upi--2020-07-29--Rockets' Eric Gordon to miss time after ankle injury

July 29 ( UPI ) -- Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon will miss practice and possible games after he sustained a left ankle injury during the team 's final scrimmage in Orlando , Fla. Gordon sustained the injury just before halftime of the Rockets ' 137-112 win Tuesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex inside Walt Disney World Resort .
Gordon took a dribble before he stepped on the foot of the Celtics ' Vincent Poirier with 1:08 left to play in the second quarter .
Gordon then collapsed on the court and grimaced as he held his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to by the Rockets ' medical staff before his teammates helped him off the floor .
Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said Gordon got a negative result on an x-ray of the ankle after the game .
`` It hurts a little bit , but did n't really swell , '' D'Antoni told reporters .
`` So we wo n't know the extent of it until [ Wednesday ] .
He is going to be out for a few days . ''
Ben McLemore replaced Gordon in the lineup after the injury , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when asked about Gordon 's replacement going forward .
His absence of a `` few days '' will sideline him for practice and puts him in danger of a multiple-game absence .
Sources told ESPN Gordon could miss up to two weeks due to the injury .
The Rockets resume their 2019-2020 regular season campaign with a game against the Dallas Mavericks at 9 p.m. EDT Friday in Orlando .
Houston 's second game in Orlando will be Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks .
The Rockets are in sixth-place in the Western Conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the seventh-place Dallas Mavericks .
The Rockets are now in position to face the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs , but a slip to the No .
7 or No .
8 seed could force them into a first-round matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers or Los Angeles Lakers .
Gordon , 31 , is averaging 14.5 points , 1.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists this season .
The 12-year veteran scored nine points and had two rebounds and an assists in 15 minutes Tuesday in Orlando .

Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) is in danger of missing the start of the team's resumed regular season after he sustained an ankle injury in a scrimmage Tuesday in Orlando, Fla. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
July 29 (UPI) -- Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon will miss practice and possible games after he sustained a left ankle injury during the team's final scrimmage in Orlando, Fla. Gordon sustained the injury just before halftime of the Rockets' 137-112 win Tuesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex inside Walt Disney World Resort. Advertisement
Gordon took a dribble before he stepped on the foot of the Celtics' Vincent Poirier with 1:08 left to play in the second quarter. Gordon then collapsed on the court and grimaced as he held his left ankle. He then was tended to by the Rockets' medical staff before his teammates helped him off the floor.
Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said Gordon got a negative result on an x-ray of the ankle after the game.
"It hurts a little bit, but didn't really swell," D'Antoni told reporters. "So we won't know the extent of it until [Wednesday]. He is going to be out for a few days."
Ben McLemore replaced Gordon in the lineup after the injury, but D'Antoni said "we'll see" when asked about Gordon's replacement going forward. His absence of a "few days" will sideline him for practice and puts him in danger of a multiple-game absence.
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Sources told ESPN Gordon could miss up to two weeks due to the injury. The Rockets resume their 2019-2020 regular season campaign with a game against the Dallas Mavericks at 9 p.m. EDT Friday in Orlando. Houston's second game in Orlando will be Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Rockets are in sixth-place in the Western Conference standings, with a 1.5-game lead on the seventh-place Dallas Mavericks. The Rockets are now in position to face the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, but a slip to the No. 7 or No. 8 seed could force them into a first-round matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers or Los Angeles Lakers.
Gordon, 31, is averaging 14.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists this season. The 12-year veteran scored nine points and had two rebounds and an assists in 15 minutes Tuesday in Orlando.


upi--2020-07-29--'Jeopardy' and 'Wheel of Fortune' to resume production

July 29 ( UPI ) -- Sony Pictures Television told USA Today in a statement that Alex Trebek , 80 , of Jeopardy !
and Pat Sajak , 73 , and Vanna White , 63 , of Wheel of Fortune are returning to Los Angeles studios for new episodes .
`` While some things may have changed behind the scenes and on the set to keep everyone safe , fans can expect to see the same Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy !
they have come to love when the season starts , '' the statement said .
Both shows are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next , Deadline.com reported .
Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy !
suspended their audience tapings and then stopped filming new episodes all together around mid-March amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
Trebek had announced a year before the delay in the show 's production that he was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer .
More recently , he said that his cancer treatment is going well and he 's `` feeling great . ''
The show recorded some classic episodes during the hiatus and Trebek said that he is eager to return .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accordance with current government guidelines to protect contestants , staff , crew and talent from the spread of COVID-19 , '' a studio spokesperson told People .
Prevention measures due to COVID-19 at Wheel of Fortune include a redesigned wheel that allows contestants to stay six feet apart .
At Jeopardy !
, contestants will be spaced out further and away from Trebek at his lectern .
Along with social measures , other changes include : allowing only staff and crew on stage , providing everyone behind the scenes with personal protective equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the show and testing staff and crew on a regular basis .

Left to right, Alex Trebek, Vanna White and Pat Sajak will soon return to the studio for new episodes of their game shows. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI. | License Photo
July 29 (UPI) -- Sony Pictures Television told USA Today in a statement that Alex Trebek, 80, of Jeopardy! and Pat Sajak, 73, and Vanna White, 63, of Wheel of Fortune are returning to Los Angeles studios for new episodes. "While some things may have changed behind the scenes and on the set to keep everyone safe, fans can expect to see the same Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! they have come to love when the season starts," the statement said. Advertisement
Both shows are slated to resume production this week and next, Deadline.com reported.
Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! suspended their audience tapings and then stopped filming new episodes all together around mid-March amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trebek had announced a year before the delay in the show's production that he was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. More recently, he said that his cancer treatment is going well and he's "feeling great."
The show recorded some classic episodes during the hiatus and Trebek said that he is eager to return.
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"The productions have protocols in place in accordance with current government guidelines to protect contestants, staff, crew and talent from the spread of COVID-19," a studio spokesperson told People.
Prevention measures due to COVID-19 at Wheel of Fortune include a redesigned wheel that allows contestants to stay six feet apart. At Jeopardy!, contestants will be spaced out further and away from Trebek at his lectern.
Along with social measures, other changes include: allowing only staff and crew on stage, providing everyone behind the scenes with personal protective equipment, testing contestants before they come on the show and testing staff and crew on a regular basis.


upi--2020-07-29--North Korea tests for COVID-19 all negative, WHO officer says

July 29 ( UPI ) -- North Korea has tested more than 1,200 people for COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic , and all test results were negative , according to the World Health Organization .
Edwin Salvador , director of the WHO office in North Korea , said among the 1,211 people tested , 696 people were quarantined , Radio Free Asia 's Korean service reported .
Pyongyang has claimed since January there have been zero cases of the novel coronavirus , but said this week a defector who had recently re-entered the North was a suspected COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who may have swum across the border , was not on its list of confirmed patients , and analysts in the South say North Korea could be confronting a COVID-19 outbreak .
The nearly 700 North Koreans under quarantine are workers who were based in border regions , including at Nampo Port and in the city of Sinuiju , which faces the Chinese city of Dandong , in Liaoning Province , Salvador said .
The report of quarantined workers in North Korea comes after the WHO had said on July 9 Pyongyang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 tests .
The RFA report indicates North Korea increased testing in July after claiming the state had brought the disease under control .
According to Salvador , North Korea may have stepped up disease control in the wake of new cases in China .
The two countries share an 880-mile border .
North Korea is also placing greater restrictions on foreigners in Pyongyang , including diplomats in the capital .
The Russian Embassy in North Korea said on its Facebook page on Wednesday that Pyongyang 's foreign ministry sent a notice to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` suspicious symptoms , '' including fever and coughing , to health authorities at Pyongyang Friendship Hospital .
North Korea also urged diplomats to cease imports of products from their home countries .
Diplomats were also advised against traveling outside the capital , according to the embassy .

North Korea has tested more than 1,200 people for the novel coronavirus, including workers based in border regions near China, the WHO says. File Photo by Stephen Shaver | License Photo
July 29 (UPI) -- North Korea has tested more than 1,200 people for COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, and all test results were negative, according to the World Health Organization. Edwin Salvador, director of the WHO office in North Korea, said among the 1,211 people tested, 696 people were quarantined, Radio Free Asia's Korean service reported. Advertisement
Pyongyang has claimed since January there have been zero cases of the novel coronavirus, but said this week a defector who had recently re-entered the North was a suspected COVID-19 patient.
Seoul has said the defector, who may have swum across the border, was not on its list of confirmed patients, and analysts in the South say North Korea could be confronting a COVID-19 outbreak.
The nearly 700 North Koreans under quarantine are workers who were based in border regions, including at Nampo Port and in the city of Sinuiju, which faces the Chinese city of Dandong, in Liaoning Province, Salvador said.
The report of quarantined workers in North Korea comes after the WHO had said on July 9 Pyongyang had isolated 610 people after conducting 1,117 COVID-19 tests. The RFA report indicates North Korea increased testing in July after claiming the state had brought the disease under control.
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According to Salvador, North Korea may have stepped up disease control in the wake of new cases in China. The two countries share an 880-mile border.
North Korea is also placing greater restrictions on foreigners in Pyongyang, including diplomats in the capital.
The Russian Embassy in North Korea said on its Facebook page on Wednesday that Pyongyang's foreign ministry sent a notice to diplomats, urging them to report any "suspicious symptoms," including fever and coughing, to health authorities at Pyongyang Friendship Hospital. North Korea also urged diplomats to cease imports of products from their home countries.
Diplomats were also advised against traveling outside the capital, according to the embassy.


