upi--2020-08-14--Bayern Munich dominates Barcelona to reach Champions League semifinals

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- Bayern Munich dominated Barcelona in record-setting fashion Friday in Lisbon , Portugal , advancing to the Champions League semifinals after a historic 8-2 win over the La Liga side .
Bayern handed Barca their worst loss ever in the Champions League and became the first club to score eight goals in a UCL knockout-round match .
`` It 's tough to explain , '' Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller , who was the man of the match , said .
`` I think in this moment our team is in incredible shape .
... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensity .
It 's tough to beat us .
It was so much fun today .
`` For our style of players it does n't matter about the names of players we are facing .
When someone presses and dribbles , it 's not a problem .
Then we catch the ball and have so much talent in the offensive line . ''
Muller gave his side a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute , but David Alaba conceded an own goal to Barcelona minutes later to even the score inside the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front just after the 20-minute mark when Ivan Perisic handled a pass from Serge Gnabry and fired a shot that deflected off the foot of Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and into the net .
The Bundesliga side quickly added to their lead before halftime thanks to Muller .
He set up Gnabry 's score just before the half-hour mark before notching his second goal of the match minutes later to take a 4-1 advantage into the locker room .
Luis Suarez gave Barcelona life with an early goal to begin the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Davies found Joshua Kimmich for an easy finish to make it 5-2 .
Bayern continued to pile on with a late goal from Robert Lewandowski and Philippe Coutinho 's two scores before full-time .
With the victory , Bayern Munich moved their record to 9-0 in the Champions League this season .
They will play the winner of Saturday 's match between Manchester City and Lyon .

Bayern Munich star striker Robert Lewandowski scored in the 82nd minute to give his side a 6-2 lead over Barcelona. Bayern is 9-0 in Champions League play this season. File Photo by Andrej Cukic/EPA-EFE
Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Bayern Munich dominated Barcelona in record-setting fashion Friday in Lisbon, Portugal, advancing to the Champions League semifinals after a historic 8-2 win over the La Liga side. Bayern handed Barca their worst loss ever in the Champions League and became the first club to score eight goals in a UCL knockout-round match. Advertisement
"It's tough to explain," Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller, who was the man of the match, said. "I think in this moment our team is in incredible shape. ... We worked so hard and have this intensity. It's tough to beat us. It was so much fun today.
"For our style of players it doesn't matter about the names of players we are facing. When someone presses and dribbles, it's not a problem. Then we catch the ball and have so much talent in the offensive line."
Muller gave his side a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute, but David Alaba conceded an own goal to Barcelona minutes later to even the score inside the first 10 minutes.
Bayern went back in front just after the 20-minute mark when Ivan Perisic handled a pass from Serge Gnabry and fired a shot that deflected off the foot of Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and into the net.
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The Bundesliga side quickly added to their lead before halftime thanks to Muller. He set up Gnabry's score just before the half-hour mark before notching his second goal of the match minutes later to take a 4-1 advantage into the locker room.
Luis Suarez gave Barcelona life with an early goal to begin the second half, but Bayern answered when Alphonso Davies found Joshua Kimmich for an easy finish to make it 5-2.
Bayern continued to pile on with a late goal from Robert Lewandowski and Philippe Coutinho's two scores before full-time.
With the victory, Bayern Munich moved their record to 9-0 in the Champions League this season. They will play the winner of Saturday's match between Manchester City and Lyon.


upi--2020-08-14--New York Yankees put star OF Aaron Judge on IL with calf injury

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- The New York Yankees have placed star outfielder Aaron Judge on the 10-day injured list because of a calf injury , the team announced Friday .
Yankees manager Aaron Boone called Judge 's injury a `` very mild strain of his calf . ''
He said an MRI taken during Thursday 's off day revealed the ailment .
`` He wants to be out there and feels like it 's a day-to-day thing , which it very well may be , '' Boone told reporters Friday .
`` It goes without saying how important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think it 's really important that he not go out there and hurt this thing significantly trying to play through something . ''
Judge 's trip to the injured list is retroactive to Wednesday , meaning the earliest he could return would be Aug. 21 against the New York Mets at Citi Field .
Infielder Thairo Estrada was recalled from the team 's alternate training site in a corresponding roster move .
The Yankees slugger was removed for a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning of Tuesday 's game against the Atlanta Braves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series finale Wednesday .
`` When I took him out , it was basically my observation , '' Boone said .
`` I did n't consult with any trainers at that point .
It was me and a couple of coaches watching him in the outfield moving around .
I just felt like he was n't moving like he normally would , so I made the decision right there .
`` Later [ Tuesday ] night , we dove into the treatments he 's getting , how he 's feeling .
The next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to probably go through a battery of tests with this . ''
Entering play Friday , Judge led MLB in home runs ( nine ) , RBIs ( 20 ) and slugging percentage ( .758 ) .

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge left Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Braves because of the injury. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 14 (UPI) -- The New York Yankees have placed star outfielder Aaron Judge on the 10-day injured list because of a calf injury, the team announced Friday. Yankees manager Aaron Boone called Judge's injury a "very mild strain of his calf." He said an MRI taken during Thursday's off day revealed the ailment. Advertisement
"He wants to be out there and feels like it's a day-to-day thing, which it very well may be," Boone told reporters Friday. "It goes without saying how important a player Aaron is to us. I think it's really important that he not go out there and hurt this thing significantly trying to play through something."
Judge's trip to the injured list is retroactive to Wednesday, meaning the earliest he could return would be Aug. 21 against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Infielder Thairo Estrada was recalled from the team's alternate training site in a corresponding roster move.
The Yankees slugger was removed for a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning of Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Braves. He didn't play in the series finale Wednesday.
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"When I took him out, it was basically my observation," Boone said. "I didn't consult with any trainers at that point. It was me and a couple of coaches watching him in the outfield moving around. I just felt like he wasn't moving like he normally would, so I made the decision right there.
"Later [Tuesday] night, we dove into the treatments he's getting, how he's feeling. The next day we decided, OK, we need to probably go through a battery of tests with this."
Entering play Friday, Judge led MLB in home runs (nine), RBIs (20) and slugging percentage (.758).


upi--2020-08-14--U.S., Canada, Mexico extend border restrictions during pandemic

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- The United States announced Friday that it 's extending its border closures with Canada @ @ @ @ @ .
Chad Wolf , the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security , made @ @ @ @ @ `` We continue to work with our Canadian and Mexican partners to slow the spread @ @ @ @ @ , we have agreed to extend the limitation of non-essential travel at our shared land @ @ @ @ @ 21 , '' he said .
The North American countries closed their respective borders to @ @ @ @ @ and healthcare workers are allowed to cross -- in March to curb the spread of @ @ @ @ @ , the chief public health officer in Canada , said she wants to avoid spikes @ @ @ @ @ seen in the United States after states moved to reopen .
`` We want to @ @ @ @ @ and , as you 've seen from the map , Canada is actually in quite @ @ @ @ @ , '' she told reporters Friday , according to the CBC .

