Film Festival. This will mark the world premiere of the Azazel Jacobs-helmed comedy, which features Pfeiffer as a down-on-her-luck socialite, Lucas Hedges as her son and Tracy Letts as the voice of their cat. Advertisement
The adaptation of Patrick deWitt's novel was filmed last fall in Montreal and Paris. DeWitt penned the screenplay.
"We've been watching New York filmmaker Azazel Jacobs for more than a decade, since his film Momma's Man screened in our New Directors/New Films festival in 2008," New York Film Festival Director Eugene Hernandez said in a statement Tuesday.
"Now, we're honored that he'll make his NYFF debut with closing night selection French Exit, a tour-de-force collaboration with Michelle Pfeiffer that we can't wait to share with audiences in NYC and beyond."
The 58th edition of the New York Film Festival -- which is scheduled for Sept. 25 through Oct. 11 -- will consist of mostly outdoor and virtual screenings in keeping with social distancing practices enacted to slow the spread of the coronavirus.


upi--2020-08-12--U.S. reports fewer than 50,000 new COVID-19 cases for 3rd day in a row

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- For the third day in a row , new COVID-19 cases in the United States have totaled fewer than 50,000 -- the first time in more than a month that the daily national tally was under that mark for three days .
The case count Tuesday was 46,800 , according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University .
There were 47,000 cases Sunday and 49,500 on Monday .
The United States averaged around 60,000 new cases per day during July .
The last time new U.S. cases were under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Updated figures Wednesday from Johns Hopkins showed there have been 5.141 million cases and 164,500 deaths in the United States since the start of the pandemic .
COVID-19 deaths , however , rose Tuesday to 1,300 after averaging about 500 the previous two days , according to the COVID Tracking Project .
Tuesday , Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow had registered the world 's first approved COVID vaccine and said he 'd given it to his daughter .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the top U.S. expert on infectious diseases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the claim .
Fauci , the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , told a National Geographic Magazine forum he 's skeptical of the `` Sputnik V '' vaccine in part because the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow , where it was developed , has yet to release any clinical data .
It 's also not believed that the vaccine passed through stage-three human trials , a key step for any vaccine .
`` I hope that the Russians have actually definitively proven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Fauci said .
`` I seriously doubt that they 've done that . ''
`` We have half a dozen or more vaccines , '' he added .
`` So if we wanted to take the chance of hurting a lot of people or giving them something that does n't work , we could start doing this , you know , next week if we wanted to .
But that 's not the way it works . ''
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the United States is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` There point is not to be first with a vaccine , '' Azar told ABC 's Good Morning America .
`` The point is to have a vaccine that is safe and effective for the American people and the people of the world . ''
In Texas , the state became the latest Tuesday to surpass 500,000 COVID-19 cases , the Department of State Health Services reported .
Gov .
Greg Abbott said new cases are continuing a gradual decline , but acknowledged that some parts of the state still have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trend will have to change before statewide restrictions on bars and other businesses are lifted .
`` We have to remain vigilant to slow the spread of COVID-19 , '' he said .

Travelers walk through Terminal 2 at San Francisco International Airport in San Mateo County, Calif., on Monday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- For the third day in a row, new COVID-19 cases in the United States have totaled fewer than 50,000 -- the first time in more than a month that the daily national tally was under that mark for three days. The case count Tuesday was 46,800, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Advertisement
There were 47,000 cases Sunday and 49,500 on Monday. The United States averaged around 60,000 new cases per day during July.
The last time new U.S. cases were under 50,000 for three days was July 4-6.
Updated figures Wednesday from Johns Hopkins showed there have been 5.141 million cases and 164,500 deaths in the United States since the start of the pandemic.
COVID-19 deaths, however, rose Tuesday to 1,300 after averaging about 500 the previous two days, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow had registered the world's first approved COVID vaccine and said he'd given it to his daughter. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. expert on infectious diseases, said he has "serious doubts" about the claim.
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Fauci, the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told a National Geographic Magazine forum he's skeptical of the "Sputnik V" vaccine in part because the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow, where it was developed, has yet to release any clinical data.
It's also not believed that the vaccine passed through stage-three human trials, a key step for any vaccine.
"I hope that the Russians have actually definitively proven that the vaccine is safe and effective," Fauci said. "I seriously doubt that they've done that."
"We have half a dozen or more vaccines," he added. "So if we wanted to take the chance of hurting a lot of people or giving them something that doesn't work, we could start doing this, you know, next week if we wanted to. But that's not the way it works."
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the United States is not competing with Russia to produce a vaccine.
"There point is not to be first with a vaccine," Azar told ABC's Good Morning America. "The point is to have a vaccine that is safe and effective for the American people and the people of the world."
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In Texas, the state became the latest Tuesday to surpass 500,000 COVID-19 cases, the Department of State Health Services reported.
Gov. Greg Abbott said new cases are continuing a gradual decline, but acknowledged that some parts of the state still have high hospitalization rates. He warned that trend will have to change before statewide restrictions on bars and other businesses are lifted.
"We have to remain vigilant to slow the spread of COVID-19," he said.


upi--2020-08-12--Watch: Orlando Bloom says he's excited to have a 'little daddy's girl' on 'Tonight Show'

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- Orlando Bloom discussed how it feels to be an expectant father and how he already loves his baby girl while appearing on The Tonight Show .
Bloom and his fiance , Katy Perry , are expecting their first child together , a baby girl .
The actor is already a father to 9-year-old son Flynn who he shares with ex-wife Miranda Kerr .
`` I 'm so excited to have a little daddy 's girl .
I hope she 's going to love me as much as I love her , '' Bloom told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daddy-girl thing and you know , that love of your life feeling I think is right around there you know , '' he continued .
Bloom , in March , also discussed his joy at Perry 's pregnancy .
`` This kind of kind of joy is n't something you can put into words or really wrap you head around , '' he said at the time .
Bloom stars in Retaliation , a film recently released onto digital platforms about an adult victim of childhood sexual abuse .
Bloom told Fallon that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the experiences of screenwriter Geoff Thompson .
The Hollywood star noted how the script and film was sent to men 's groups who help with dealing with childhood sexual abuse .
`` I felt this responsibility for not only Geoff to tell his story , but hopefully that there would be a kind of healing for men who saw this because many of these organizations that I sent the script to said 'please make this film , ' '' Bloom said .

Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Orlando Bloom discussed how it feels to be an expectant father and how he already loves his baby girl while appearing on The Tonight Show.
Bloom and his fiance, Katy Perry, are expecting their first child together, a baby girl. The actor is already a father to 9-year-old son Flynn who he shares with ex-wife Miranda Kerr.
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"I'm so excited to have a little daddy's girl. I hope she's going to love me as much as I love her," Bloom told Fallon on Tuesday.
"But that daddy-girl thing and you know, that love of your life feeling I think is right around there you know," he continued.
Bloom, in March, also discussed his joy at Perry's pregnancy.
"This kind of kind of joy isn't something you can put into words or really wrap you head around," he said at the time.
Bloom stars in Retaliation, a film recently released onto digital platforms about an adult victim of childhood sexual abuse. Bloom told Fallon that part of the film was loosely based on the experiences of screenwriter Geoff Thompson.
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The Hollywood star noted how the script and film was sent to men's groups who help with dealing with childhood sexual abuse.
"I felt this responsibility for not only Geoff to tell his story, but hopefully that there would be a kind of healing for men who saw this because many of these organizations that I sent the script to said 'please make this film,'" Bloom said.


upi--2020-08-12--Manny Machado mashes grand slam to power San Diego Padres past LA Dodgers

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- All-Star slugger Manny Machado launched a grand slam to lead the San Diego Padres to a 6-2 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium .
Machado stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and the game tied in the top of the third inning before his go-ahead round-tripper sparked the win Tuesday in Los Angeles .
The Dodgers took an early lead on a Chris Taylor RBI single in the bottom of the second inning .
Austin Hedges then tied the score with an RBI single for the Padres in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar reached base on a throwing error in the next at-bat .
Dodgers starter Ross Stripling then allowed a single to Fernando Tatis Jr. , which loaded the bases for San Diego .
Stripling forced a ground out before Machado stepped into the box .
The slugger 's brief exchange with Stripling featured just one pitch .
Stripling slipped an 80.9-mph slider to Machado .
The Padres star swung and smashed the offering to center field for a 410-foot grand slam .
The laser-style longball traveled 105 mph before it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Statcast .
Profar hit his second home run of the season in the fifth frame to increase the Padres ' lead to 6-1 .
Austin Barnes plated the Dodgers ' final score with an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth .
Stripling allowed six hits and six runs in 4.2 innings to take his first loss of 2020 .
Padres starter Garrett Richards allowed six hits and one run in six innings to earn his first win of the season .
Machado went 2 for 4 with four RBIs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Profar , Tatis and second baseman Jake Cronenworth had two hits apiece for the Padres .
Taylor and Barnes each went 2 for 4 for the Dodgers .
The Dodgers ( 11-7 ) host the Padres ( 11-7 ) at 9:40 p.m. EDT Wednesday at Dodger Stadium .

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San Diego Padres slugger Manny Machado went 2 for 4 with four RBIs and a run scored in a win against the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday in Los Angeles. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- All-Star slugger Manny Machado launched a grand slam to lead the San Diego Padres to a 6-2 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Machado stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and the game tied in the top of the third inning before his go-ahead round-tripper sparked the win Tuesday in Los Angeles. Advertisement
The Dodgers took an early lead on a Chris Taylor RBI single in the bottom of the second inning. Austin Hedges then tied the score with an RBI single for the Padres in the top of the next inning.
Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar reached base on a throwing error in the next at-bat. Dodgers starter Ross Stripling then allowed a single to Fernando Tatis Jr., which loaded the bases for San Diego. Stripling forced a ground out before Machado stepped into the box.
The slugger's brief exchange with Stripling featured just one pitch.
Stripling slipped an 80.9-mph slider to Machado. The Padres star swung and smashed the offering to center field for a 410-foot grand slam. The laser-style longball traveled 105 mph before it left the field in 5.4 seconds, according to Statcast.
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Profar hit his second home run of the season in the fifth frame to increase the Padres' lead to 6-1. Austin Barnes plated the Dodgers' final score with an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth.
Stripling allowed six hits and six runs in 4.2 innings to take his first loss of 2020. Padres starter Garrett Richards allowed six hits and one run in six innings to earn his first win of the season.
Machado went 2 for 4 with four RBIs and a run scored in the win. Profar, Tatis and second baseman Jake Cronenworth had two hits apiece for the Padres. Taylor and Barnes each went 2 for 4 for the Dodgers.
The Dodgers (11-7) host the Padres (11-7) at 9:40 p.m. EDT Wednesday at Dodger Stadium.
This week in Major League Baseball


upi--2020-08-12--Dwayne Johnson is 2020's highest paid actor

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- Jumanji : The Next Level and Hobbs & Shaw star Dwayne Johnson is the @ @ @ @ @ for a second , consecutive year , according to financial magazine Forbes .
Johnson earned @ @ @ @ @ , with Ryan Reynolds following at No .
2 with $ 71.5 million , Mark @ @ @ @ @ with $ 58 million , Ben Affleck at No .
4 with $ 55 million @ @ @ @ @ .
5 with $ 54 million .
Rounding out the top tier are Akshay Kumar @ @ @ @ @ $ 48.5 million , Lin-Manuel Miranda at No .
7 with $ 45.5 million , @ @ @ @ @ 8 with $ 44.5 million , Adam Sandler at No .
9 with $ 41 @ @ @ @ @ No .
10 with $ 40 million .
Johnson topped the Forbes list in 2019 @ @ @ @ @ in $ 89.4 million in pretax earnings .

Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Jumanji: The Next Level and Hobbs & Shaw star Dwayne Johnson is the world's highest paid actor for a second, consecutive year, according to financial magazine Forbes.
Johnson earned $87.5 million this year, with Ryan Reynolds following at No. 2 with $71.5 million, Mark Wahlberg at No. 3 with $58 million, Ben Affleck at No. 4 with $55 million and Vin Diesel at No. 5 with $54 million.
Rounding out the top tier are Akshay Kumar at No. 6 with $48.5 million, Lin-Manuel Miranda at No. 7 with $45.5 million, Will Smith at No. 8 with $44.5 million, Adam Sandler at No. 9 with $41 million and Jackie Chan at No. 10 with $40 million.
Johnson topped the Forbes list in 2019, as well, raking in $89.4 million in pretax earnings.


upi--2020-08-12--Timbers defenders spark win vs. Orlando City SC in MLS Is Back final