upi--2020-07-29--Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros start socially-distant scuffle after close pitches

July 29 ( UPI ) -- The Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers jumped out of their respective dugouts and had a socially-distant altercation after Joe Kelly threw pitches at multiple Astros hitters Tuesday night .
The testy clash was a rematch of the 2017 World Series .
The Astros won the title that year , aided by a sign-stealing scheme , which the team was punished for in January .
The Dodgers had n't played a game in Houston since that championship series nearly three years ago .
`` It 's something they apparently did n't take to kindly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his throws after the team 's 5-2 win at Minute Maid Park .
Several Dodgers players criticized Houston 's punishment by Major League Baseball as insufficient and the Astros themselves for a lack of remorse for the scheme .
MLB warned teams against throwing pitches at Astros players this season as a way to retaliate .
Kelly was a member of the Boston Red Sox in 2017 when they lost in the American League Divisional Series against the Astros , three games to one .
Houston would defeat the New York Yankees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Series .
Tuesday , Kelly denied that he intended to hit any of the Astros players .
He also said he did n't take any motivation from the 2017 playoffs , noting that his Red Sox team beat the Astros in the 2018 postseason before ultimately winning the World Series that year .
The 2018 Red Sox also have been disciplined for sign-stealing .
Kelly entered Tuesday 's game in the bottom of the sixth inning .
He first settled in against Astros star second baseman Jose Altuve , the 2017 American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first pitch for an out before Alex Bregman walked to the plate .
Kelly threw three pitches for balls before he tossed a 96.4-mph fastball directly toward Bregman 's head .
The Astros third baseman had to duck to dodge the pitch , which made a loud sound when it hit the backstop .
`` When you throw a 3-0 fastball over a guy 's head , now you 're flirting with ending his career , '' Astros manager Dusty Baker said .
Astros outfielder Michael Brantley hit into a force out before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
All of Kelly 's pitches to Gurriel were well above the strike zone .
Astros shortstop Carlos Correa then stepped into the box to face the hard-throwing right-handed relief pitcher .
Kelly 's first pitch was a 87-mph knuckle-curveball that also went toward the shortstop 's head .
Correa fell to the ground to avoid the pitch and Kelly pitched another inside knuckle-curveball before he evened the count at 2-2 .
Kelly threw an 88.6-mph knuckle-curveball to strike out Correa with his sixth pitch , and then stuck out his tongue at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infielder also exchanged words .
Correa walked toward the Dodgers dugout as players from both teams met to the left of home plate .
Correa , Kelly and other players continued to exchange words , but the teams were separated before a major melee developed .
`` What really enraged everybody is what he told Carlos , '' Baker said of Kelly .
`` He struck him out and he told him , 'Nice swing , [ expletive ] . '
What are you supposed to do with that ?
`` What upset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why do n't you warn him ?
He 's the one throwing the ball and he 's the one who started this mess in the first place .
I do n't like it at all . ''
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he did n't believe there was any `` intent behind '' Kelly 's pitches .
Former Baltimore Orioles infielder Hughie Jennings holds the record for most times hit by a pitch in a single season at 51 , in 1896 .
William Hill sportsbook set the over/under for Astros players hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BetOnline.AG listed Bregman as the best bet to be hit by the most pitches in 2020 .
The Cleveland Indians were hit by 103 pitches in 2008 , a modern-era record ( since 1990 ) .
The New York Mets were hit a league-high 95 times last season and the Astros were hit 66 times .
Houston players have been hit three times in 2020 , tied for eighth-most in the league .

1/2
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly (pictured) sparked a benches-clearing incident Tuesday after a series of wild pitches against Houston Astros sluggers Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
July 29 (UPI) -- Major League Baseball gave Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly an eight-game suspension Wednesday for his role in a benches-clearing incident with the Houston Astros a day earlier. MLB also announced that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was handed a one-game suspension and Astros skipper Dusty Baker was issued a fine. Advertisement
Under the league's current 60-game format, an eight-game suspension would account for more than 13% of this year's schedule. Kelly has elected to appeal his eight-game ban.
The Astros and Dodgers jumped out of their respective dugouts and had a socially-distant altercation after Kelly appeared to intentionally throw pitches at multiple Astros hitters Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
The testy clash was a rematch of the 2017 World Series. The Astros won the title that year, aided by a sign-stealing scheme, which the team was punished for in January.
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The Dodgers hadn't played a game in Houston since that championship series nearly three years ago.
"It's something they apparently didn't take to kindly too," Kelly said of his throws after the team's 5-2 win at Minute Maid Park.
Several Dodgers players -- along with many others from around the league -- criticized Houston's punishment by Major League Baseball as insufficient and the Astros themselves for a lack of remorse for the scheme.
Carlos Correa and Joe Kelly exchanged words after Kelly struck out Correa. Benches cleared following the exchange. pic.twitter.com/sVHaibpN2y— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 29, 2020
MLB warned teams against throwing pitches at Astros players this season as a way to retaliate.
Kelly was a member of the Boston Red Sox in 2017 when they lost in the American League Divisional Series against the Astros, three games to one. Houston then defeated the New York Yankees in the ALCS to advance to the World Series.
On Tuesday, Kelly denied that he intended to hit any of the Astros players. He also said he didn't take any motivation from the 2017 playoffs, noting that his Red Sox team beat the Astros in the 2018 postseason before ultimately winning the World Series that year. The 2018 Red Sox also have been disciplined for sign-stealing.
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Kelly entered Tuesday's game in the bottom of the sixth inning. He first settled in against Astros star second baseman Jose Altuve, the 2017 American League MVP. Altuve popped up the first pitch for an out before Alex Bregman walked to the plate.
Kelly threw three pitches for balls before he tossed a 96.4-mph fastball directly toward Bregman's head. The Astros third baseman had to duck to dodge the pitch, which made a loud sound when it hit the backstop.
"When you throw a 3-0 fastball over a guy's head, now you're flirting with ending his career," Baker said.
Astros outfielder Michael Brantley hit into a force out before Kelly issued another walk to Yuli Gurriel. All of Kelly's pitches to Gurriel were well above the strike zone.
Carlos Correa has to duck out of the way from an inside breaking ball from Joe Kelly. pic.twitter.com/NabNOVB0Q6— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 29, 2020
Astros shortstop Carlos Correa then stepped into the box to face the hard-throwing right-handed relief pitcher. Kelly's first pitch was an 87-mph knuckle-curveball that also went toward the shortstop's head. Correa fell to the ground to avoid the pitch and Kelly pitched another inside knuckle-curveball before he evened the count at 2-2.
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Kelly threw an 88.6-mph knuckle-curveball to strike out Correa with his sixth pitch, and then stuck out his tongue at Correa. The Dodgers pitcher and Astros infielder also exchanged words.
Correa walked toward the Dodgers dugout as players from both teams met to the left of home plate. Correa, Kelly and other players continued to exchange words, but the teams were separated before a major melee developed.
"What really enraged everybody is what he told Carlos," Baker said of Kelly. "He struck him out and he told him, 'Nice swing, [expletive].' What are you supposed to do with that?
"What upset me is the umpire warned us. Why don't you warn him? He's the one throwing the ball and he's the one who started this mess in the first place. I don't like it at all."
Roberts said he didn't believe there was any "intent behind" Kelly's pitches.
Former Baltimore Orioles infielder Hughie Jennings holds the record for most times hit by a pitch in a single season at 51, in 1896. William Hill sportsbook set the over/under for Astros players hit by pitches in 2020 at 83.5. BetOnline.AG listed Bregman as the best bet to be hit by the most pitches in 2020.
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The Cleveland Indians were hit by 103 pitches in 2008, a modern-era record (since 1990). The New York Mets were hit a league-high 95 times last season and the Astros were hit 66 times. Houston players have been hit three times in 2020, tied for eighth-most in the league.


upi--2020-07-29--Oklahoma, football coach Lincoln Riley agree to six-year extension

July 29 ( UPI ) -- The University of Oklahoma and football coach Lincoln Riley have agreed to a six-year contract extension .
Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione confirmed the agreement Tuesday to The Oklahoman .
Riley , 36 , earned $ 6 million per season under the terms of his previous pact with the Sooners .
His new deal has an average annual value of about $ 7.5 million .
Castiglione said the agreement was finalized in February .
Riley has posted 12-2 records in each of the three seasons he has coached at Oklahoma since 2017 .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He also has won Big 12 and national coach of the year awards and coached Heisman Trophy winners Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray .
`` We felt , obviously , that it 's important for us to keep our commitment , '' Castiglione told the Oklahoman .
`` We 're very , very understanding of the unique times that we 're in , but in our normal , productive way we started conversations back in early December that resulted in an agreement in principal in February .
`` With that said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most importantly , it allows Oklahoma , our program and our fans to have the certainty that our coaches are connected to us for an extended period of time . ''
The Oklahoma athletic department announced earlier this month that any employee who earned at least $ 1 million per year would have a 10 % salary reduction due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Oklahoma announced total athletic department budget cuts of nearly $ 14 million .
Riley is now under contract with Oklahoma through the 2025 season .
The Sooners coach served @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coach in 2015 and 2016 .
He was the youngest coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision -- at 33 -- when he was hired in 2017 .
Riley also served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at East Carolina from 2010 through 2014 .
He spent seven seasons on the staff at Texas Tech before his time at East Carolina .

Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley now is under contract with the school through the 2025 season after he agreed to a new contract in February. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI | License Photo
July 29 (UPI) -- The University of Oklahoma and football coach Lincoln Riley have agreed to a six-year contract extension. Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione confirmed the agreement Tuesday to The Oklahoman. Riley, 36, earned $6 million per season under the terms of his previous pact with the Sooners. His new deal has an average annual value of about $7.5 million. Advertisement
Castiglione said the agreement was finalized in February.
Riley has posted 12-2 records in each of the three seasons he has coached at Oklahoma since 2017. He owns an 0-3 record in bowl games. He also has won Big 12 and national coach of the year awards and coached Heisman Trophy winners Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray.
"We felt, obviously, that it's important for us to keep our commitment," Castiglione told the Oklahoman. "We're very, very understanding of the unique times that we're in, but in our normal, productive way we started conversations back in early December that resulted in an agreement in principal in February.
"With that said, it's reflective of the marketplace. Most importantly, it allows Oklahoma, our program and our fans to have the certainty that our coaches are connected to us for an extended period of time."
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The Oklahoma athletic department announced earlier this month that any employee who earned at least $1 million per year would have a 10% salary reduction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Oklahoma announced total athletic department budget cuts of nearly $14 million.
Riley is now under contract with Oklahoma through the 2025 season. The Sooners coach served as Oklahoma's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2015 and 2016. He was the youngest coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision -- at 33 -- when he was hired in 2017. Riley also served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at East Carolina from 2010 through 2014. He spent seven seasons on the staff at Texas Tech before his time at East Carolina.


upi--2020-07-29--In photos: Mourning civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis

A mourner wears a protective face mask that reads `` Good Trouble '' as he pays his respects to the @ @ @ @ @ John Lewis , at the East Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington , D.C. @ @ @ @ @ phrase was a quote from the civil rights leader .
Photo by Sarah Silbiger/UPI

The body of the civil rights leader will be moved to Atlanta on Wednesday and will lie in state at the Georgia state Capitol before a private funeral on Thursday. Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI


upi--2020-07-29--Annual Hajj pilgrimage begins in Saudi Arabia with limits on crowd sizes

July 29 ( UPI ) -- The Hajj , Islam 's most sacred pilgrimage , started late Tuesday in Saudi Arabia under coronavirus restrictions that greatly restricted crowds.Saudi officials limited Hajj attendance to about 1,000 and restricted the number of worshipers allowed at Muslim holy sites in Mecca and Medina , which normally draw more than 2 million people .
The pilgrimage began on Tuesday night and will last until Sunday .
Earlier this month , Saudi officials said they would not allow international travelers to attend the Hajj due to COVID-19 , the first time such a restriction has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make up 70 percent of worshipers .
The Saudi health ministry also said it will assign one `` health leader '' for every 50 pilgrims this year .
`` The health leader will be in charge of making sure that his crew are following the health precautionary and preventive measures imposed by the authority , including social distancing and moving among sacred places , for their safety and comfort , '' the ministry said in a statement .
The attendees for this year 's Hajj were required to go through a strict process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the holy cities .
They also are expected to quarantine after their arrival and upon their return , Saudi officials added .
`` Hajj in 2020 is a truly exceptional pilgrimage by all measures , '' Saudi Hajj and Umrah minister Muhammad Saleh bin Taher Benten said in a statement .
`` Due to the exceptional global health circumstances caused by the coronavirus pandemic , strict precautionary measures have been applied to ensure a healthy Hajj for all pilgrims . ''

Pilgrims circle the Kaaba on Wednesday at the Masjidil Haram, Islam's holiest site, during the Tawaf Al-Qudum on the first day of Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Photo courtesy of Saudi Ministry of Media/EPA-EFE
July 29 (UPI) -- The Hajj, Islam's most sacred pilgrimage, started late Tuesday in Saudi Arabia under coronavirus restrictions that greatly restricted crowds. Saudi officials limited Hajj attendance this year to only a few thousand for the five-day pilgrimage, and restricted the number of worshipers allowed at Muslim holy sites in Mecca and Medina, which normally draw more than 2 million people. Advertisement
The pilgrimage began on Tuesday night and will last until Sunday.
Earlier this month, Saudi officials said they would not allow international travelers to attend the Hajj due to COVID-19, the first time such a restriction has ever been imposed. Foreign tourists normally make up 70 percent of worshipers.
The Saudi health ministry also said it will assign one "health leader" for every 50 pilgrims this year.
"The health leader will be in charge of making sure that his crew are following the health precautionary and preventive measures imposed by the authority, including social distancing and moving among sacred places, for their safety and comfort," the ministry said in a statement.
The attendees for this year's Hajj were required to go through a strict process that included periods of self-isolation before arriving in the holy cities. They also are expected to quarantine after their arrival and upon their return, Saudi officials added.
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"Hajj in 2020 is a truly exceptional pilgrimage by all measures," Saudi Hajj and Umrah minister Muhammad Saleh bin Taher Benten said in a statement. "Due to the exceptional global health circumstances caused by the coronavirus pandemic, strict precautionary measures have been applied to ensure a healthy Hajj for all pilgrims."


upi--2020-07-29--From Vietnam to coronavirus: The U.S. can't win

July 29 ( UPI ) -- In Anatomy of Failure : Why America Loses Every War It Starts , the title was my book 's argument .
Since the end of World War II , despite claiming it had the greatest military in the world , America 's record in using force was far from distinguished .
Korea was at best a draw .
Vietnam was an ignominious defeat .
America is still embroiled in Afghanistan .
And the second Iraq War was the single worst strategic disaster for America since the Civil War .
Fortunately , America `` won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we did not start .
While the 1990-91 Iraq war was brilliantly waged , Saddam Hussein started it and the George H.W .
Bush administration was wise enough not to expand the war once Iraq was ejected from Kuwait .
Today , the president calls the fight against the novel coronavirus a `` war . ''
True , it is a war we neither started nor wanted .
But like Vietnam and Iraq II , it is `` war '' we are losing for surprisingly similar reasons .
The fundamental factors that ensured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regardless of the party in power .
In the first instance , presidents and their administrations lacked sufficient knowledge and understanding of the conditions in which force was to be used .
Second , the reasons for going to war were manufactured and proved to be wrong .
Third , presidents lacked the experience and judgment that led to flawed assumptions and decisions .
Fourth , `` group think '' too often dominated decisions .
And finally , `` expert '' advice was ignored or rejected .
Vietnam was the classic case of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Vietnam , four presidents from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Richard Nixon saw the conflict as essential to preventing the spread of so-called `` monolithic communism '' and an unholy alliance of Soviet Russia and Communist China .
As Lyndon Johnson often argued , '' If we do n't stop the commies on the Mekong , we will fight them on the Mississippi . ''
All those arguments were wrong .
In 2003 , the second Bush administration launched an invasion of Iraq to deny Hussein weapons of mass destruction he no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's embrace of an attack in the Tonkin Gulf that never took place .
The underlying argument was George W. Bush 's freedom doctrine : By imposing democracy , the geostrategic landscape of the Greater Middle East would dramatically change .
Tragically , his vision proved correct but not in the way he meant .
The COVID-19 pandemic is now the enemy .
While the memory of Vietnam and other military failures is distant , those lessons of how to avoid and the reasons for disaster are as applicable today as they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lacks the experience , judgment , knowledge and understanding to lead in containing , mitigating and overcoming this pandemic .
The president 's initial reaction was to ignore and then downplay the virus .
He wrongly asserted that the virus would disappear .
He has since claimed that 99 % of the young who were infected would have virtually no symptoms beyond `` sniffles . ''
The issue of masks is an example of incompetence and ignorance .
Masks prevent the spread of the disease from wearers to others , period .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear a mask and only after opinion polls showed him far behind his opponent did he reluctantly change his mind .
The United States still does not have a comprehensive strategy for dealing with the pandemic and for economic recovery .
In Vietnam , the strategy of gradual escalation was not a comprehensive plan for dealing with the different conflicts that were being fought concurrently in Southeast Asia beyond local military battles .
In Iraq II , the strategy was to unseat Hussein and then withdraw .
The parallels with COVID-19 are eerily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prove that in Vietnam there was `` a light at the end of the tunnel '' and that Hussein had WMD , Trump selectively used `` data '' to prove wrongly that America had the lowest and best mortality rate in the world ; that America did more testing than anyone else ; that U.S. testing was the best ; and that the economy must be reopened no matter the health costs .
And the president has rejected sustaining an international coalition to defeat COVID-19 .
If Presidents Ronald Reagan , George H.W @ @ @ @ @ @ @ W. Bush or Barack Obama were in the White House , would the national response have been different ?
Given the actions of these prior leaders , it would seem inconceivable that any of them would have been so cavalier and indifferent to the pandemic .
How each confronted AIDS ( and Obama with Ebola ) is instructive to answering this question .
But Trump , and not these other presidents , is in the White House .
The tragedy is that the outcome of Trump 's war with this virus could follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is UPI 's Arnaud deBorchgrave Distinguished Columnist , 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 . ''