Visitors wear face masks as they tour the Whitney Museum of American Art as it reopens on September 3. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 14 (UPI) -- The United States announced Friday that it's extending its border closures with Canada and Mexico for another month. Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, made the announcement on Twitter. Advertisement
"We continue to work with our Canadian and Mexican partners to slow the spread of #COVID19. Accordingly, we have agreed to extend the limitation of non-essential travel at our shared land ports of entry through September 21," he said.
The North American countries closed their respective borders to non-essential travelers -- truck drivers and healthcare workers are allowed to cross -- in March to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Dr. Theresa Tam, the chief public health officer in Canada, said she wants to avoid spikes in coronavirus cases like those seen in the United States after states moved to reopen.
"We want to keep up our good work and, as you've seen from the map, Canada is actually in quite a good position right now," she told reporters Friday, according to the CBC.


upi--2020-08-14--Record-setting Tropical Storm Josephine to brush Leeward Islands

Tropical Storm Josephine developed over the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday and is forecast to produce gusty winds and downpours in parts of the Leeward Islands this weekend before it runs into some more weather hurdles .
As of 5 p.m. Friday , Tropical Storm Josephine was moving to the west-northwest at 16 mph and was located about 460 miles to the east of the northern Leeward Islands .
The system 's maximum sustained winds were 40 mph .
Josephine has shattered the early-season formation record for the J-named storm in the basin by nine days .
The former record belonged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22 , 2005 .
Prior to Josephine , the 2020 hurricane season as already left its mark on the history books multiple times so far with storms Cristobal , Edouard , Fay , Gonzalo , Hanna and Isaias all setting early-season formation records .
Except for Cristobal , the storms bumped off record-setters from the 2005 season .
The prior earliest C-named storm was Colin from 2016 .
A disturbance spinning over the middle of the Atlantic organized enough to be named Tropical Depression 11 at 5 p.m. EDT Tuesday , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m. Thursday , the depression was upgraded to the ninth tropical storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season and in the process has set another record for the basin .
U.S. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to investigate Josephine later Friday , according to the National Hurricane Center .
Josephine was able to form despite being in a sea of dry air as wind shear dipped enough to allow thunderstorms to wrap around the center of the storm .
`` The tropical cyclone probably has through Friday night to strengthen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the southwest , '' AccuWeather 's top hurricane expert , Dan Kottlowski , said .
`` After that , Josephine is forecast to move into increasing vertical wind shear , which would likely cause it to lose wind intensity , '' he added .
`` We expect Josephine to move on a curved path to the northwest then the north in the coming days , '' Kottlowski stated .
Josephine will move along the western part of the Bermuda-Azores high pressure area , which is a fairly permanent feature of clockwise steering winds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` On this forecast track , the evolving tropical storm will pass just northeast of the Leeward Islands this weekend and pass well northeast of the Bahamas early next week , '' Kottlowski stated .
The Leeward Islands include Antiqua , Guadeloupe , Barbuda , Montserrat , Dominica , St. Martin , Anguilla , St. Kitts and Nevis , and the British and United States Virgin Islands .
Since Josephine is likely to remain poorly organized or at least no better than a moderate tropical storm through this weekend , impact on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely be limited to a couple of showers and perhaps a gusty thunderstorm .
Rainfall of 1 inch to perhaps as much as 3 inches may fall on some of the islands .
`` Conditions on these islands should be no worse than that of a moderate tropical wave moving through , '' Kottlowski said .
`` The weakening system is forecast to approach Bermuda during Wednesday of next week .
By that time , Josephine could be a depression , but it still might have a large area of rain and gusty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kottlowski said .
However , Josephine is not forecast to have direct impact on the mainland United States , thanks to a southward dip in the jet stream that will keep the storm at sea .
Strong wind shear is a deterrent for tropical systems as these strong breezes at different levels in the atmosphere can rip apart organized systems or prevent tropical features from developing altogether .
There is a zone of moderate wind shear hovering over the Caribbean and in areas to the north of the northern islands of the Caribbean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that this feature , regardless of its organization and strength into Friday night , would begin to unravel in the zone of wind shear and drier air this weekend , '' Kottlowski said .
There is also a chance that dry air , nearby to the north of the feature , continues to be ingested , and the system never really gains enough steam to strengthen much beyond moderate tropical storm strength .
Additional disturbances , known as tropical waves , will continue to move from the Indian Ocean , across Africa then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming days , weeks and months .
This train of disturbances makes up what is known as the Cabo Verde season , which is named for the group of islands just off the northwestern coast of Africa .
The Cabo Verde season makes up the backbone of the Atlantic hurricane season during the period from late August to the first part of October .
Into part of next week , there will be a continued risk for one or more of these systems to organize and potentially evolve into a tropical depression or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the buffer of wind shear over the Caribbean and across part of the southwestern Atlantic may act as a shield and prevent systems from getting too close to United States waters and coastal areas .
However , that buffer zone may not last long and this does not rule out the potential for something forming north of the wind shear zone , perhaps right along the East Coast of the United States in the short term .
`` We will be closely watching an area of disturbed weather that emerges from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into this weekend , '' Kottlowski said .
There is a high chance this disturbance could evolve into a tropical depression or storm well to the east of the mid-Atlantic coast and south of the New England coast into this weekend as it moves northeastward .
The next name on the list of tropical storms for this season is Kyle .
The lid could come off the Atlantic basin with the potential for multiple named systems spinning at the same time , including multiple threats to lives and property at the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as early as late August .
Tropical storms are named for most letters of the alphabet , with the exception of Q , U , X , Y and Z .
The infamous 2005 Atlantic hurricane season holds the record for the greatest number of named storms at 28 and still holds the record for early-season formation records for the `` K-storm , '' which was Katrina on Aug. 24 , as well as the letters M through T , V and W. After W , Greek letters are used .
Since 2005 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letters , that season holds the early-season formation records beyond W. AccuWeather meteorologists are expecting a hyperactive year for tropical storms and hurricanes -- enough that Greek letters may once again be needed .
Due to 2020 's record pace and upcoming conditions expected in the basin , in early August , AccuWeather meteorologists upped their forecast for the number of tropical storms , with up to 24 now predicted and up to 11 hurricanes projected for the season .
The climatological peak for the Atlantic hurricane season is around Sept. 10 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Elida strengthened into a hurricane earlier this week .
The storm stayed at sea and became post-tropical on Wednesday evening .
However , already a new depression has formed and could be followed by several other named systems in the next five to seven days .
Kottlowski is expecting the eastern Pacific to `` go wild with tropical activity over the next several weeks '' and the Atlantic may follow suit toward the end of August and into the autumn months .