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- The Portland Timbers used goals from two defenders to beat Orlando City SC in the MLS Is Back Tournament final in Orlando , Fla. Timbers fullbacks Larrys Mabiala and Dario Zuparic scored in the 2-1 triumph Tuesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex inside Walt Disney World Resort .
The finale came after more than a month of action on the league 's bubble campus after the MLS regular-season was suspended in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic .
`` In the quarantine we 've been talking a lot about what we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to play , '' Mabiala told reporters .
`` Obviously we wanted to play better , but at the end of the day you do n't play finals , you 're just winning , and we 'll remember the winner of this MLS Is Back tournament . ''
The Timbers clinched a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League with the victory .
`` It 's a great feeling to achieve this in this tournament , '' Timbers manager Giovanni Savarese said .
`` A historical moment for our club .
Credit to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purpose .
`` From the moment we came here from Portland , the mindset was to make sure that we win one game at a time .
Everybody demonstrated , game-by-game , the unity we have and the maturity they showed , with the way they went into every single game .
Achieving this has been a huge accomplishment . ''
The Timbers struck first off a Diego Valeri free kick from about 40 yards out in the 27th minute .
Valeri bent the long attempt into the box during the play .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ headed the service into the near-post netting .
Orlando SC star Nani used some more of his magic to set up the equalizer in the 39th minute .
The Portuguese winger dribbled up the left flank before he turned and fired a pass into the box .
Midfielder Mauricio Pereyra stopped the feed and kept the ball away from three defenders before he ripped a shot into the near post to beat Timbers keeper Steve Clark .
The score stayed tied through halftime before Zuparic scored the game winner in the 66th minute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the right side at the start of the play .
The ball fell into the box before striker Jeremy Ebobisse trapped it to the ground and kicked it toward the goal .
Zuparic then deflected the kick at the near post and sent it into the far-post netting to beat Orlando City keeper Pedro Gallese .
`` We learned we are a better team at this moment , '' Nani said after the loss .
`` We improved as a group , as a club and let 's be honest , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team as before .
And you all know that .
`` You all saw our games , you have seen this final , you 've seen the way we 've been playing and the way every team who plays against us behaves against us . ''
Orlando City will resume its regular-season campaign with a game against Inter Miami CF at 8 p.m. EDT on Aug. 22 at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale , Fla .
The Timbers will host the Seattle Sounders at 10 p.m. EDT on Aug. 23 .

The Portland Timbers beat Orlando City SC 2-1 to win the 2020 MLS Is Back Tournament final Tuesday in Orlando, Fla. Photo courtesy of Jared Martinez/Matt Stith/Devin L'Amoreaux/MLS
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- The Portland Timbers used goals from two defenders to beat Orlando City SC in the MLS Is Back Tournament final in Orlando, Fla. Timbers fullbacks Larrys Mabiala and Dario Zuparic scored in the 2-1 triumph Tuesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex inside Walt Disney World Resort. Advertisement
The finale came after more than a month of action on the league's bubble campus after the MLS regular-season was suspended in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"In the quarantine we've been talking a lot about what we wanted to accomplish and how we wanted to play," Mabiala told reporters. "Obviously we wanted to play better, but at the end of the day you don't play finals, you're just winning, and we'll remember the winner of this MLS Is Back tournament."
The Timbers clinched a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League with the victory.
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"It's a great feeling to achieve this in this tournament," Timbers manager Giovanni Savarese said. "A historical moment for our club. Credit to the players because they came here with a purpose.
"From the moment we came here from Portland, the mindset was to make sure that we win one game at a time. Everybody demonstrated, game-by-game, the unity we have and the maturity they showed, with the way they went into every single game. Achieving this has been a huge accomplishment."
The Timbers struck first off a Diego Valeri free kick from about 40 yards out in the 27th minute. Valeri bent the long attempt into the box during the play. Mabiala then slipped behind the defense and headed the service into the near-post netting.
Orlando SC star Nani used some more of his magic to set up the equalizer in the 39th minute.
The Portuguese winger dribbled up the left flank before he turned and fired a pass into the box. Midfielder Mauricio Pereyra stopped the feed and kept the ball away from three defenders before he ripped a shot into the near post to beat Timbers keeper Steve Clark.
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The score stayed tied through halftime before Zuparic scored the game winner in the 66th minute.
Valeri sent in a corner kick from the right side at the start of the play. The ball fell into the box before striker Jeremy Ebobisse trapped it to the ground and kicked it toward the goal. Zuparic then deflected the kick at the near post and sent it into the far-post netting to beat Orlando City keeper Pedro Gallese.
"We learned we are a better team at this moment," Nani said after the loss. "We improved as a group, as a club and let's be honest, we must accept we are not the same team as before. And you all know that.
"You all saw our games, you have seen this final, you've seen the way we've been playing and the way every team who plays against us behaves against us."
Orlando City will resume its regular-season campaign with a game against Inter Miami CF at 8 p.m. EDT on Aug. 22 at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Timbers will host the Seattle Sounders at 10 p.m. EDT on Aug. 23.


upi--2020-08-12--Gallup poll: Confidence in medical system way up; at record low for police

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- Americans ' confidence in the medical and public school systems have reached double-figure highs while confidence in law enforcement reached an all-time low , according to a new Gallup survey Wednesday .
The findings come from a Gallup public confidence tracking poll taken June 8-July 24 that initially started during the Watergate scandal in 1973 .
The statistics are based on the percentage of U.S. adults who said they have either `` a great deal '' or `` quite a lot '' of confidence in the institutions .
Confidence in the medical system , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , jumped 15 points over last year , from 36 % to 51 % .
The sector -- which includes doctors , nurses and many on the front lines -- saw its greatest one-year increase since the poll started .
Confidence in public schools saw a 12-point increase to 41 % .
Many schools are making major adjustments to teaching as the new school year approaches , from teaching remotely or changing how they educate in the classroom .
The survey result was public school 's highest mark since 2004 .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a record low 48 % , down 5 points from last year .
It marks the first time in 27 years the mark dipped below 50 % .
The low mark , Gallup said , is a reflection of ongoing unrest that began with the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Other institutions that saw noticeable confidence increases over the past year include banks ( +8 points to 38 % ) , small business ( +7 points to 75 % ) and church or organized religion ( +6 points to 42 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the survey , which has a margin of error of 4 points .

Nurses and healthcare workers stage a "Juneteenth action" to peacefully protest the lack of police accountability and demand justice for local communities and an end to systemic racism, in Los Angeles, Calif., on June 19. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Americans' confidence in the medical and public school systems have reached double-figure highs while confidence in law enforcement reached an all-time low, according to a new Gallup survey Wednesday. The findings come from a Gallup public confidence tracking poll taken June 8-July 24 that initially started during the Watergate scandal in 1973. The statistics are based on the percentage of U.S. adults who said they have either "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in the institutions. Advertisement
Confidence in the medical system, which covers the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, jumped 15 points over last year, from 36% to 51%. The sector -- which includes doctors, nurses and many on the front lines -- saw its greatest one-year increase since the poll started.
Confidence in public schools saw a 12-point increase to 41%. Many schools are making major adjustments to teaching as the new school year approaches, from teaching remotely or changing how they educate in the classroom. The survey result was public school's highest mark since 2004.
For police, Americans' confidence declined to a record low 48%, down 5 points from last year. It marks the first time in 27 years the mark dipped below 50%. The low mark, Gallup said, is a reflection of ongoing unrest that began with the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
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Other institutions that saw noticeable confidence increases over the past year include banks (+8 points to 38%), small business (+7 points to 75%) and church or organized religion (+6 points to 42%).
Gallup polled 1,200 U.S. adults for the survey, which has a margin of error of 4 points.