President Donald Trump lacks the experience, judgment, knowledge and understanding to lead in containing, mitigating and overcoming this pandemic. Photo by Oliver Contreras/UPI | License Photo
July 29 (UPI) -- In Anatomy of Failure: Why America Loses Every War It Starts, the title was my book's argument. Since the end of World War II, despite claiming it had the greatest military in the world, America's record in using force was far from distinguished. Korea was at best a draw. Vietnam was an ignominious defeat. America is still embroiled in Afghanistan. And the second Iraq War was the single worst strategic disaster for America since the Civil War. Advertisement
Fortunately, America "won" the Cold War, a conflict we did not start. While the 1990-91 Iraq war was brilliantly waged, Saddam Hussein started it and the George H.W. Bush administration was wise enough not to expand the war once Iraq was ejected from Kuwait.
Today, the president calls the fight against the novel coronavirus a "war." True, it is a war we neither started nor wanted. But like Vietnam and Iraq II, it is "war" we are losing for surprisingly similar reasons.
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The fundamental factors that ensured failure in using military power were consistent regardless of the party in power. In the first instance, presidents and their administrations lacked sufficient knowledge and understanding of the conditions in which force was to be used. Second, the reasons for going to war were manufactured and proved to be wrong. Third, presidents lacked the experience and judgment that led to flawed assumptions and decisions. Fourth, "group think" too often dominated decisions. And finally, "expert" advice was ignored or rejected.
Vietnam was the classic case of failure and how these factors produced it. In Vietnam, four presidents from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Richard Nixon saw the conflict as essential to preventing the spread of so-called "monolithic communism" and an unholy alliance of Soviet Russia and Communist China. As Lyndon Johnson often argued,"If we don't stop the commies on the Mekong, we will fight them on the Mississippi." All those arguments were wrong.
In 2003, the second Bush administration launched an invasion of Iraq to deny Hussein weapons of mass destruction he no longer possessed -- not dissimilar to Johnson's embrace of an attack in the Tonkin Gulf that never took place. The underlying argument was George W. Bush's freedom doctrine: By imposing democracy, the geostrategic landscape of the Greater Middle East would dramatically change. Tragically, his vision proved correct but not in the way he meant.
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The COVID-19 pandemic is now the enemy. While the memory of Vietnam and other military failures is distant, those lessons of how to avoid and the reasons for disaster are as applicable today as they were then.
First, President Donald Trump lacks the experience, judgment, knowledge and understanding to lead in containing, mitigating and overcoming this pandemic. The president's initial reaction was to ignore and then downplay the virus. He wrongly asserted that the virus would disappear. He has since claimed that 99% of the young who were infected would have virtually no symptoms beyond "sniffles."
The issue of masks is an example of incompetence and ignorance. Masks prevent the spread of the disease from wearers to others, period. It took four months for the president to wear a mask and only after opinion polls showed him far behind his opponent did he reluctantly change his mind.
The United States still does not have a comprehensive strategy for dealing with the pandemic and for economic recovery. In Vietnam, the strategy of gradual escalation was not a comprehensive plan for dealing with the different conflicts that were being fought concurrently in Southeast Asia beyond local military battles. In Iraq II, the strategy was to unseat Hussein and then withdraw. The parallels with COVID-19 are eerily similar.
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As intelligence was cherry-picked to prove that in Vietnam there was "a light at the end of the tunnel" and that Hussein had WMD, Trump selectively used "data" to prove wrongly that America had the lowest and best mortality rate in the world; that America did more testing than anyone else; that U.S. testing was the best; and that the economy must be reopened no matter the health costs. And the president has rejected sustaining an international coalition to defeat COVID-19.
If Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush or Barack Obama were in the White House, would the national response have been different? Given the actions of these prior leaders, it would seem inconceivable that any of them would have been so cavalier and indifferent to the pandemic. How each confronted AIDS (and Obama with Ebola) is instructive to answering this question.
But Trump, and not these other presidents, is in the White House. The tragedy is that the outcome of Trump's war with this virus could follow what happened in Vietnam and Iraq.Harlan Ullman is UPI's Arnaud deBorchgrave Distinguished Columnist, 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--2020-07-29--Watch live: Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon CEOs face questions on digital 'dominance'

July 29 ( UPI ) -- The CEOs of four technology giants will appear in Congress on Wednesday to testify before a House panel that 's examining antitrust issues facing the companies .
Scheduled to testify at noon EDT are Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos , Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg , Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai .
They will appear before the antitrust subcommittee of the House judiciary committee .
The hearing is titled `` Online Platforms and Market Power , Part 6 : Examining the Dominance of Amazon , Apple , Facebook and Google .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ D-R.I. , has been leading a months-long investigation into potential anti-competitive practices at all four companies .
Committee members have obtained more than 1.3 million documents from the companies and have conducted five earlier public hearings .
The Wall Street Journal reported in April that Amazon used sensitive business information from third-party sellers to develop competing products .
Cicilline and other committee members said the report contradicts sworn statements made by company officials .
In a May 1 letter to Bezos , the panel members demanded his testimony to fill `` significant gaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opening statement , released in advance , Bezos says his company regularly fights `` large , established players '' for a share of the U.S. e-commerce market , including Walmart , which he said is `` more than twice Amazon 's size . ''
`` We also face new competition from the likes of Shopify and Instacart -- companies that enable traditionally physical stores to put up a full online store almost instantaneously and to deliver products directly to customers in new and innovative ways -- and a growing list of omnichannel business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ competitors and related services is constantly changing , and the only real constant in retail is customers ' desire for lower prices , better selection and convenience . ''
In his testimony , Zuckerberg says Facebook has a unique role of `` connecting people around the world '' and faces `` significant competition . ''
`` We face intense competition globally and we only succeed when we build things people find valuable , '' he says .
`` We compete against the companies appearing at this hearing , plus many others that sell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compete globally , including against companies that have access to markets that we are n't in .
`` Our story would not have been possible without U.S. laws that encourage competition and innovation . ''
Cook , who took over at Apple for Steve Jobs in 2011 , echoed Zuckerberg 's insistence that the tech market is rife with competition .
`` As much as we believe the iPhone provides the best user experience , we know it is far from the only choice available to consumers , '' he says in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is fiercely competitive .
`` Apple does not have a dominant market share in any market where we do business .
That is not just true for iPhone ; it is true for any product category . ''
Pichai says in his testimony that Google is not only anti-competitive , it has promoted competition since it was founded in 1998 .
`` Because of our tools , businesses on Main Street can compete in a way that was n't possible 20 years ago , '' he says .
`` We know Google 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he adds .
`` Google operates in highly competitive and dynamic global markets , in which prices are free or falling , and products are constantly improving . ''
Pichai says that greater competition breeds greater privacy and security .
`` Google is committed to keeping your information safe , treating it responsibly and putting you in control of what you choose to share , '' he says .
`` We also never sell user information to third parties .
But more must be done to protect users across industries , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of comprehensive federal privacy laws . ''

1/7
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks via video conference before the House judiciary subcommittee on antitrust, commercial and administrative law Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol. Pool Photo by Graeme Jennings/UPI | License Photo
July 29 (UPI) -- Lawmakers on the House judiciary committee Wednesday accused four technology giants of being monopolies that have "wielded their power in disruptive, harmful ways." The representatives made the comments during a hearing on digital antitrust issues. Four CEOs -- Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Tim Cook of Apple, Sundar Pichai of Google and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook -- appeared before the antitrust subcommittee of the House judiciary as part of the hearing. Advertisement
Subcommittee Chairman Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., has been leading a months-long investigation into potential anti-competitive practices at all four companies. Committee members have obtained more than 1.3 million documents from the companies and have conducted five earlier public hearings.
Cicilline said the power the four companies have threatens competition and U.S. democracy.
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"Any single action by one of these companies can affect hundreds of millions of us in profound and lasting ways," he said. "Simply put: They have too much power."
Cicilline also accused Google of stealing content from smaller companies by keeping users on Google sites.
"I disagree with this characterization," Pichai said.
Zuckerberg defended Facebook's purchase of Instagram in 2012. Documents from the subcommittee's investigation indicated that the CEO viewed Instagram as a competitive threat.
"Rather than compete with it, Facebook bought it," Sensenbrenner said.
Zuckerberg, though, said Instagram had several competitors at the time of Facebook's purchase.
"The acquisition has done wildly well not just because of the founders' talent, but because we invested heavily in building up the infrastructure and promoting it," he said. "And I think that this has been an American success story."
Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., said he was less concerned with how big the tech companies are than he was with apparent efforts to suppress conservative viewpoints.
"The way the net was put together, in the eyes of Congress, is that everybody should be able to speak their mind," he said.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, also accused the companies of downplaying conservative voices.
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"I'll just cut to the chase, Big Tech's out to get conservatives," he said.
Jordan also accused Google of attempting to aide former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign in 2016 and asked Pichai to pledge the company would not "tailor" its features to help former Vice President Joe Biden in November's election.
Pichai denied the claim that his company favored the Clinton campaign and told Jordan "you have my commitment" that Google will act in a non-partisan manner in the upcoming election, saying political activity should not take place during company time.
"We've clearly communicated to our employees, any personal political activity, while it's their right, needs to happen on their own time and resources," Pichai said. "Any work we do around elections is nonpartisan."
Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-Calif., said the journalism industry has entered an economic freefall because Google and Facebook "now capture the vast majority of digital ad revenue."
"Although news publishers produce valuable content, it is Google and Facebook that increasingly profit off their content," he said.
Nadler noted that "news publishers fired hundreds of journalists choosing to boost their video" products based on high and quickly growing rates of video viewership on Facebook, which were later revealed to be inflated.
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Zuckerberg replied that he did not know the numbers were inflated, adding "we regret that mistake."
The Wall Street Journal reported in April that Amazon used sensitive business information from third-party sellers to develop competing products. Cicilline and other committee members said the report contradicts sworn statements made by company officials.
In a May 1 letter to Bezos, the panel members demanded his testimony to fill "significant gaps" in their investigation.
In his opening statement, released in advance, Bezos said his company regularly fights "large, established players" for a share of the U.S. e-commerce market, including Walmart, which he said is "more than twice Amazon's size."
"We also face new competition from the likes of Shopify and Instacart -- companies that enable traditionally physical stores to put up a full online store almost instantaneously and to deliver products directly to customers in new and innovative ways -- and a growing list of omnichannel business models.
"The range of retail competitors and related services is constantly changing, and the only real constant in retail is customers' desire for lower prices, better selection and convenience."
Cicilline also questioned Bezos about whether Amazon refers to third-party sellers as "internal competitors."
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"In some ways we are competing and they're also competing with each other," said Bezos.
In his prepared testimony, Zuckerberg said Facebook has a unique role of "connecting people around the world" and faces "significant competition."
"We face intense competition globally and we only succeed when we build things people find valuable," he said.
"We compete against the companies appearing at this hearing, plus many others that sell advertising and connect people. We also compete globally, including against companies that have access to markets that we aren't in.
"Our story would not have been possible without U.S. laws that encourage competition and innovation."
Cook, who took over at Apple for Steve Jobs in 2011, echoed Zuckerberg's insistence that the tech market is rife with competition.
"As much as we believe the iPhone provides the best user experience, we know it is far from the only choice available to consumers," he said in his prepared remarks. "The smartphone market is fiercely competitive.
"Apple does not have a dominant market share in any market where we do business. That is not just true for the iPhone; it is true for any product category."
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Rep. Lucy Kay McBath, D-Ga., asked Cook whether Apple has the power to exclude apps from its proprietary App Store, citing the company's removal of parental control apps that monitored children's' screen time in 2016 after it introduced its own ScreenTime app.
Cook said that those apps were removed due to privacy concerns, arguing that the marketplace remains open to third-party developers.
"If you look at the history of this, congresswoman, we've increased the number of apps from 500 to 1.7 million so there is a very wide gate for the App Store," Cook said. "And there is fierce competition for developers and want every app we can on the platform."
Pichai said in his testimony that Google has promoted competition since it was founded in 1998.
"Because of our tools, businesses on Main Street can compete in a way that wasn't possible 20 years ago," he said.
"We know Google's continued success is not guaranteed," he added. "Google operates in highly competitive and dynamic global markets, in which prices are free or falling, and products are constantly improving."
Pichai said that greater competition breeds greater privacy and security.
"Google is committed to keeping your information safe, treating it responsibly and putting you in control of what you choose to share," he said. "We also never sell user information to third parties. But more must be done to protect users across industries, which is why we've long supported the creation of comprehensive federal privacy laws."