As of 5 p.m. Saturday, Tropical Storm Josephine was moving toward the west-northwest near 17 mph and was located about 160 miles northeast of the orthern Leeward Islands. Photo courtesy of NOAA
Aug. 14 -- Tropical Storm Josephine is expected to keep well north of Puerto Rico and east of the mainland United States to avoid serious impacts there, forecasters said Saturday. Advertisement
As of 5 p.m. Saturday, Tropical Storm Josephine was moving to the west-northwest near 17 mph and was located about 160 miles to the east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands. The system's maximum sustained winds were 45 mph.
Josephine has shattered the early-season formation record for the J-named storm in the basin by nine days. The former record belonged to Jose, which developed on Aug. 22, 2005.
Prior to Josephine, the 2020 hurricane season as already left its mark on the history books multiple times so far with storms Cristobal, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna and Isaias all setting early-season formation records. Except for Cristobal, the storms bumped off record-setters from the 2005 season. The prior earliest C-named storm was Colin from 2016.
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A disturbance spinning over the middle of the Atlantic organized enough to be named Tropical Depression 11 at 5 p.m. EDT Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. At 11 a.m. Thursday, the depression was upgraded to the ninth tropical storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season and in the process has set another record for the basin.
U.S. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to investigate Josephine later Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Josephine was able to form despite being in a sea of dry air as wind shear dipped enough to allow thunderstorms to wrap around the center of the storm.
"The tropical cyclone probably has through Friday night to strengthen before encountering increasing vertical wind shear from the southwest," AccuWeather's top hurricane expert, Dan Kottlowski, said.
"After that, Josephine is forecast to move into increasing vertical wind shear, which would likely cause it to lose wind intensity," he added.
"We expect Josephine to move on a curved path to the northwest then the north in the coming days," Kottlowski stated.
Josephine will move along the western part of the Bermuda-Azores high pressure area, which is a fairly permanent feature of clockwise steering winds over the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
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"On this forecast track, the evolving tropical storm will pass just northeast of the Leeward Islands this weekend and pass well northeast of the Bahamas early next week," Kottlowski stated.
The Leeward Islands include Antiqua, Guadeloupe, Barbuda, Montserrat, Dominica, St. Martin, Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis, and the British and United States Virgin Islands.
Since Josephine is likely to remain poorly organized or at least no better than a moderate tropical storm through this weekend, impact on the Leeward Islands to Puerto Rico will likely be limited to a couple of showers and perhaps a gusty thunderstorm. Rainfall of 1 inch to perhaps as much as 3 inches may fall on some of the islands.
"Conditions on these islands should be no worse than that of a moderate tropical wave moving through," Kottlowski said.
"The weakening system is forecast to approach Bermuda during Wednesday of next week. By that time, Josephine could be a depression, but it still might have a large area of rain and gusty winds that could impact Bermuda," Kottlowski said.
However, Josephine is not forecast to have direct impact on the mainland United States, thanks to a southward dip in the jet stream that will keep the storm at sea.
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Strong wind shear is a deterrent for tropical systems as these strong breezes at different levels in the atmosphere can rip apart organized systems or prevent tropical features from developing altogether.
There is a zone of moderate wind shear hovering over the Caribbean and in areas to the north of the northern islands of the Caribbean.
"There is a good chance that this feature, regardless of its organization and strength into Friday night, would begin to unravel in the zone of wind shear and drier air this weekend," Kottlowski said.
There is also a chance that dry air, nearby to the north of the feature, continues to be ingested, and the system never really gains enough steam to strengthen much beyond moderate tropical storm strength.
Additional disturbances, known as tropical waves, will continue to move from the Indian Ocean, across Africa then over the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean in the coming days, weeks and months.
This train of disturbances makes up what is known as the Cabo Verde season, which is named for the group of islands just off the northwestern coast of Africa. The Cabo Verde season makes up the backbone of the Atlantic hurricane season during the period from late August to the first part of October.
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Into part of next week, there will be a continued risk for one or more of these systems to organize and potentially evolve into a tropical depression or storm. But for the time being, the buffer of wind shear over the Caribbean and across part of the southwestern Atlantic may act as a shield and prevent systems from getting too close to United States waters and coastal areas.
However, that buffer zone may not last long and this does not rule out the potential for something forming north of the wind shear zone, perhaps right along the East Coast of the United States in the short term.
"We will be closely watching an area of disturbed weather that emerges from the showers and thunderstorms in the Southeastern states into this weekend," Kottlowski said.
There is a high chance this disturbance could evolve into a tropical depression or storm well to the east of the mid-Atlantic coast and south of the New England coast into this weekend as it moves northeastward. The next name on the list of tropical storms for this season is Kyle.
The lid could come off the Atlantic basin with the potential for multiple named systems spinning at the same time, including multiple threats to lives and property at the same time from the Caribbean to North America, as early as late August.
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Tropical storms are named for most letters of the alphabet, with the exception of Q, U, X, Y and Z. The infamous 2005 Atlantic hurricane season holds the record for the greatest number of named storms at 28 and still holds the record for early-season formation records for the "K-storm," which was Katrina on Aug. 24, as well as the letters M through T, V and W. After W, Greek letters are used. Since 2005 was the only year to use Greek letters, that season holds the early-season formation records beyond W.
AccuWeather meteorologists are expecting a hyperactive year for tropical storms and hurricanes--enough that Greek letters may once again be needed. Due to 2020's record pace and upcoming conditions expected in the basin, in early August, AccuWeather meteorologists upped their forecast for the number of tropical storms, with up to 24 now predicted and up to 11 hurricanes projected for the season.
The climatological peak for the Atlantic hurricane season is around Sept. 10.
Meanwhile, in the East Pacific Ocean, Elida strengthened into a hurricane earlier this week. The storm stayed at sea and became post-tropical on Wednesday evening. However, already a new depression has formed and could be followed by several other named systems in the next five to seven days.
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Kottlowski is expecting the eastern Pacific to "go wild with tropical activity over the next several weeks" and the Atlantic may follow suit toward the end of August and into the autumn months.