upi--2020-08-12--Xbox Series X to launch in November, 'Halo Infinite' delayed

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- Xbox Series X , the next-generation video game console from Microsoft , will launch globally in November the company has announced .
Microsoft did not give an exact release date or price , only stating that the console will be out in November .
Rival Sony has yet to announce a release window or price for its upcoming next-generation console , the PlayStation 5 .
Xbox Series X was meant to launch with exclusive title Halo Infinite but the game has been delayed to 2021 .
`` The decision to shift our release is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributed to development challenges , including the ongoing COVID-related impacts affecting us all this year , '' Halo Infinite developer 343 industries said in a statement on Twitter .
`` The extra time will let us finish the critical work necessary to deliver the most ambitious Halo game ever at the quality we know our fans expect , '' the studio continued .
Microsoft noted that 50 new games are planned for this year that are optimized for Xbox Series X including Assassin 's Creed Valhalla , Dirt 5 , Gears Tactics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dogs : Legion and more .
The company also touted the Xbox Game Pass which will include The Medium , Scorn and Tetris Effect : Connected , 40 popular games that will take advantage of the Xbox Series X such as Destiny 2 , Forza Horizon 4 , Gears 5 , Ori and the Will of the Wisps , Madden NFL 21 and more .
The Xbox Series X can also play games from across generations of the Xbox console including the original Xbox , Xbox 360 and Xbox One .

Xbox Series X Launches this November with Thousands of Games Spanning Four Generations https://t.co/mVkdz7HaQV— Aaron Greenberg (@aarongreenberg) August 11, 2020
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Xbox Series X, the next-generation video game console from Microsoft, will launch globally in November the company has announced.
Microsoft did not give an exact release date or price, only stating that the console will be out in November. Rival Sony has yet to announce a release window or price for its upcoming next-generation console, the PlayStation 5.
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Xbox Series X was meant to launch with exclusive title Halo Infinite but the game has been delayed to 2021.
"The decision to shift our release is the result of multiple factors that have contributed to development challenges, including the ongoing COVID-related impacts affecting us all this year," Halo Infinite developer 343 industries said in a statement on Twitter.
"The extra time will let us finish the critical work necessary to deliver the most ambitious Halo game ever at the quality we know our fans expect," the studio continued.
Halo Infinite Development Update pic.twitter.com/TFZvXhRN9f— Halo (@Halo) August 11, 2020
Microsoft noted that 50 new games are planned for this year that are optimized for Xbox Series X including Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Dirt 5, Gears Tactics, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Watch Dogs: Legion and more.
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The company also touted the Xbox Game Pass which will include The Medium, Scorn and Tetris Effect: Connected, 40 popular games that will take advantage of the Xbox Series X such as Destiny 2, Forza Horizon 4, Gears 5, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Madden NFL 21 and more.
The Xbox Series X can also play games from across generations of the Xbox console including the original Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.


upi--2020-08-12--New York Comic Con, AFI Fest to go virtual this fall

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- Organizers of New York Comic Con and the AFI Fest have announced the 2020 editions of their events will go virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic .
`` While we 'd rather be giving you an update on badges going on sale , it likely comes as no surprise that # NYCC 2020 's physical event will not be able to run as intended .
This is one of the hardest announcements we 've had to make , & we miss you all so much , '' the NYCC Twitter feed said Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hang out with you online for New York Comic Con 's Metaverse , Oct 8-11 .
We 're partnering with YouTube to bring to life four days of incredible content .
Stay tuned to for updates . ''
Since 2006 , NYCC has celebrated comic books and the pop culture it inspires .
Many convention attendees dress like their favorite characters ; go to meet-and-greet , autograph and photo opportunity sessions with their favorite actors , artists and authors ; shop for exclusive merchandise and attend panel discussions about TV shows , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Diego Comic Con was canceled for the first time in the convention 's 50-year-history .
It is expected to return in 2021 .
The 34th AFI Fest , which was scheduled for Oct. 15-22 at the TLC Chinese Theatre in Hollywood , will now take place online , representatives told Deadline and Variety .
The lineup for the film festival is expected to be announced next month .
Last year 's AFI Fest featured screenings of the celebrated dramas Queen & Slim , The Two Popes and The Irishman .
Film festivals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Toronto and New York will be a hybrid of physical and virtual events .
The pandemic has prompted the cancellation of most live performances and large gatherings , as well as shuttered TV , film and theater productions in North America since March .

Cosplayers pose for photos at New York Comic Con on October 3, 2019. This year's convention will be online due to the coronavirus pandemic. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Organizers of New York Comic Con and the AFI Fest have announced the 2020 editions of their events will go virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic. "While we'd rather be giving you an update on badges going on sale, it likely comes as no surprise that #NYCC 2020's physical event will not be able to run as intended. This is one of the hardest announcements we've had to make, & we miss you all so much," the NYCC Twitter feed said Tuesday. Advertisement
"But we still can't wait to hang out with you online for New York Comic Con's Metaverse, Oct 8-11. We're partnering with YouTube to bring to life four days of incredible content. Stay tuned to for updates."
Since 2006, NYCC has celebrated comic books and the pop culture it inspires.
Many convention attendees dress like their favorite characters; go to meet-and-greet, autograph and photo opportunity sessions with their favorite actors, artists and authors; shop for exclusive merchandise and attend panel discussions about TV shows, films and books.
July's planned San Diego Comic Con was canceled for the first time in the convention's 50-year-history. It is expected to return in 2021.
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The 34th AFI Fest, which was scheduled for Oct. 15-22 at the TLC Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, will now take place online, representatives told Deadline and Variety.
The lineup for the film festival is expected to be announced next month.
Last year's AFI Fest featured screenings of the celebrated dramas Queen & Slim, The Two Popes and The Irishman.
Film festivals slated for this fall in Venice, Toronto and New York will be a hybrid of physical and virtual events.
The pandemic has prompted the cancellation of most live performances and large gatherings, as well as shuttered TV, film and theater productions in North America since March.