upi--2020-07-29--Pilots union calls on FedEx to suspend Hong Kong service over COVID-19 rules

July 29 ( UPI ) -- A union representing FedEx pilots has urged the company to suspend service to Hong Kong , citing unacceptable risks due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
The Air Line Pilots Association urged in a statement for the service to be suspended on Tuesday after three asymptomatic FedEx pilots who tested positive for the coronavirus were `` forced '' into mandated hospital facilities for up to 10 days in the Chinese semi-autonomous city .
The union added that several pilots who tested negative for the virus but had been in close contact with a positive person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremely difficult conditions . ''
`` Not only do these situations pose unacceptable risks to our pilots ' safety and wellbeing , but they also create added stress and distraction for flight operations , '' ALPA Master Executive Council chairman Capt .
Dave Chase said in a statement .
`` While the COVID-19 global pandemic rages on , FedEx pilots continue to provide essential services , operating in extremely challenging and ever-changing environments and constantly adapting to new government mandates and restrictions around the globe . ''
Chase said Hong Kong 's government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unacceptable conditions '' for its pilots , stating those who test positive face compulsory admission and treatment in public hospitals where as many as five patients share a room with a single bathroom while anyone who is found to have been exposed to a positive case is placed in government quarantine for two weeks with `` very sparse provisions . ''
FedEx confirmed in a statement to South China Morning Post that it has been engaging Hong Kong government authorities to support its crewmembers requiring medical treatment or self-isolation .
`` Our operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network , and we are proud of the way our entire FedEx team has continued to operate through difficult circumstances to keep the global supply chain moving around the world , '' the U.S. multinational delivery service said .
The announcement came as Hong Kong battles a spike in cases , reporting 106 new cases on Tuesday of which 48 cases were linked to previous infections but with 50 of unknown origin .
The new numbers lift its total infections to 2,884 .
The Hong Kong government on Wednesday announced in a release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and air crew , stating all those who enter the country via the international airport must test negative for the virus 48 hours prior to boarding the vessel for the Chinese city .
They must also provide a throat saliva sample upon arrival , the government said .
`` We are at a critical juncture in combating the acute situation of epidemic , '' a government spokesman said in a statement .
`` Although the testing and quarantine arrangements will have an impact on the aviation and maritime industry , we consider it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time . ''

July 29 (UPI) -- A union representing FedEx pilots has urged the company to suspend service to Hong Kong, citing unacceptable risks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Air Line Pilots Association urged in a statement for the service to be suspended on Tuesday after three asymptomatic FedEx pilots who tested positive for the coronavirus were "forced" into mandated hospital facilities for up to 10 days in the Chinese semi-autonomous city.
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The union added that several pilots who tested negative for the virus but had been in close contact with a positive person were "put into government camps under extremely difficult conditions."
"Not only do these situations pose unacceptable risks to our pilots' safety and wellbeing, but they also create added stress and distraction for flight operations," ALPA Master Executive Council chairman Capt. Dave Chase said in a statement. "While the COVID-19 global pandemic rages on, FedEx pilots continue to provide essential services, operating in extremely challenging and ever-changing environments and constantly adapting to new government mandates and restrictions around the globe."
Chase said Hong Kong's government mandates for virus testing "have created unacceptable conditions" for its pilots, stating those who test positive face compulsory admission and treatment in public hospitals where as many as five patients share a room with a single bathroom while anyone who is found to have been exposed to a positive case is placed in government quarantine for two weeks with "very sparse provisions."
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FedEx confirmed in a statement to South China Morning Post that it has been engaging Hong Kong government authorities to support its crewmembers requiring medical treatment or self-isolation.
"Our operations in Asia-Pacific are vital to our global network, and we are proud of the way our entire FedEx team has continued to operate through difficult circumstances to keep the global supply chain moving around the world," the U.S. multinational delivery service said.
The announcement came as Hong Kong battles a spike in cases, reporting 106 new cases on Tuesday of which 48 cases were linked to previous infections but with 50 of unknown origin.
The new numbers lift its total infections to 2,884.
The Hong Kong government on Wednesday announced in a release tightened testing and quarantine mandates for sea and air crew, stating all those who enter the country via the international airport must test negative for the virus 48 hours prior to boarding the vessel for the Chinese city. They must also provide a throat saliva sample upon arrival, the government said.
"We are at a critical juncture in combating the acute situation of epidemic," a government spokesman said in a statement. "Although the testing and quarantine arrangements will have an impact on the aviation and maritime industry, we consider it necessary to adopt stringent measures at this time."


upi--2020-07-29--Tropical storm warnings issued for Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands

July 29 ( UPI ) -- With Gonzalo and Hanna hardly even a distant memory , a new tropical threat has emerged in the Atlantic basin that is expected to rapidly strengthen .
A broad area of showers and thunderstorms -- a feature that forecasters have been monitoring for tropical development for days -- became better organized Tuesday .
The National Hurricane Center designated the area Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 at 11 a.m. EST .
The system was located about 5 miles south of Dominica and 385 miles east-southeast of San Juan , Puerto Rico , with maximum sustained winds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center said in its 5 a.m. update , adding the storm was moving west-northwest at 23 mph .
It is forecast to continue in this general direction though with some slight reduction in speed over the next few days and it should move through the southern Leeward Islands in the next few hours .
By Wednesday night , the system should be near or over the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico , the hurricane center said .
AccuWeather meteorologists say it is likely to soon become the next tropical depression and storm of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viable threat for the next five to 10 days .
Tropical storm warnings were issued for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in advance of the developing system .
The government of Antigua also issued tropical storm warnings for Antigua , Barbuda , the British Virgin Islands , Montserrat , St. Kitts and Nevis .
The government of the Bahamas issued a tropical storm watch for the Turks and Caicos Islands and the government of the Dominican Republic issued a tropical storm watch for the southern coast of its country from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Unlike Gonzalo , which was a very compact storm that developed in a similar area , the thunderstorms associated with the new storm extend along a swath of ocean about 700 miles long .
In comparison , Gonzalo 's tropical storm-force winds only extended across 50 miles .
Despite the size of the budding system , there have been hurdles for it to overcome for development .
And even though its 40-mph sustained winds met the criteria for a tropical storm , the system 's lack of a well-defined center is keeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm status .
However , it may soon enter an atmosphere with more favorable conditions for strengthening .
`` Moderate wind shear over the feature and dry air to its north has prevented the broad area of thunderstorms from becoming better organized the past few days , '' AccuWeather senior meteorologist Rob Miller said .
Strong wind shear , or the changing of winds with altitude , can limit tropical development and even tear apart organized systems , causing them to weaken .
`` As this feature moves briskly along to the west-northwest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which should allow a better-defined center to take shape , '' Miller said .
AccuWeather meteorologists expect the disturbance to become the next storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season .
If it strengthens into a named storm , it would be called Isaias .
This name was added after Ike was retired in 2008 but has not yet been used .
Should the tropical storm form prior to Aug. 7 , it would set another early-formation record for the season .
Irene from 2005 holds the title for the earliest ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft is scheduled to fly into the region for further investigation and when meteorologists are able to detect where the center of the feature is situated , that information could be key in determining where the system may track and its impact in the coming days .
If the center of the disturbance was to take shape on the northern part of the mass of moisture , then there would be a greater chance for the system to take a curved path to the northwest , north and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States over the next seven to 10 days .
Should the center organize much farther south , then there is a more likely chance for the system to pass near or right over the islands of the northern Caribbean from the Lesser Antilles , as well as Puerto Rico , Hispaniola and Cuba later this week and this weekend .
This land interaction , especially the mountainous terrain of the larger islands , would exert a drag on the feature and would tend to take the edge off the overall strength .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the northern Caribbean would also raise the risk to lives and property from flooding rain , mudslides and strong winds .
The feature is expected to gradually gain strength over the next couple of days .
`` A large portion of the Leeward Islands , Puerto Rico , and northern sections of the Dominican Republic should prepare for wind gusts of 40-60 mph , regardless of the exact track of the center , '' according to AccuWeather meteorologist Randy Adkins .
`` Damage to some trees , poorly constructed buildings and temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may result which could last several days in more remote areas , '' he said .
Wind gusts of 80 mph are possible , most likely over Puerto Rico .
The high mountains on Hispaniola , and to some extent Puerto Rico and Cuba , act as a natural barrier to the path of the storm .
Tropical systems generally avoid tracking over the heart of these islands as a result .
However , the mountains can cause the center of an approaching tropical storm or hurricane to jump from one coast to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The overall strength of the system may also determine its fate as far as a track is concerned .
Early on , a well-organized , stronger system is more likely to curve northwestward and northward faster than one that remains poorly organized and stays weak .
`` At this juncture , the realm of possibilities of potential tracks for this system range from the Gulf of Mexico to waters east of the United States and Canada and includes all areas in between , '' Miller said .
It matters where the center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how strong it becomes before a call can be made for the Gulf , the United States or a near-miss for the United States .
AccuWeather chief broadcast meteorologist Bernie Rayno said that whether or not Florida sees impacts depends on whether the storm moves over Hispaniola , where he said it could fall apart .
If it stays north of the island and maintains a circulation over water , however , `` There could be some development or certainly moisture approaching Florida , or even [ elsewhere on ] the southeast coast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Other factors include the amount of wind shear near North America , which is never in a steady state .
A non-tropical system , associated with a dip in the jet stream , may also help to steer the system to the north and northeast once it approaches the United States .
Waters over the northern Caribbean , western Atlantic and in the Gulf of Mexico are sufficiently warm to not only sustain a tropical system but also potentially add to its strength .
Either way , the mass of moisture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gusty thunderstorms that will spread westward through the Leeward and Windward islands at midweek , followed by Puerto Rico , the Dominican Republic , Turks and Caicos , eastern Cuba and the southeastern Bahamas late this week and into this weekend .
`` Rainfall amounts of 2-4 inches will be common across the Lesser Antilles , Puerto Rico , and the Dominican Republic .
Locally higher amounts of 4-8 inches ... are possible over the higher terrain , particularly over Puerto Rico .
Flash flooding is likely to result in a number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hills and mountains , '' Adkins said .
All interests from the northern Caribbean to the Bahamas , Bermuda , the United States and northeastern Mexico should monitor the progress .
The 2020 season has outpaced the formation speed of the 2005 season , but not so much in terms of the number of hurricanes .
Hanna became the first hurricane of the Atlantic season early on Saturday and also became the first hurricane to strike the United States .
By the time Hanna became a hurricane , the 2005 season had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dennis and Emily .
Dennis and Emily became major hurricanes with peak winds of 150 and 160 mph respectively .
Hurricane Irene would follow in August 2005 .
Irene peaked with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph , which is a Category 2 hurricane .
Disturbances are lining up over Africa and moving westward with one feature every one to three days apart .
This series of disturbances is known as the Cabo Verde part of the hurricane season and is just beginning to ramp up .
Most likely more early-season formation records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 2005 holdings being swapped with 2020 newcomers .
Following Irene 's record from Aug. 7 , the `` J-storm '' record is held by Jose on Aug. 22 , 2005 , with the `` K-storm '' record held by the infamous Katrina on Aug. 24 , 2005 .
The 10th and 11th names on this year 's tropical list , should they be needed , are Josephine and Kyle .

Isaias was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone as it moved into Canada Tuesday night. Photo courtesy of NOAA
Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Isaias made its way into southeastern Canada after being downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone on Tuesday night. The epicenter of the post-tropical cyclone was about 55 miles north-northwest of Quebec City, Quebec, in Canada, the National Hurricane Center said in its 5 a.m. Wednesday update. Advertisement
The storm was traveling north-northeast at 28 mph but its speed was expected to decrease and its maximum sustained winds of 40 mph with higher gusts was to weaken and drop below tropical storm force through Wednesday morning, the NHC said.
"The post-tropical cyclone is expected to dissipate over southeastern Canada on Thursday," the NHC said.
Forecasters said one to three inches of rain should fall along and near Isaias' track across southern Quebec.
Hurricane-force wind gusts were reported Monday night as the eyewall went ashore in Ocean Isle Beach, N.C., with the highest gust reported over land at 93 mph. As the hurricane approached, the system spawned a tornado that touched down on Bald Head Island, N.C.
All told, Isaias is predicted to cause between $2 billion and $3 billion in damages and economic loss, according to AccuWeather founder and CEO Joel N. Myers.
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One of the main threats for the areas from Virginia to Maine was from torrential rain that can lead to flash, urban and small-stream flooding.
Following its impact on the U.S., Isaias is forecast to spread a swath of rain and gusty winds rapidly through a portion of Atlantic Canada Wednesday into Thursday.
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season has already left its mark in history with several of the earliest-forming tropical storms on record. Cristobal, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna and Isaias all set early-season formation records for their respective letter. All of the July-forming storms from Edouard through Isaias broke the records set during the infamous 2005 season.
Hanna became the first hurricane of the 2020 season, and Isaias became the second.
There is a high potential that the 2020 season could become "hyperactive" as the peak of hurricane season nears and tropical storm numbers may end up rivaling the historic 2005 season numbers, which produced 28 storms. AccuWeather meteorologists are already monitoring a few areas of disturbed weather beyond Isaias.


upi--2020-07-29--Utah man charged with posing as a doctor to sell fake silver-based COVID-19 cures

July 29 ( UPI ) -- Federal prosecutors have charged a Utah man with masquerading as a doctor to sell fake cures for the deadly and infectious coronavirus online .
In an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Friday , Gordon H. Pedersen has been accused of promoting silver-based products as COVID-19 cures in spite of there being no evidence to support his fraudulent claims , the Justice Department said in a release Tuesday .
Prosecutors also accuse Pedersen of posing as a doctor to sell the fake medicinal products by wearing a stethoscope and a white lab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Internet .
`` The Department of Justice will take swift action to protect consumers from those who offer phony cure-alls for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 , '' Acting Assistant Attorney General Ethan Davis said in a statement .
Prosecutors accuse Pedersen of peddling the products starting early this year shortly after the virus emerged .
In connection to the charges , My Doctor Suggests , the company Pedersen previously co-owned , agreed to a one-count criminal information charge over its promotion of the ingestible silver products as a COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company in late April to stop selling the products in question in response to a Justice Department civil complaint while also freezing Pedersen 's assets to preserve the court 's abilities to grant relief to the defrauded customers seeking refunds .
Some of the false claims the company was alleged to have made include that having silver in one 's bloodstream will `` usher '' the coronavirus from the body and that `` it has been proven that Alkaline Structured Silver will destroy all forms of viruses , it will protect people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
My Doctor Suggests has since ended its relationship with Pedersen and is working with prosecutors , the Justice Department said .
Federal prosecutors have previously sought and been granted orders enjoining Pedersen , GP Silver LLC and My Doctor Suggests from distributing silver products as well as representing them as cures or treatments for the coronavirus or any other disease .
`` In addition to the imposition of a civil restraining order that successfully shut down fraudulent claims of a COVID-19 cure-all , Mr. Pedersen now faces criminal charges for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huber for the District of Utah said in a statement .
`` The federal felony allegations are serious , especially against the backdrop of this pandemic where Americans are yearning for effective relief .
If proven , this conduct reveals a scheme where greed was a higher priority than conveying truth to consumers . ''
According to researchers at Johns Hopkins University , the coronavirus has sickened more than 4.3 million Americans of whom some 1490,000 have died .
The Trump administration has sought to prosecute those who attempt to criminally take advantage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Justice Department won its first legal action against a company fraudulently posing to sell a cure for the coronavirus online .
Earlier that month , U.S. Attorney General William Barr signed an executive order directing attorney 's offices across the country to `` prioritize the detection , investigation and prosecution of all criminal conduct related to the current pandemic . ''