upi--2020-08-14--Tropical Storm Kyle joins Josephine in Atlantic Basin

Tropical Storm Kyle formed Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. EDT , becoming the latest named feature in a growing list of record-breaking storms for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season .
Kyle formed off the Eastern coast of the United States , about 185 miles southeast of Atlantic City , N.J .
The storm is packing maximum sustained winds of 40 mph as it moves east-northeast , away from land , at 17 mph .
Meteorologists began watching what the National Hurricane Center had dubbed Invest 96L earlier in the week , which was born from showers and thunderstorms over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not going to impact any land directly and will only be a tropical storm for a couple of days before moving over colder water , '' AccuWeather 's top hurricane expert , Dan Kottlowski , said .
`` This will cause the tropical storm to transition into a non-tropical storm system as it moves well south of Newfoundland Sunday night and Monday . ''
Rain directly from this system is not likely to fall on the Northeast .
However , there are other non-tropical systems that will continue to instigate some weather trouble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lower part of the mid-Atlantic and Southeast states will be triggered by the same stalled weather pattern that has persisted much of this week .
Meanwhile , a non-tropical storm at the jet stream level of the atmosphere could produce spotty showers in eastern New England on Saturday .
The circulation around the system off the East Coast could actually tend to drag drier air southward over part of the mid-Atlantic coast on Saturday and could prevent the rain dampening the South from spreading northward over New England on Sunday .
Part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions and rough surf along the mid-Atlantic coast , in addition to the disturbance itself , has to do with the difference in atmosphere pressure from north to south .
An area of high pressure was hovering over southeastern Canada .
As the air will flow from high to low pressure from the disturbance , it will create breezy , if not windy , conditions .
Proximity to the smooth ocean surface and the disturbance itself can add several miles per hour to the strength of the wind .
Since some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ocean , that landward breeze is helping to raise surf and cause slightly-above-normal tides from North Carolina to New Jersey and will continue to do so into Saturday .
Tides can be a foot or 2 above normal , which can be enough to cause minor coastal flooding at times of high tide in some communities .
As the system drifts northeastward , seas and surf are likely to build along the southeastern New England coast early this weekend , regardless of the official classification of the system .
Forecasters urge bathers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rip currents .
Small craft advisories were in effect along the East Coast from the Maryland and Delaware up through coastal Maine on Friday .
Southeastern New England will be in for a windy day on Saturday .
Steering winds should likely keep the system far enough away from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland to avoid direct impact , but a period of rough seas and surf could occur early next week in this part of Canada .
Three other Atlantic storms were named Kyle , first in 1996 followed by one in 2002 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` K '' name for Atlantic storms has been Karen , which has been used to name six storms .
This year 's Kyle will be the 34th K-named storm in the basin .
The formation of Kyle has set an early-season formation record for the letter `` K. '' The previous record belongs to the infamous Katrina from Aug. 24 , 2005 .
The 2020 Atlantic tropical cyclone season has already set seven other early-season formation records starting with Cristobal in July and then seven storms in a row from Edouard through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last seven storms previous early-season records were set during the notorious 2005 season that went on to bring Katrina and Wilma .
Most likely , 2020 will continue to set many more early-season formation records , and this year could be second only to the number of named storms set during the historic 2005 season , which generated a record 28 storms .
Like the 2005 season , Greek letters , which are used when the seasonal list is exhausted could again be needed this year , forecasters warn .
Additional threats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eye from forecasters into the next week .
`` In addition for the potential for a tropical system to develop from the train of tropical disturbances , known as tropical waves , moving westward from Africa , we will be keeping an eye on the Gulf of Mexico next week , '' Kottlowski said .
Following the name Kyle , the `` L '' storm for this year in the Atlantic is Laura .
The early-season formation record for the `` L '' storm is Luis set on Aug. 29 , 1995 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Atlantic coast could set up over the Gulf of Mexico next week .
`` During the latter part of next week , a tropical disturbance could evolve over the western and northwest part of the Gulf of Mexico , '' added Kottlowski .
`` We continue to expect a very busy time from late August through September and October and especially during the heart of the hurricane season in September , and there is some indication that we may continue to have named systems toward the end of the season , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 24 named tropical storms with nine to 11 of those expected to strengthen further into hurricanes this season in the Atlantic basin .