upi--2020-08-12--Remembering Brent Scowcroft, guns and other events of August

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- August marks the anniversary of four events that reverberated throughout the last century with tectonic consequences .
The first was the start of World War I in 1914 .
The second was the bombing of Japan with two nuclear weapons .
Third was the Tonkin Gulf incident of 1964 that cemented America 's long entrapment in the quagmire called Vietnam for another decade and the loss of 68,000 American service personnel .
The fourth event was Saddam Hussein 's seizure of Kuwait in 1990 and the beginning of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military victory in history .
While we mark those events , last week we celebrated the life of Lt. Gen. Brent Scowcroft and mourned his death at age 95 .
Brent may have been small of stature .
But he possessed a giant intellect .
Mild-mannered and self-effacing , the general could be tougher than hardened steel if demanded and if necessary .
Born seven years after World War I ended in 1918 , Cadet Scowcroft was at West Point when Hiroshima and Nagasaki were struck .
During the Tonkin Gulf debacle , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Force 's long-range planning staff .
And when Iraqi forces headed into Kuwait , Lt. Gen. Scowcroft , U.S. Air Force ( Retired ) , was serving for the second time as national security adviser for President George H.W .
Bush , having held the post under President Gerald Ford a decade and a half before .
During his long career in and out of government , Scowcroft was regarded as one of the three most influential American national security and foreign policy strategists since the end of World War II , along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age 89 in 2017 , and Henry Kissinger , the remaining survivor at 97 .
Less published than his two distinguished colleagues , the general cast a very long shadow , working with both Republican and Democratic administrations .
The general had what could best be called enormous amounts of strategic common sense and an extraordinary decency and regard for his juniors .
And he had equal levels of courage .
As the George W. Bush administration was preparing to go to war for the second time in Iraq in 2003 , Scowcroft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Journal titled `` Do n't Attack Saddam , '' arguing that the intelligence was simply not sufficient to justify that decision .
Given his very close relationship with the elder Bush , including the book they co-authored in 1998 called A World Transformed , the White House correctly perceived that in part Scowcroft 's reasoning reflected that of the 41st president .
Scowcroft became persona non grata .
And tragically , his wise advice was not accepted .
Further evidence of his stature was the number of commissions on which his wisdom and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and strategic nuclear weapons to the Tower Commission convened in the wake of the Iran-Contra Scandal that almost ended the Reagan administration .
Presidents , as well as presidential candidates , welcomed the opportunity to solicit the general 's advice .
Brent also had a sly sense of humor .
Perhaps his closest friend , former CIA head , national security adviser and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates , described the Scowcroft Award created by the first President Bush for the most extraordinary way of sleeping through briefings .
Gates never said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he had retired that award as the repeated winner .
The general was on the board of many institutions and think tanks .
At the Atlantic Council , with which I have been privileged to be associated for a very long time , the general was instrumental in rekindling its relevance and importance .
The council is both honored by and honors Gen. Scowcroft by hosting the center bearing his name dedicated to sound strategic thinking and , as one member correctly noted , providing the `` north star '' in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general since our last encounter after Donald Trump had been elected .
We both shared grave reservations about the future .
But the general made the point that it was important to support the commander-in-chief as the administration was taking form .
The wisdom of the great Scot economist Adam Smith came to mind .
In 1778 , after British Gen. `` Gentleman '' Johnny Burgoyne had been bested by Gen. Horatio Gates at Saratoga and news reached Edinburgh , where Smith was teaching , a student approached the professor literally crying : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruined ! ''
To which the eminent Dr. Smith replied : `` My dear boy , there is a lot of ruin in a nation . ''
Nearly a quarter of a millennium later , in many ways , Gen. Scowcroft was a modern-day Adam Smith , counseling patience and wisdom .
Charles DeGaulle believed no one was indispensable .
We shall see .
Harlan Ullman is UPI 's Arnaud deBorchgrave Distinguished Columnist , a senior adviser at the Atlantic Council and author of the upcoming book , `` The Fifth Horseman : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a MAD-Driven Age . ''

Brent Scowcroft (L) and Zbigniew Brzezinski testify before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on U.S strategy on Iran in Washington on March 5, 2009. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- August marks the anniversary of four events that reverberated throughout the last century with tectonic consequences. The first was the start of World War I in 1914. The second was the bombing of Japan with two nuclear weapons. Third was the Tonkin Gulf incident of 1964 that cemented America's long entrapment in the quagmire called Vietnam for another decade and the loss of 68,000 American service personnel. Advertisement
The fourth event was Saddam Hussein's seizure of Kuwait in 1990 and the beginning of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm that led to perhaps the most one-sided military victory in history. While we mark those events, last week we celebrated the life of Lt. Gen. Brent Scowcroft and mourned his death at age 95.
Brent may have been small of stature. But he possessed a giant intellect. Mild-mannered and self-effacing, the general could be tougher than hardened steel if demanded and if necessary.
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Born seven years after World War I ended in 1918, Cadet Scowcroft was at West Point when Hiroshima and Nagasaki were struck. During the Tonkin Gulf debacle, Lt. Col. Scowcroft was on the Air Force's long-range planning staff. And when Iraqi forces headed into Kuwait, Lt. Gen. Scowcroft, U.S. Air Force (Retired), was serving for the second time as national security adviser for President George H.W. Bush, having held the post under President Gerald Ford a decade and a half before.
During his long career in and out of government, Scowcroft was regarded as one of the three most influential American national security and foreign policy strategists since the end of World War II, along with Zbigniew Brzezinski, who died at age 89 in 2017, and Henry Kissinger, the remaining survivor at 97. Less published than his two distinguished colleagues, the general cast a very long shadow, working with both Republican and Democratic administrations.
The general had what could best be called enormous amounts of strategic common sense and an extraordinary decency and regard for his juniors. And he had equal levels of courage. As the George W. Bush administration was preparing to go to war for the second time in Iraq in 2003, Scowcroft published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal titled "Don't Attack Saddam," arguing that the intelligence was simply not sufficient to justify that decision.
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Given his very close relationship with the elder Bush, including the book they co-authored in 1998 called A World Transformed, the White House correctly perceived that in part Scowcroft's reasoning reflected that of the 41st president. Scowcroft became persona non grata. And tragically, his wise advice was not accepted.
Further evidence of his stature was the number of commissions on which his wisdom and experience were sought, from arms control and strategic nuclear weapons to the Tower Commission convened in the wake of the Iran-Contra Scandal that almost ended the Reagan administration. Presidents, as well as presidential candidates, welcomed the opportunity to solicit the general's advice.
Brent also had a sly sense of humor. Perhaps his closest friend, former CIA head, national security adviser and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, described the Scowcroft Award created by the first President Bush for the most extraordinary way of sleeping through briefings. Gates never said, but one assumes, the general believed that he had retired that award as the repeated winner.
The general was on the board of many institutions and think tanks. At the Atlantic Council, with which I have been privileged to be associated for a very long time, the general was instrumental in rekindling its relevance and importance. The council is both honored by and honors Gen. Scowcroft by hosting the center bearing his name dedicated to sound strategic thinking and, as one member correctly noted, providing the "north star" in that endeavor.
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I had not seen the general since our last encounter after Donald Trump had been elected. We both shared grave reservations about the future. But the general made the point that it was important to support the commander-in-chief as the administration was taking form. The wisdom of the great Scot economist Adam Smith came to mind. In 1778, after British Gen. "Gentleman" Johnny Burgoyne had been bested by Gen. Horatio Gates at Saratoga and news reached Edinburgh, where Smith was teaching, a student approached the professor literally crying: "Burgoyne is defeated. We are ruined!"
To which the eminent Dr. Smith replied: "My dear boy, there is a lot of ruin in a nation." Nearly a quarter of a millennium later, in many ways, Gen. Scowcroft was a modern-day Adam Smith, counseling patience and wisdom. Charles DeGaulle believed no one was indispensable. We shall see.
Harlan Ullman is UPI's Arnaud deBorchgrave Distinguished Columnist, a senior adviser at the Atlantic Council and author of the upcoming book, "The Fifth Horseman: To Be Feared, Friended or Fought in a MAD-Driven Age."