July 29 (UPI) -- Federal prosecutors have charged a Utah man with masquerading as a doctor to sell fake cures for the deadly and infectious coronavirus online.
In an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Friday, Gordon H. Pedersen has been accused of promoting silver-based products as COVID-19 cures in spite of there being no evidence to support his fraudulent claims, the Justice Department said in a release Tuesday. Prosecutors also accuse Pedersen of posing as a doctor to sell the fake medicinal products by wearing a stethoscope and a white lab coat in promotional videos and photos published on the Internet.
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"The Department of Justice will take swift action to protect consumers from those who offer phony cure-alls for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19," Acting Assistant Attorney General Ethan Davis said in a statement.
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Prosecutors accuse Pedersen of peddling the products starting early this year shortly after the virus emerged.
In connection to the charges, My Doctor Suggests, the company Pedersen previously co-owned, agreed to a one-count criminal information charge over its promotion of the ingestible silver products as a COVID-19 drug treatment.
A Utah court ordered the company in late April to stop selling the products in question in response to a Justice Department civil complaint while also freezing Pedersen's assets to preserve the court's abilities to grant relief to the defrauded customers seeking refunds.
Some of the false claims the company was alleged to have made include that having silver in one's bloodstream will "usher" the coronavirus from the body and that "it has been proven that Alkaline Structured Silver will destroy all forms of viruses, it will protect people from the coronavirus," the complaint said.
My Doctor Suggests has since ended its relationship with Pedersen and is working with prosecutors, the Justice Department said.
Federal prosecutors have previously sought and been granted orders enjoining Pedersen, GP Silver LLC and My Doctor Suggests from distributing silver products as well as representing them as cures or treatments for the coronavirus or any other disease.
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"In addition to the imposition of a civil restraining order that successfully shut down fraudulent claims of a COVID-19 cure-all, Mr. Pedersen now faces criminal charges for his conduct," U.S. Attorney John W. Huber for the District of Utah said in a statement. "The federal felony allegations are serious, especially against the backdrop of this pandemic where Americans are yearning for effective relief. If proven, this conduct reveals a scheme where greed was a higher priority than conveying truth to consumers."
According to researchers at Johns Hopkins University, the coronavirus has sickened more than 4.3 million Americans of whom some 1490,000 have died.
The Trump administration has sought to prosecute those who attempt to criminally take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic and in March, the Justice Department won its first legal action against a company fraudulently posing to sell a cure for the coronavirus online.
Earlier that month, U.S. Attorney General William Barr signed an executive order directing attorney's offices across the country to "prioritize the detection, investigation and prosecution of all criminal conduct related to the current pandemic."


upi--2020-07-29--On This Day, July 29: 'Old Town Road' breaks record for longest No. 1 single

July 29 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1588 , off the coast of Gravelines , France , Spain 's `` Invincible Armada '' was defeated by an English naval force under the command of Charles Howard and Francis Drake .
In 1794 , the first African Methodist Episcopal Church , Mother Bethel , was dedicated in Philadelphia .
The church was founded by Black members of St. George 's Methodist Church who left the congregation due to racial segregation at the church .
In 1848 , at the height of the potato famine in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ English rule was crushed by government police in Tipperary .
In 1900 , Italian King Umberto I was shot to death by Gaetano Bresci , an Italian-born anarchist who resided in the United States before returning to his homeland to kill the king .
In 1958 , President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs into law the National Aeronautics and Space Act , which creates the National Aeronautics and Space Administration -- NASA .
In 1967 , a fire aboard the USS Forrestal killed 134 U.S. service members and injured another 161 .
The super @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launching aircraft in missions against targets in North Vietnam .
In 1976 , David Berkowitz , the so-called `` Son of Sam , '' fatally shot two people in the Bronx , the first in a series of shootings that would terrorize New York City for months .
Berkowitz pleaded guilty to the murders and was sentenced to more than 300 years in prison .
In 1981 , British Prince Charles , son of the queen , married Diana Spencer at St. Paul 's Cathedral in London .
Diana was killed in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a federal judge in Little Rock , Ark.
, fined U.S. President Bill Clinton $ 89,000 for lying about his relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky in his deposition in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case .
In 2004 , Democrats nominated Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts to oppose Republican incumbent George W. Bush in the November presidential election .
In 2008 , U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens , R-Alaska , was indicted by a federal grand jury on seven felony counts accusing him of failing to disclose gifts from an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 2010 plane crash .
In 2019 , `` Old Town Road '' by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus broke the record for longest-running Billboard Hot 100 No .
1 .
The previous record was set by Mariah Carey 's `` One Sweet Day . ''

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Billy Ray Cyrus (L) and Lil Nas X perform during the 19th annual BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on June 23, 2019. Their song, "Old Town Road," broke the record for longest No. 1 single on the Billboard 100 on July 29, 2019. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
July 29 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1588, off the coast of Gravelines, France, Spain's "Invincible Armada" was defeated by an English naval force under the command of Charles Howard and Francis Drake. Advertisement
In 1794, the first African Methodist Episcopal Church, Mother Bethel, was dedicated in Philadelphia. The church was founded by Black members of St. George's Methodist Church who left the congregation due to racial segregation at the church.
In 1848, at the height of the potato famine in Ireland, an abortive nationalist revolt against English rule was crushed by government police in Tipperary.
In 1900, Italian King Umberto I was shot to death by Gaetano Bresci, an Italian-born anarchist who resided in the United States before returning to his homeland to kill the king.
In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs into law the National Aeronautics and Space Act, which creates the National Aeronautics and Space Administration -- NASA.
In 1967, a fire aboard the USS Forrestal killed 134 U.S. service members and injured another 161. The super carrier was in the Gulf of Tonkin launching aircraft in missions against targets in North Vietnam.
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In 1976, David Berkowitz, the so-called "Son of Sam," fatally shot two people in the Bronx, the first in a series of shootings that would terrorize New York City for months. Berkowitz pleaded guilty to the murders and was sentenced to more than 300 years in prison.
In 1981, British Prince Charles, son of the queen, married Diana Spencer at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Diana was killed in a car crash in 1997.
UPI File Photo
In 1999, a federal judge in Little Rock, Ark., fined U.S. President Bill Clinton $89,000 for lying about his relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky in his deposition in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case.
In 2004, Democrats nominated Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts to oppose Republican incumbent George W. Bush in the November presidential election.
File Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI
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In 2008, U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, was indicted by a federal grand jury on seven felony counts accusing him of failing to disclose gifts from an oil services company. Stevens died in a 2010 plane crash.
In 2019, "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus broke the record for longest-running Billboard Hot 100 No. 1. The previous record was set by Mariah Carey's "One Sweet Day."


upi--2020-07-29--9/11 first responders have higher odds for Alzheimer's, study says

First responders to the 9/11 terrorist attacks appear to be at increased risk for Alzheimer 's disease and dementia , new research suggests .
The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder , or PTSD , and mild thinking impairments among them is well-known , and now two studies from Stony Brook University in New York have identified changes in their brains similar to those in dementia patients .
`` The environmental exposures and psychological pressures experienced by responders during 9/11 and its aftermath has had an insidious effect on their health and well-being , '' said Dr. Benjamin Luft , director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health and Wellness Program .
`` Now nearly 20 years post-9/11 , clinicians who care for these individuals are seeing more patients who are showing signs of cognitive disorders and possible dementia , '' he said in a university news release .
One of the two studies , published recently in the journal Alzheimer 's and Dementia : Diagnosis , Assessment and Disease Monitoring , examined brain scans from first responders to the attacks on New York City 's World Trade Center on Sept. 11 , 2001 .
Scans included former workers with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems .
What researchers saw closely resembled scans of patients with Alzheimer 's or dementia .
Many of the first responders had a deterioration in gray matter rarely seen in their age group .
Those studied were 45 to 65 years of age .
While gray matter thinning was much more extensive in first responders with existing impairments , those without impaired thinking skills also showed signs of brain degeneration .
`` While there are many reasons for cognitive decline because of brain changes , the loss of gray matter in the brain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be measured by cortical thickness , '' said study lead author Sean Clouston , associate professor of family , population and preventive medicine .
Clouston added that the gray matter loss is `` a possible indicator of early-stage dementia with possible early-onset dementia likely to occur for a portion of these individuals at midlife . ''
In a separate study , a second Stony Brook team led by Luft analyzed blood samples from almost 200 first responders , with an average age of 55 , with PTSD or impaired memory and thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their blood proteins that are consistent with Alzheimer 's and related diseases of the brain .
This study is scheduled to be published in the journal Translational Psychiatry .
Both studies were presented Tuesday at an online conference of the Alzheimer 's Association .
`` Findings from our new studies provide data for the first time that support the idea that this population of patients who have cognitive impairment not only have psychological problems such as PTSD but may be at high risk for neurodegenerative disorders , a possibility that needs immediate and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There 's more about first responders and Alzheimer 's at the Alzheimer 's Association .