The National Hurricane Center said the eye of the storm was located about 280 miles southeast of Providence, R.I. Photo courtesy of NOAA
Tropical Storm Kyle moved away from the U.S. East Coast on Saturday, one day after forming near Atlantic City, N.J. The National Hurricane Center said the eye of the storm was located about 360 miles east-southeast of Providence, R.I., and was moving east-northeast at 21 mph in its 11 a.m. advisory. The storm had 50 mph maximum sustained winds. Advertisement
Meteorologists began watching what the National Hurricane Center had dubbed Invest 96L earlier in the week, which was born from showers and thunderstorms over the southeastern United States.
Kyle is moving away from the East Coast, so there's no threat of a landfall from the tropical storm. However, the rapidly organizing and strengthening system has already been playing a role in raising surf along the mid-Atlantic coast and is likely to do the same in southeastern New England this weekend.
"Kyle is not going to impact any land directly and will only be a tropical storm for a couple of days before moving over colder water," AccuWeather's top hurricane expert, Dan Kottlowski, said. "This will cause the tropical storm to transition into a non-tropical storm system as it moves well south of Newfoundland Sunday night and Monday."
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Rain directly from this system is not likely to fall on the Northeast. However, there are other non-tropical systems that will continue to instigate some weather trouble spots during the weekend. Showers over the lower part of the mid-Atlantic and Southeast states will be triggered by the same stalled weather pattern that has persisted much of this week. Meanwhile, a non-tropical storm at the jet stream level of the atmosphere could produce spotty showers in eastern New England on Saturday.
The circulation around the system off the East Coast could actually tend to drag drier air southward over part of the mid-Atlantic coast on Saturday and could prevent the rain dampening the South from spreading northward over New England on Sunday.
Part of the reason for breezy to windy conditions and rough surf along the mid-Atlantic coast, in addition to the disturbance itself, has to do with the difference in atmosphere pressure from north to south. An area of high pressure was hovering over southeastern Canada. As the air will flow from high to low pressure from the disturbance, it will create breezy, if not windy, conditions. Proximity to the smooth ocean surface and the disturbance itself can add several miles per hour to the strength of the wind.
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Since some of the flow of air is blowing in from the ocean, that landward breeze is helping to raise surf and cause slightly-above-normal tides from North Carolina to New Jersey and will continue to do so into Saturday. Tides can be a foot or 2 above normal, which can be enough to cause minor coastal flooding at times of high tide in some communities.
As the system drifts northeastward, seas and surf are likely to build along the southeastern New England coast early this weekend, regardless of the official classification of the system. Forecasters urge bathers to be on the alert for increasing rip currents.
Small craft advisories were in effect along the East Coast from the Maryland and Delaware up through coastal Maine on Friday. Southeastern New England will be in for a windy day on Saturday.
Steering winds should likely keep the system far enough away from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland to avoid direct impact, but a period of rough seas and surf could occur early next week in this part of Canada.
Three other Atlantic storms were named Kyle, first in 1996 followed by one in 2002 and 2008. The most commonly used "K" name for Atlantic storms has been Karen, which has been used to name six storms. This year's Kyle will be the 34th K-named storm in the basin.
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The formation of Kyle has set an early-season formation record for the letter "K." The previous record belongs to the infamous Katrina from Aug. 24, 2005.
The 2020 Atlantic tropical cyclone season has already set seven other early-season formation records starting with Cristobal in July and then seven storms in a row from Edouard through Josephine and now Kyle. All of the last seven storms previous early-season records were set during the notorious 2005 season that went on to bring Katrina and Wilma.
Most likely, 2020 will continue to set many more early-season formation records, and this year could be second only to the number of named storms set during the historic 2005 season, which generated a record 28 storms. Like the 2005 season, Greek letters, which are used when the seasonal list is exhausted could again be needed this year, forecasters warn.
Additional threats from the tropics will warrant a close eye from forecasters into the next week.
"In addition for the potential for a tropical system to develop from the train of tropical disturbances, known as tropical waves, moving westward from Africa, we will be keeping an eye on the Gulf of Mexico next week," Kottlowski said.
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Following the name Kyle, the "L" storm for this year in the Atlantic is Laura. The early-season formation record for the "L" storm is Luis set on Aug. 29, 1995.
A feature similar to the disturbance along the Atlantic coast could set up over the Gulf of Mexico next week.
"During the latter part of next week, a tropical disturbance could evolve over the western and northwest part of the Gulf of Mexico," added Kottlowski.
"We continue to expect a very busy time from late August through September and October and especially during the heart of the hurricane season in September, and there is some indication that we may continue to have named systems toward the end of the season," Kottlowski said.
AccuWeather is predicting up to 24 named tropical storms with nine to 11 of those expected to strengthen further into hurricanes this season in the Atlantic basin.


upi--2020-08-14--USPS warns states that some mail-in ballots might not be counted

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- The U.S .
Postal Service sent dozens of states letters saying that some mail-in ballots might not be counted in time for the November election , a warning that further complicates the role of the USPS in the voting process .
The Washington Post was the first to report that Thomas Marshall , general counsel and executive vice president for the USPS , sent the letters to 46 states and Washington , D.C .
He told the states their time frames and deadlines for mail-in voting would be `` incongruous '' with delivery standards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in time to be counted .
`` As a result , to the extent that the mail is used to transmit ballots to and from voters , there is a significant risk that , at least in certain circumstances , ballots may be requested in a manner that is consistent with your election rules and returned promptly , and yet not be returned in time to be counted , '' the letter said .
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon confirmed to MSNBC that he received the letter , and Stephen Chang , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ruth Hughs , shared a copy with the Austin American-Statesman .
Simon described the letter as `` saber-rattling , totally unnecessary and totally inappropriate in a democracy in the year 2020 . ''
He urged voters to mail in their ballots as soon as possible or hand-deliver them to a drop-off box .
`` Just because you got your ballot in the mail does n't mean you have to send it back that way .
As long as you make a plan and build in enough time , it should n't be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USPS ' warning comes one day after President Donald Trump said he opposed funding the postal service because it would benefit those who seek to promote mail-in voting in November .
He and first lady Melania Trump just requested main-in ballots from the Palm Beach County , Fla. , supervisor of elections ' office , the Palm Beach Post reported Friday .
The president and his wife have declared Florida to be their home state .
Democrats , in particular , have called for mail-in voting as a way to protect voters from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump has long opposed mail-in voting , saying it 's too vulnerable to fraud .
`` They want $ 25 billion for the post office .
Now , they need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots , '' Trump said Thursday .
`` Now , if we do n't make a deal , that means they do n't get the money .
That means they ca n't have universal mail-in voting , '' he added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So , you know , sort of a crazy thing . ''
He backtracked on his comments later Thursday , saying he would sign a stimulus package that includes $ 25 billion for the agency , but only if Democrats give Republicans what they want in the relief legislation .
`` Sure , if they gave us what we want .
And it 's not what I want , it 's what the American people want , '' Trump said during a Friday news conference .
The financially struggling USPS has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removal of some mail drop boxes in certain cities .
The agency also is removing mail sorting machines from facilities across the country , some of which would normally be used to sort mail-in ballots , Vice reported .
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said the USPS still has `` ample capacity '' to handle the expected surge of mail-in ballots .
`` The Postal Service routinely moves equipment around its network as necessary to match changing mail and package volumes , '' USPS spokesman David Partenheimer told Vice .
`` Package volume is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decline .
Adapting our processing infrastructure to the current volumes will ensure more efficient , cost-effective operations and better service for our customers . ''
DeJoy , a Trump donor who was tapped to run the USPS three months ago , also has curtailed overtime at the agency , leading to delays in deliveries .