upi--2020-08-12--Ilhan Omar wins in Minnesota; other primaries set November races

Aug. 11 ( UPI ) -- Voters in Minnesota , Wisconsin , Connecticut and Vermont cast votes in primary contests on Tuesday to determine final races for November as Georgia held a pair of runoff contests from its June primary .
Rep. Ilhan Omar emerged victorious after facing a field of four other Democratic candidates in the 5th District , including attorney and mediator Antone Melton-Meaux , a well-funded first-time candidate who 's accused the congresswoman of being sidetracked by personal distractions .
Omar has been a visible member of Congress in her first term , as part of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be known as `` The Squad '' -- alongside Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York , Ayana Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan .
`` In Minnesota , we know that organized people will always beat organized money , '' she tweeted Tuesday night .
`` Tonight , our movement did n't just win , we earned a mandate for change .
Despite outside efforts to defeat us , we once again broke turnout records .
Despite the attacks our support has only grown . ''
Businessman Lacy Johnson , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican race , beat Dalia Al-Agidi and Danielle Stella to face Omar in November .
Rep. Tom Emmer won the race for Minnesota 's 6th District as he seeks a fourth term in the November election .
In the 7th District , Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson won the right to face off against a group of Republicans seeking to unseat him in an area that has shown strong support for President Donald Trump .
Former state Sen. and Lt. Gov .
Michell Fischbach won the Republican nomination after receiving the endorsement of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing competition from David Hughes , who has challenged Peterson for the past two elections , as well as physician Noel Collis and two other candidates .
Roger Polack , a senior policy adviser under former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama , beat businessman Josh Pade for the right to face Republican incumbent Rep. Bryan Steil as they attempt to flip the seat previously held by former House Speaker Paul Ryan .
Polack announced his victory on Twitter while congratulating Pade on running a strong campaign .
`` I look forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to win in November , '' he said .
In District 4 , Tim Rogers and businesswoman Cindy Werner faced off in the Republican primary as they battle for the chance to challenge incumbent Rep. Gwen Moore .
Mary Fay held a narrow lead late Tuesday over Jim Griffin for the chance to challenge Democratic Rep. John Larson in Connecticut 's 1st District .
Griffin , a career lobbyist and former official in the White House budget office , has so far outraised Fay , a financial services executive and self-described moderate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thomas Gilmer and veteran Justin Anderson were expected to face off in the Republican primary to challenge Democratic Rep. Joe Courtney .
But Gilmer dropped out of the race Tuesday after he was arrested the night before .
Wethersfield police said he was charged with first-degree unlawful restraint and second-degree strangulation .
The Hartford Courant reported the charges are related to an alleged altercation between Gilmer and a former girlfriend .
Gilmer blamed the investigation , which was opened July 22 , on mud-slinging from his opponent .
Former Vice President Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the last state to vote in the contest , on the same day he announced Sen. Kamala Harris will be his running mate .
Vermont 's lone member of the House , six-term Democratic Rep. Peter Welch , easily fended off a challenge from activist Ralph `` Carajou '' Corbo , winning 96 % of the vote .
Corbo also ran for governor after attempting to get younger candidates to run for the offices , saying they are most affected by issues such as climate change .
Republican candidates Miriam Berry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tynio , as well as Progressive Party candidates Chris Brimmer and Cris Ericson , will also seek to make it to the ballot for November .
Two-term Republican Gov .
Phil Scott bested a field of candidates on the GOP side on Tuesday night , while Lt. Gov .
David Zuckerman and former Education Secretary Rebecca Holcombe lead the four-person field in the Democratic primary for governor .
President pro tempore of the Vermont Senate , Tim Ashe , and state Sen. Debbie Ingram will battle in the Democratic primary to fill the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans and one Progressive are also on the ballot Tuesday .
Two pairs of Republican candidates faced runoff elections from the party 's primary in June .
In the 14th District , Marjorie Taylor Greene won the runoff contest against John Cowan .
Greene has sparked controversy by making statements about Muslim members of Congress and supporting the QAnon conspiracy , which Twitter took steps to limit last month .
Her comments led Republican Rep. Jody Hice to rescind her endorsement .
Cowan , a neurosurgeon , has employed the slogan `` all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embarrassment . ''
In the 9th District , military veteran and gun store owner Andrew Clyde defeated state Rep. Matt Gurtler in the race to replace Rep. Doug Collins .
Results reported by The New York Times and The Hill .