Researchers say changes in the brains of some Sept. 11 first responders are similar to those seen in dementia patients. File Photo by Monika Graff/UPI | License Photo
First responders to the 9/11 terrorist attacks appear to be at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease and dementia, new research suggests. The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and mild thinking impairments among them is well-known, and now two studies from Stony Brook University in New York have identified changes in their brains similar to those in dementia patients. Advertisement
"The environmental exposures and psychological pressures experienced by responders during 9/11 and its aftermath has had an insidious effect on their health and well-being," said Dr. Benjamin Luft, director of the Stony Brook World Trade Center Health and Wellness Program.
"Now nearly 20 years post-9/11, clinicians who care for these individuals are seeing more patients who are showing signs of cognitive disorders and possible dementia," he said in a university news release.
One of the two studies, published recently in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring, examined brain scans from first responders to the attacks on New York City's World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Scans included former workers with and without symptoms of thinking and memory problems.
What researchers saw closely resembled scans of patients with Alzheimer's or dementia. Many of the first responders had a deterioration in gray matter rarely seen in their age group. Those studied were 45 to 65 years of age.
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While gray matter thinning was much more extensive in first responders with existing impairments, those without impaired thinking skills also showed signs of brain degeneration.
"While there are many reasons for cognitive decline because of brain changes, the loss of gray matter in the brain is one of the most concerning and can be measured by cortical thickness," said study lead author Sean Clouston, associate professor of family, population and preventive medicine.
Clouston added that the gray matter loss is "a possible indicator of early-stage dementia with possible early-onset dementia likely to occur for a portion of these individuals at midlife."
In a separate study, a second Stony Brook team led by Luft analyzed blood samples from almost 200 first responders, with an average age of 55, with PTSD or impaired memory and thinking skills. The researchers found abnormalities in their blood proteins that are consistent with Alzheimer's and related diseases of the brain.
This study is scheduled to be published in the journal Translational Psychiatry. Both studies were presented Tuesday at an online conference of the Alzheimer's Association.
"Findings from our new studies provide data for the first time that support the idea that this population of patients who have cognitive impairment not only have psychological problems such as PTSD but may be at high risk for neurodegenerative disorders, a possibility that needs immediate and continued investigation," Luft said.
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More information
There's more about first responders and Alzheimer's at the Alzheimer's Association.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-07-29--Mike 'The Miz' Mizanin: 'Cannonball' helps viewers escape reality

July 29 ( UPI ) -- USA Network has launched a new version of water sports competition series Cannonball , a show that co-host and WWE Superstar Mike `` The Miz '' Mizanin hopes will help people forget about their troubles during the COVID-19 pandemic .
`` There 's so much drama going on in the world , and this is one of those shows where you can sit down with your entire family and laugh , '' Mizanin told UPI during a recent interview .
`` Escape your reality , and just for one hour , laugh and enjoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Cannonball features 16 contestants who face off in a variety of water-based challenges to win $ 10,000 .
The challenges include the Hurdle Jump , in which contestants are launched from a 70-foot mega-slide and judged by how far they fly into the air , and Surfrider , in which contestants leap onto a surfboard suspended from a zip line and attempt to ride across the water .
Mizanin co-hosts the program with Rocsi Diaz , offering play-by-play commentary and his signature brand of excitement and hype .
`` The main objective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fun because if I 'm having fun , the audience is going to have fun , '' he said .
Contestants often crash or belly flop into the water while trying to complete obstacles .
Cannonball 's setup allows for normal , everyday people to rise above highly trained athletes who do n't always fare as well when being shot out of cannons .
`` As much as I like telling everyone that I 'm the star of the show , I 'm not .
The contestants are the star of the show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life .
They come from everywhere , '' Mizanin said .
The 39-year-old said contestants include radio personalities , videographers and stay-at-home dads .
`` We had a guy who just enjoys cats , '' he said .
`` We had a 50-year-old woman who was more ripped than I am . ''
The reasons for competing on Cannonball range from trying to conquer fears to wanting to buy an engagement ring .
`` Some of them are going for the $ 10,000 because that 's going to change their life , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WWE Superstar , Mizanin was not allowed to try any of the Cannonball obstacles , even though he wanted to .
He wants to get more involved physically should the show be renewed for a second season .
Mizanin continues to appear weekly on WWE SmackDown , where the devilish A-Lister has formed a tag team with his longtime partner , John Morrison .
The pair host talk show Miz TV , were the SmackDown Tag Team Champions earlier in the year and have feuded with Universal Champion Braun Strowman .
Amid the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new episodes of its weekly television programs , which include Raw , NXT and SmackDown , and monthly pay-per-view events .
The shows are taped at the company 's Performance Center in Orlando , Fla. , with no fans attending .
WWE has placed trainees and NXT stars in the audience to give a more normal feel to the broadcasts .
`` It 's different , you know .
I 'm used to having 10,000 to 60,000 people in an arena cheering or booing me .
Most of the time they 're booing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for me , it 's kind of nice not having people chanting , 'You suck . '
However , I do miss it .
I miss it a lot , '' the grappler said .
Mizanin says WWE is trying to be creative , presenting more cinematic matches that take place beyond the ring , such as the Boneyard match between The Undertaker and AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36 .
He and Morrison , meanwhile , have released comedic music videos on SmackDown .
`` We 've been able to keep up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deserve , and that 's how dedicated we are to our fans , '' Mizanin said .
`` We 're being more creative and utilizing everything that WWE has and creating content that people are really grasping to . ''
Mizanin also believes that his chemistry with Morrison is better than ever .
The duo , before re-forming in 2020 , teamed up in 2007 .
`` We 've evolved -- as a tag team , as men and as personalities .
John and I , no matter what decade it is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mizanin said .

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Mike "The Miz" Mizanin (R) and his wife, Maryse Ouellet, attend the ESPYS in 2017. Mizanin says his new show, "Cannonball," allows viewers to laugh and have a good time. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
July 29 (UPI) -- USA Network has launched a new version of water sports competition series Cannonball, a show that co-host and WWE Superstar Mike "The Miz" Mizanin hopes will help people forget about their troubles during the COVID-19 pandemic. "There's so much drama going on in the world, and this is one of those shows where you can sit down with your entire family and laugh," Mizanin told UPI during a recent interview. "Escape your reality, and just for one hour, laugh and enjoy who you're being surrounded by." Advertisement
Cannonball features 16 contestants who face off in a variety of water-based challenges to win $10,000. The challenges include the Hurdle Jump, in which contestants are launched from a 70-foot mega-slide and judged by how far they fly into the air, and Surfrider, in which contestants leap onto a surfboard suspended from a zip line and attempt to ride across the water.
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Mizanin co-hosts the program with Rocsi Diaz, offering play-by-play commentary and his signature brand of excitement and hype.
"The main objective of my job is literally to have fun because if I'm having fun, the audience is going to have fun," he said.
Contestants often crash or belly flop into the water while trying to complete obstacles. Cannonball's setup allows for normal, everyday people to rise above highly trained athletes who don't always fare as well when being shot out of cannons.
"As much as I like telling everyone that I'm the star of the show, I'm not. The contestants are the star of the show. They are from all walks of life. They come from everywhere," Mizanin said.
The 39-year-old said contestants include radio personalities, videographers and stay-at-home dads.
"We had a guy who just enjoys cats," he said. "We had a 50-year-old woman who was more ripped than I am."
The reasons for competing on Cannonball range from trying to conquer fears to wanting to buy an engagement ring.
"Some of them are going for the $10,000 because that's going to change their life," Mizanin. said.
Despite being a WWE Superstar, Mizanin was not allowed to try any of the Cannonball obstacles, even though he wanted to. He wants to get more involved physically should the show be renewed for a second season.
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Mizanin continues to appear weekly on WWE SmackDown, where the devilish A-Lister has formed a tag team with his longtime partner, John Morrison. The pair host talk show Miz TV, were the SmackDown Tag Team Champions earlier in the year and have feuded with Universal Champion Braun Strowman.
Amid the pandemic, WWE has continued to produce new episodes of its weekly television programs, which include Raw, NXT and SmackDown, and monthly pay-per-view events. The shows are taped at the company's Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., with no fans attending. WWE has placed trainees and NXT stars in the audience to give a more normal feel to the broadcasts.
"It's different, you know. I'm used to having 10,000 to 60,000 people in an arena cheering or booing me. Most of the time they're booing, chanting 'You suck.' So, for me, it's kind of nice not having people chanting, 'You suck.' However, I do miss it. I miss it a lot," the grappler said.
Mizanin says WWE is trying to be creative, presenting more cinematic matches that take place beyond the ring, such as the Boneyard match between The Undertaker and AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36. He and Morrison, meanwhile, have released comedic music videos on SmackDown.
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"We've been able to keep up and give people the entertainment that they deserve, and that's how dedicated we are to our fans," Mizanin said. "We're being more creative and utilizing everything that WWE has and creating content that people are really grasping to."
Mizanin also believes that his chemistry with Morrison is better than ever. The duo, before re-forming in 2020, teamed up in 2007.
"We've evolved -- as a tag team, as men and as personalities. John and I, no matter what decade it is, we make each other better," Mizanin said.
Cannonball airs at 8 p.m. EDT Thursdays on USA.


upi--2020-07-29--Famous birthdays for July 29: Wil Wheaton, Dak Prescott

July 29 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Leo .
-- Elizabeth @ @ @ @ @ secretary/U.S .
senator in 1936 ( age 84 )

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Hair stylist Anne Wheaton and actor Wil Wheaton attend the premiere of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'" at the Pantages Theatre in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles on December 10, 2016. The actor turns 48 on July 29. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
July 29 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Leo. They include: Advertisement
-- French historian Alexis de Tocqueville in 1805
-- Novelist Booth Tarkington in 1869
-- Italian dictator Benito Mussolini in 1883
-- Dag Hammarskjold, second U.N. secretary-general/Nobel Peace Prize laureate, in 1905
-- Actor Clara Bow in 1905
-- Author Chester Himes in 1909
-- Elizabeth Dole, former U.S. labor secretary/U.S. senator in 1936 (age 84)
File Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg
-- TV anchorman Peter Jennings in 1938
-- Artist Jenny Holzer in 1950 (age 70)
-- Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns in 1953 (age 67)
-- Musician Geddy Lee in 1953 (age 67)
-- Musician Patti Scialfa in 1953 (age 67)
-- TV host Tim Gunn in 1953 (age 67)
File Photo by Gregg DeGuire/UPI
-- Country singer Martina McBride in 1966 (age 54)
-- Actor Timothy Omundson in 1969 (age 51)
-- Actor Wil Wheaton in 1972 (age 48)
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-- Actor Josh Radnor in 1974 (age 46)
-- Formula 1 champion driver Fernando Alonso in 1981 (age 39)
-- NFL quarterback Dak Prescott in 1993 (age 27)
File Photo by Ian Halperin/UPI