The warning about delivering ballots in time came as the USPS faces financial hardships, a curtailing of overtime and the removal of mail sorting machines. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. Postal Service sent dozens of states letters saying that some mail-in ballots might not be counted in time for the November election, a warning that further complicates the role of the USPS in the voting process. The Washington Post was the first to report that Thomas Marshall, general counsel and executive vice president for the USPS, sent the letters to 46 states and Washington, D.C. Advertisement
He told the states their time frames and deadlines for mail-in voting would be "incongruous" with delivery standards, meaning some ballots might not arrive in time to be counted.
"As a result, to the extent that the mail is used to transmit ballots to and from voters, there is a significant risk that, at least in certain circumstances, ballots may be requested in a manner that is consistent with your election rules and returned promptly, and yet not be returned in time to be counted," the letter said.
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Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon confirmed to MSNBC that he received the letter, and Stephen Chang, a spokesman for Texas Secretary of State Ruth Hughs, shared a copy with the Austin American-Statesman.
Simon described the letter as "saber-rattling, totally unnecessary and totally inappropriate in a democracy in the year 2020."
He urged voters to mail in their ballots as soon as possible or hand-deliver them to a drop-off box.
"Just because you got your ballot in the mail doesn't mean you have to send it back that way. As long as you make a plan and build in enough time, it shouldn't be a problem," Simon said.
The USPS' warning comes one day after President Donald Trump said he opposed funding the postal service because it would benefit those who seek to promote mail-in voting in November.
He and first lady Melania Trump just requested main-in ballots from the Palm Beach County, Fla., supervisor of elections' office, the Palm Beach Post reported Friday. The president and his wife have declared Florida to be their home state.
Democrats, in particular, have called for mail-in voting as a way to protect voters from the spread of COVID-19 on Election Day.
Advertisement
Trump has long opposed mail-in voting, saying it's too vulnerable to fraud.
"They want $25 billion for the post office. Now, they need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots," Trump said Thursday.
"Now, if we don't make a deal, that means they don't get the money. That means they can't have universal mail-in voting," he added. "They just can't have it. So, you know, sort of a crazy thing."
He backtracked on his comments later Thursday, saying he would sign a stimulus package that includes $25 billion for the agency, but only if Democrats give Republicans what they want in the relief legislation.
"Sure, if they gave us what we want. And it's not what I want, it's what the American people want," Trump said during a Friday news conference.
The financially struggling USPS has been undergoing an organizational overhaul, including the removal of some mail drop boxes in certain cities. The agency also is removing mail sorting machines from facilities across the country, some of which would normally be used to sort mail-in ballots, Vice reported.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said the USPS still has "ample capacity" to handle the expected surge of mail-in ballots.
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"The Postal Service routinely moves equipment around its network as necessary to match changing mail and package volumes," USPS spokesman David Partenheimer told Vice.
"Package volume is up, but mail volume continues to decline. Adapting our processing infrastructure to the current volumes will ensure more efficient, cost-effective operations and better service for our customers."
DeJoy, a Trump donor who was tapped to run the USPS three months ago, also has curtailed overtime at the agency, leading to delays in deliveries.


upi--2020-08-14--IG report: Defense Dept. is failing in mental health care of troops, families

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- The mental health care of U.S. military troops and their families is not being met by the military health system , a Defense Department Inspector General says .
The 74-page report , released this week , found that `` the DoD did not consistently meet outpatient mental health access to care standards for active duty service members and their families , in accordance with law and applicable DoD policies . ''
It noted that , in the December 2018 to June 2019 time period studied , `` seven of 13 MTFs [ military treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ civilian and veteran treatment facilities ] did not meet the specialty mental health access to care standard . ''
Over half of active duty members and their families , in need of mental health care , did not receive it , the report added .
The IG report also cited inconsistency in standards , inadequate staffing of clinics and hospitals , outdated provider information and other deficiencies .
Auditors reported that the Defense Department is not meeting its own legal and policy requirements for outpatient mental health care , which include wait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 hours , waits for routine visits of no more than one week , and specialty care after a referral within one month .
Patients waited an average of 79 days for an off-base psychiatry appointment off-base after receiving a Tricare referral , auditors reported .
An average of 53 % , or 4,415 of 8,328 per month , at the 13 MTFs received no care , the report said .
The figures reported have no connection to the COVID-19 outbreak of 2020 .
Two MTFs , at Fort Bragg , N.C. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defense Department standards in every month under review , auditors said .
And two others , the Malcolm Grow Medical Clinic and Surgery Center in Maryland , and the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth , Va. , never met the monthly standards .
The auditors ' recommendations included development of a single , system-wide staffing approach for behavioral health care , which estimates the number of appointments and number of personnel needed .