Five states hold primary elections on Tuesday. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Voters in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Connecticut and Vermont cast votes in primary contests on Tuesday to determine final races for November as Georgia held a pair of runoff contests from its June primary. Minnesota Advertisement
Rep. Ilhan Omar emerged victorious after facing a field of four other Democratic candidates in the 5th District, including attorney and mediator Antone Melton-Meaux, a well-funded first-time candidate who's accused the congresswoman of being sidetracked by personal distractions.
Omar has been a visible member of Congress in her first term, as part of a group of first-term representatives that came to be known as "The Squad" -- alongside Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayana Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
"In Minnesota, we know that organized people will always beat organized money," she tweeted Tuesday night. "Tonight, our movement didn't just win, we earned a mandate for change. Despite outside efforts to defeat us, we once again broke turnout records. Despite the attacks our support has only grown."
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Businessman Lacy Johnson, who led a successful fundraising campaign in the Republican race, beat Dalia Al-Agidi and Danielle Stella to face Omar in November.
Rep. Tom Emmer won the race for Minnesota's 6th District as he seeks a fourth term in the November election.
In the 7th District, Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson won the right to face off against a group of Republicans seeking to unseat him in an area that has shown strong support for President Donald Trump.
Former state Sen. and Lt. Gov. Michell Fischbach won the Republican nomination after receiving the endorsement of the GOP and backing from Trump, while facing competition from David Hughes, who has challenged Peterson for the past two elections, as well as physician Noel Collis and two other candidates.
Wisconsin
Roger Polack, a senior policy adviser under former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, beat businessman Josh Pade for the right to face Republican incumbent Rep. Bryan Steil as they attempt to flip the seat previously held by former House Speaker Paul Ryan.
Polack announced his victory on Twitter while congratulating Pade on running a strong campaign.
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"I look forward to working with Josh and his supports to win in November," he said.
In District 4, Tim Rogers and businesswoman Cindy Werner faced off in the Republican primary as they battle for the chance to challenge incumbent Rep. Gwen Moore.
Connecticut
Mary Fay held a narrow lead late Tuesday over Jim Griffin for the chance to challenge Democratic Rep. John Larson in Connecticut's 1st District. Griffin, a career lobbyist and former official in the White House budget office, has so far outraised Fay, a financial services executive and self-described moderate.
In the 2nd District, construction worker Thomas Gilmer and veteran Justin Anderson were expected to face off in the Republican primary to challenge Democratic Rep. Joe Courtney. But Gilmer dropped out of the race Tuesday after he was arrested the night before.
Wethersfield police said he was charged with first-degree unlawful restraint and second-degree strangulation.
The Hartford Courant reported the charges are related to an alleged altercation between Gilmer and a former girlfriend.
Gilmer blamed the investigation, which was opened July 22, on mud-slinging from his opponent.
Former Vice President Joe Biden won the Democratic presidential primary in Connecticut, the last state to vote in the contest, on the same day he announced Sen. Kamala Harris will be his running mate.
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Vermont
Vermont's lone member of the House, six-term Democratic Rep. Peter Welch, easily fended off a challenge from activist Ralph "Carajou" Corbo, winning 96% of the vote.
Corbo also ran for governor after attempting to get younger candidates to run for the offices, saying they are most affected by issues such as climate change.
Republican candidates Miriam Berry, Jimmy Rodriguez, Justin Tuthill and Anya Tynio, as well as Progressive Party candidates Chris Brimmer and Cris Ericson, will also seek to make it to the ballot for November.
Two-term Republican Gov. Phil Scott bested a field of candidates on the GOP side on Tuesday night, while Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman and former Education Secretary Rebecca Holcombe lead the four-person field in the Democratic primary for governor.
President pro tempore of the Vermont Senate, Tim Ashe, and state Sen. Debbie Ingram will battle in the Democratic primary to fill the seat vacated by Zuckerman, while five Republicans and one Progressive are also on the ballot Tuesday.
Georgia
Two pairs of Republican candidates faced runoff elections from the party's primary in June.
In the 14th District, Marjorie Taylor Greene won the runoff contest against John Cowan.
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Greene has sparked controversy by making statements about Muslim members of Congress and supporting the QAnon conspiracy, which Twitter took steps to limit last month. Her comments led Republican Rep. Jody Hice to rescind her endorsement. Cowan, a neurosurgeon, has employed the slogan "all of the conservative, none of the embarrassment."
In the 9th District, military veteran and gun store owner Andrew Clyde defeated state Rep. Matt Gurtler in the race to replace Rep. Doug Collins.
Results reported by The New York Times and The Hill.


upi--2020-08-12--New Zealand placed under lockdown amid new COVID-19 cluster

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- After more than 100 days without reporting local transmission of COVID-19 , New Zealand on Wednesday reinstated lockdown measures as health officials rush to contain an outbreak of the deadly and infectious coronavirus in its largest city of Auckland .
Staring at noon Wednesday , Auckland was placed under its second-highest Alert Level 3 lockdown until Friday at midnight , meaning all public venues must close , employees must work from home , elective services at hospitals are deferred , domestic travel is limited and people may only leave their homes for essential reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the country was placed under Alert Level 2 for at least the next three days , limiting gatherings to fewer than 100 people and advising high-risk people , such as the elderly and those with chronic illnesses , to stay home as well as other social distancing measures .
The measure comes a day after four new cases were confirmed among one family with no known source of transmission .
In a release from Tuesday , New Zealand health officials said one of the four family members had been symptomatic for five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` All close contacts of the four cases will remain in self-isolation for 14 days , regardless of their test results , and all casual contacts will remain in self-isolation until they have the results of their tests , '' the statement said .
Dr. Ashley Bloomfield , director-general of health in New Zealand , told reporters Wednesday that there are also four probable cases of COVID-19 linked to the family .
They are in isolation while awaiting their test results , he said , and contact tracing is underway .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50s who recently arrived to New Zealand from Pakistan via Dubai , has also tested positive for the virus , he said .
A Wednesday release states she was in managed isolation three days prior to testing positive and has since been transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility .
New Zealand had gone 102 days without local transmission of the virus following a stringent lockdown put in place in March .
In early June , as that 75-day lockdown was lifted and the country moved to its lowest alert level , Prime Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases .
`` We will almost certainly see cases here again but when it occurs it will not mean we have failed , '' she told the press in early June .
`` It is the reality of this virus .
We must be and we are prepared for future cases . ''
The new cases bring the archipelago nation 's total number of confirmed infections to 1,225 and 22 deaths .
In neighboring Australia , health officials have been attempting to control an outbreak in the state of Victoria where 410 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past 24 hours , making it the country 's deadliest amid the pandemic .
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters Wednesday all those who died were above the age of 70 with 16 of the cases linked to outbreaks at elderly care facilities .
Residents of Victoria have been placed under lockdown restrictions for over a month , with Melbourne , the country 's second-biggest city placed under sweeping measures including a curfew on Aug. 3 .
The island nation currently has around 22,000 cases and 352 deaths , according to Johns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 20.2 million cases and nearly three-quarters of a million deaths to the virus since it emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year , according to the university 's tally .

Firefighters prepare to distribute food in North Melbourne, Australia, on July 7. Photo by James Ross/EPA-EFE
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- After more than 100 days without reporting local transmission of COVID-19, New Zealand on Wednesday reinstated lockdown measures as health officials rush to contain an outbreak of the deadly and infectious coronavirus in its largest city of Auckland. Staring at noon Wednesday, Auckland was placed under its second-highest Alert Level 3 lockdown until Friday at midnight, meaning all public venues must close, employees must work from home, elective services at hospitals are deferred, domestic travel is limited and people may only leave their homes for essential reasons, such as groceries. Advertisement
The rest of the country was placed under Alert Level 2 for at least the next three days, limiting gatherings to fewer than 100 people and advising high-risk people, such as the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, to stay home as well as other social distancing measures.
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The measure comes a day after four new cases were confirmed among one family with no known source of transmission.
In a release from Tuesday, New Zealand health officials said one of the four family members had been symptomatic for five days and had no overseas travel history.
"All close contacts of the four cases will remain in self-isolation for 14 days, regardless of their test results, and all casual contacts will remain in self-isolation until they have the results of their tests," the statement said.
Dr. Ashley Bloomfield, director-general of health in New Zealand, told reporters Wednesday that there are also four probable cases of COVID-19 linked to the family.
They are in isolation while awaiting their test results, he said, and contact tracing is underway.
A fifth person, a woman in her 50s who recently arrived to New Zealand from Pakistan via Dubai, has also tested positive for the virus, he said. A Wednesday release states she was in managed isolation three days prior to testing positive and has since been transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility.
New Zealand had gone 102 days without local transmission of the virus following a stringent lockdown put in place in March. In early June, as that 75-day lockdown was lifted and the country moved to its lowest alert level, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warned that there would be new cases.
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"We will almost certainly see cases here again but when it occurs it will not mean we have failed," she told the press in early June. "It is the reality of this virus. We must be and we are prepared for future cases."
The new cases bring the archipelago nation's total number of confirmed infections to 1,225 and 22 deaths.
In neighboring Australia, health officials have been attempting to control an outbreak in the state of Victoria where 410 cases and 21 deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours, making it the country's deadliest amid the pandemic.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters Wednesday all those who died were above the age of 70 with 16 of the cases linked to outbreaks at elderly care facilities.
Residents of Victoria have been placed under lockdown restrictions for over a month, with Melbourne, the country's second-biggest city placed under sweeping measures including a curfew on Aug. 3.
The island nation currently has around 22,000 cases and 352 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Globally, there were more than 20.2 million cases and nearly three-quarters of a million deaths to the virus since it emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, according to the university's tally.