Maj. Crystal McLeod, L, and Staff Sgt. Rebecca Michalek, R, demonstrate relaxation training as stress relief at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Photo by Sr.r Airman Shane Phipps/U.S. Air Force
Aug. 14 (UPI) -- The mental health care of U.S. military troops and their families is not being met by the military health system, a Defense Department Inspector General says. The 74-page report, released this week, found that "the DoD did not consistently meet outpatient mental health access to care standards for active duty service members and their families, in accordance with law and applicable DoD policies." Advertisement
It noted that, in the December 2018 to June 2019 time period studied, "seven of 13 MTFs [military treatment facilities] or their supporting TRICARE network [civilian and veteran treatment facilities] did not meet the specialty mental health access to care standard."
Over half of active duty members and their families, in need of mental health care, did not receive it, the report added.
The IG report also cited inconsistency in standards, inadequate staffing of clinics and hospitals, outdated provider information and other deficiencies.
Auditors reported that the Defense Department is not meeting its own legal and policy requirements for outpatient mental health care, which include wait times for urgent care not to exceed 24 hours, waits for routine visits of no more than one week, and specialty care after a referral within one month.
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Patients waited an average of 79 days for an off-base psychiatry appointment off-base after receiving a Tricare referral, auditors reported.
An average of 53%, or 4,415 of 8,328 per month, at the 13 MTFs received no care, the report said. The figures reported have no connection to the COVID-19 outbreak of 2020.
Two MTFs, at Fort Bragg, N.C., and Camp Lejuene,N.C., met Defense Department standards in every month under review, auditors said. And two others, the Malcolm Grow Medical Clinic and Surgery Center in Maryland, and the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Va., never met the monthly standards.
The auditors' recommendations included development of a single, system-wide staffing approach for behavioral health care, which estimates the number of appointments and number of personnel needed.


upi--2020-08-14--$128,000 lottery ticket purchased moments before cutoff time

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- A Nebraska woman who scored a $ 128,000 lottery jackpot said she almost missed @ @ @ @ @ to the deadline for buying tickets .
Stacey Elmborg of Omaha told Nebraska Lottery officials @ @ @ @ @ 's supermarket at Lakeside Hills Plaza only minutes before the 9 p.m. deadline to buy @ @ @ @ @ 8 Nebraska Pick 5 drawing .
Elmborg said she went to the customer service counter @ @ @ @ @ going to miss the deadline when she found there was no clerk at the counter @ @ @ @ @ was helping another customer bag their groceries , arrived just in time to help Elmborg @ @ @ @ @ 's ticket , bearing the family birthday numbers 9-14-17-19-22 , turned out to be a @ @ @ @ @ winner said she plans to use her winnings to move into a new place with @ @ @

A Nebraska woman purchased a ticket for the Nebraska Pick 5 lottery drawing just moments before the purchase deadline and ended up winning $128,000. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Aug. 14 (UPI) -- A Nebraska woman who scored a $128,000 lottery jackpot said she almost missed out on her prize due to the deadline for buying tickets. Stacey Elmborg of Omaha told Nebraska Lottery officials she arrived at the Baker's supermarket at Lakeside Hills Plaza only minutes before the 9 p.m. deadline to buy her ticket for the Aug. 8 Nebraska Pick 5 drawing. Advertisement
Elmborg said she went to the customer service counter and was concerned she was going to miss the deadline when she found there was no clerk at the counter.
The clerk, who was helping another customer bag their groceries, arrived just in time to help Elmborg buy her ticket.
Elmborg's ticket, bearing the family birthday numbers 9-14-17-19-22, turned out to be a $128,000 winner.
The winner said she plans to use her winnings to move into a new place with her son.


upi--2020-08-14--Breakthrough extends quantum state stability by 10,000 times

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- Scientists in Chicago have developed a way to keep quantum states operating for longer periods of time -- a breakthrough they say could accelerate the development of quantum communication , computing and sensing .
Hundreds of studies have hinted at the power of quantum mechanics , and scientists have predicted quantum technologies will provide a speed boost to computers , beef up cyber security , enhance the resolution of astronomical images and more .
For now , however , these applications remain relegated to the realm of theory .
While scientists have successfully created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , unstable and frequently finicky .
One of the challenges of building useful quantum technologies is that most quantum systems remain operational , or `` coherent , '' for extremely brief periods of time , scientists say .
But , according to a study published this week in the journal Science , researchers at the University of Chicago claim to have developed a tweak that helps quantum states work 10,000 times longer than before .
`` This breakthrough lays the groundwork for exciting new avenues of research in quantum science , '' study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release .
`` The broad applicability of this discovery , coupled with a remarkably simple implementation , allows this robust coherence to impact many aspects of quantum engineering , '' said Awschalom , director of the Chicago Quantum Exchange .
`` It enables new research opportunities previously thought impractical . ''
Quantum systems involve the storage and movement of information that is governed by quantum mechanics -- the physics that describes the behavior of atomic particles .
Because quantum systems and states are so delicate -- easily disturbed by background vibrations , temperature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need extremely quiet , stable spaces to operate .
Traditional solutions to this problem , like physically isolating quantum states or using only extremely pure materials , are complex , expensive and impractical .
`` With [ our ] approach , we do n't try to eliminate noise in the surroundings ; instead , we 'trick ' the system into thinking it does n't experience the noise , '' said postdoctoral researcher Kevin Miao .
In the lab , researchers exposed their quantum system to electromagnetic pulses , which are normally used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a continuous alternating magnetic field .
The team of physicists was able to tune the magnetic field to the rapid rotation of the electron spins inside their quantum system , causing the system to `` tune out '' interfering noise .
`` To get a sense of the principle , it 's like sitting on a merry-go-round with people yelling all around you , '' Miao said .
`` When the ride is still , you can hear them perfectly , but if you 're rapidly spinning , the noise blurs into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quantum system operational for a total of 22 milliseconds , four orders of magnitude greater than if the quantum system was left unshielded .
Researchers used the same technique to tune out temperature fluctuations , physical vibrations and electromagnetic noise .
`` This approach creates a pathway to scalability , '' said Awschalom .
`` It should make storing quantum information in electron spin practical .
Extended storage times will enable more complex operations in quantum computers and allow quantum information transmitted from spin-based devices to travel longer distances in networks . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to execute , and that it could be used to reevaluate various quantum systems that were prematurely cast aside because they could n't achieve long-lasting coherence .