upi--2020-08-12--Narcissists don't learn from their mistakes because they don't see them

Narcissists do n't learn from their mistakes because they do n't acknowledge them , a new study shows .
When faced with a poor outcome due to their decisions , most people ask , `` What should I have done differently to avoid this outcome ? ''
But a narcissist says , `` No one could have seen this coming , '' according to Oregon State University ( OSU ) -Cascades researchers .
Narcissists also believe they are better and more deserving than others , study author Satoris Howes , a researcher at the OSU College of Business , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the study , the investigators conducted a series of experiments with different groups of people , including students , employees and managers with significant experience in hiring .
The study authors said that when narcissists predicted an outcome correctly , they felt it was more foreseeable than non-narcissists did , but when they predicted incorrectly , narcissists felt the outcome was less foreseeable versus non-narcissists .
In both situations , narcissists did n't feel the need to do something differently or to engage in self-analysis that might benefit them in future decisions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're falling prey to the hindsight bias , and they 're not learning from it when they make mistakes .
And when they get things right , they 're still not learning , '' Howes explained .
The study was published online recently in the Journal of Management .
Everyone tends to engage in some level of self-protective thinking , where you attribute success to your own efforts but blame your failures on outside forces , and often blame other people 's failure on their own deficiencies , according to Howes .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they think they 're better than others , '' she said .
`` They do n't take advice from other people they do n't trust others ' opinions .
& hellip You can flat-out ask , 'What should you have done differently ? '
And it might be , 'Nothing , it turned out it was good . '
'' Narcissists are often promoted because they show great self-confidence , take credit for the successes of others and deflect blame from themselves when something goes wrong , Howes said .
However , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time because of low morale among employees who work for the narcissist and because of the narcissist 's continuing bad decisions , she noted .
The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on narcissism .

Narcissists believe they are better and more deserving than others, researchers say, which contributes to not acknowledging mistakes. Photo by SamWilliamsPhoto /Pixabay
Narcissists don't learn from their mistakes because they don't acknowledge them, a new study shows. When faced with a poor outcome due to their decisions, most people ask, "What should I have done differently to avoid this outcome?" Advertisement
But a narcissist says, "No one could have seen this coming," according to Oregon State University (OSU)-Cascades researchers.
Narcissists also believe they are better and more deserving than others, study author Satoris Howes, a researcher at the OSU College of Business, said in a university news release.
In the study, the investigators conducted a series of experiments with different groups of people, including students, employees and managers with significant experience in hiring.
The study authors said that when narcissists predicted an outcome correctly, they felt it was more foreseeable than non-narcissists did, but when they predicted incorrectly, narcissists felt the outcome was less foreseeable versus non-narcissists.
In both situations, narcissists didn't feel the need to do something differently or to engage in self-analysis that might benefit them in future decisions, according to the report.
"They're falling prey to the hindsight bias, and they're not learning from it when they make mistakes. And when they get things right, they're still not learning," Howes explained.
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The study was published online recently in the Journal of Management.
Everyone tends to engage in some level of self-protective thinking, where you attribute success to your own efforts but blame your failures on outside forces, and often blame other people's failure on their own deficiencies, according to Howes.
"But narcissists do this way more because they think they're better than others," she said. "They don't take advice from other people they don't trust others' opinions. You can flat-out ask, 'What should you have done differently?' And it might be, 'Nothing, it turned out it was good.'"
Narcissists are often promoted because they show great self-confidence, take credit for the successes of others and deflect blame from themselves when something goes wrong, Howes said.
However, this can be damaging to an organization over time because of low morale among employees who work for the narcissist and because of the narcissist's continuing bad decisions, she noted.
More information
The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on narcissism.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-08-12--Colorado Grizzly Creek Fire grows to 4,800 acres, forces railway closures

Aug. 12 ( UPI ) -- Union Pacific was forced to close railroad tracks within the area of the Grizzly Creek Fire as the wildfire in Colorado continued to expand on Wednesday .
Fire officials on Wednesday said that the Grizzly Creek Fire has grown to 4,800 acres and spread to the bottom of the No Name Creek canyon .
In response to the growing blaze , Union Pacific was forced to close tracks in its Glenwood Springs subdivision .
The closure forced both Union Pacific and Amtrak to reroute freight and passenger trains from the area .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by tomorrow , '' said Union Pacific representative Kristen South .
Amtrak representative Marc Magliari said the company was forced to turn back two trains Tuesday and reroute them through Wyoming .
`` We 've frozen ticket sales so we do n't have to do as much bus chartering as we might otherwise do , '' Magliari said .
The Garfield County Sheriff 's Office evacuated No Name , High Aspen Rance , Coulter Creek , CR 120 and Cottonwood pass .
The Grizzly Creek Fire began on Monday and quickly grew in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Interstate 70 on Tuesday .

The Grizzly Creek Fire in Colorado grew to 4,800 acres on Wednesday, forcing Union Pacific to close railway tracks in the area. Photo by Garfield County Sheriff's Office
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Union Pacific was forced to close railroad tracks within the area of the Grizzly Creek Fire as the wildfire in Colorado continued to expand on Wednesday. Fire officials on Wednesday said that the Grizzly Creek Fire has grown to 4,800 acres and spread to the bottom of the No Name Creek canyon. Advertisement
In response to the growing blaze, Union Pacific was forced to close tracks in its Glenwood Springs subdivision. The closure forced both Union Pacific and Amtrak to reroute freight and passenger trains from the area.
"We're hoping to have it open again by tomorrow," said Union Pacific representative Kristen South.
Amtrak representative Marc Magliari said the company was forced to turn back two trains Tuesday and reroute them through Wyoming.
"We've frozen ticket sales so we don't have to do as much bus chartering as we might otherwise do," Magliari said.
The Garfield County Sheriff's Office evacuated No Name, High Aspen Rance, Coulter Creek, CR 120 and Cottonwood pass.
The Grizzly Creek Fire began on Monday and quickly grew in size before crossing the Colorado River and Interstate 70 on Tuesday.