Researchers at the University of Chicago deployed a simple modification to protect their quantum system form interference, allowing it to last up to 10,000 times longer than usual. Photo by University of Chicago
Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Scientists in Chicago have developed a way to keep quantum states operating for longer periods of time -- a breakthrough they say could accelerate the development of quantum communication, computing and sensing. Hundreds of studies have hinted at the power of quantum mechanics, and scientists have predicted quantum technologies will provide a speed boost to computers, beef up cyber security, enhance the resolution of astronomical images and more. Advertisement
For now, however, these applications remain relegated to the realm of theory. While scientists have successfully created quantum systems, they have proven delicate, unstable and frequently finicky.
One of the challenges of building useful quantum technologies is that most quantum systems remain operational, or "coherent," for extremely brief periods of time, scientists say.
But, according to a study published this week in the journal Science, researchers at the University of Chicago claim to have developed a tweak that helps quantum states work 10,000 times longer than before.
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"This breakthrough lays the groundwork for exciting new avenues of research in quantum science," study author David Awschalom said in a news release.
"The broad applicability of this discovery, coupled with a remarkably simple implementation, allows this robust coherence to impact many aspects of quantum engineering," said Awschalom, director of the Chicago Quantum Exchange. "It enables new research opportunities previously thought impractical."
Quantum systems involve the storage and movement of information that is governed by quantum mechanics -- the physics that describes the behavior of atomic particles.
Because quantum systems and states are so delicate -- easily disturbed by background vibrations, temperature changes and interfering electromagnetic fields -- they need extremely quiet, stable spaces to operate.
Traditional solutions to this problem, like physically isolating quantum states or using only extremely pure materials, are complex, expensive and impractical.
"With [our] approach, we don't try to eliminate noise in the surroundings; instead, we 'trick' the system into thinking it doesn't experience the noise," said postdoctoral researcher Kevin Miao.
In the lab, researchers exposed their quantum system to electromagnetic pulses, which are normally used to influence the system, as well as a continuous alternating magnetic field. The team of physicists was able to tune the magnetic field to the rapid rotation of the electron spins inside their quantum system, causing the system to "tune out" interfering noise.
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"To get a sense of the principle, it's like sitting on a merry-go-round with people yelling all around you," Miao said. "When the ride is still, you can hear them perfectly, but if you're rapidly spinning, the noise blurs into a background."
The trick kept the quantum system operational for a total of 22 milliseconds, four orders of magnitude greater than if the quantum system was left unshielded. Researchers used the same technique to tune out temperature fluctuations, physical vibrations and electromagnetic noise.
"This approach creates a pathway to scalability," said Awschalom. "It should make storing quantum information in electron spin practical. Extended storage times will enable more complex operations in quantum computers and allow quantum information transmitted from spin-based devices to travel longer distances in networks."
Researchers claim their method is relatively easy to execute, and that it could be used to reevaluate various quantum systems that were prematurely cast aside because they couldn't achieve long-lasting coherence.


upi--2020-08-14--Watch: Russian athlete breaks Guinness record for underwater bench press

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- A Russian athlete broke a Guinness World Record when he went underwater and bench @ @ @ @ @ times before coming up for air .
Vitaly Vivchar of Tomsk said he trained for @ @ @ @ @ the record Thursday at Lebyazhye Lake .
He said the feat combined his skills as @ @ @ @ @ his amateur hobby of free diving .
Vivchar managed 76 repetitions , beating the previous @ @ @ @ @ man Greg Wittstock , by 14 .

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Aug. 14 (UPI) -- A Russian athlete broke a Guinness World Record when he went underwater and bench pressed a 110-pound barbell 76 times before coming up for air.
Vitaly Vivchar of Tomsk said he trained for two months before taking on the record Thursday at Lebyazhye Lake.
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He said the feat combined his skills as a championship weight lifter with his amateur hobby of free diving.
Vivchar managed 76 repetitions, beating the previous record, set by U.S. man Greg Wittstock, by 14.


upi--2020-08-14--Study: COVID-19 causes, worsens heart issues in hospitalized patients

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- COVID-19 causes heart problems that range from irregular heartbeats to angina and worsens pre-existing cardiovascular conditions , according to an analysis published Friday by PLOS ONE .
Just over 14 % of people hospitalized due to infection with the new coronavirus developed heart complications due to the disease , the researchers said .
That 's in addition to the nearly 13 % of all people hospitalized who had pre-existing heart conditions at the time of their admission , they said .
Roughly 10 % of those with pre-existing heart problems or who developed heart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data showed .
`` We found that both pre-existing cardiovascular [ disease ] ... and the development of cardiovascular complications are associated with fatality rate COVID-19 [ in ] patients , '' wrote the researchers , from Magna Graecia University in Catanzaro , Italy .
The findings -- based on an analysis of 21 studies that included more than 77,300 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in the United States , Asia and Europe -- add to evidence that people with heart disease are at increased risk for serious illness from the virus , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the researchers said .
Although the majority of COVID-19 patients develop mild symptoms , older adults and those with pre-existing medical conditions such as heart disease , chronic lung disease or diabetes are at risk for serious illness from the virus , the researchers said .
Data from the American Heart Association indicates that nearly one in four people with COVID-19 experience heart-related complications .
`` Much remains to be learned about COVID-19 infection and the heart , '' Dr. Mitchell S. V. Elkind , the American Heart Association president , said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we think of the lungs being the primary target ... several devastating complications of COVID-19 are cardiac in nature and may result in lingering cardiac dysfunction beyond the course of the viral illness itself , '' said Elkind , who is an attending neurologist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital .
In the PLOS ONE study , just over 36 % of the hospitalized patients had high blood pressure before admission , while slightly fewer than 20 % had diabetes , according to the researchers .
Roughly 11 % of them were smokers and approximately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or being severely overweight based on body mass index , the data showed .
Just under 12 % of the patients had a history of coronary artery disease before hospital admission for COVID-19 , while nearly 10 % had been diagnosed with heart failure and slightly more than 5 % had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , or COPD , the researchers said .
Once they were hospitalized with the virus , just over 10 % showed evidence of damage to the heart , while approximately 10 % experienced angina , the data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heartbeat or heart palpitations , while 4 % suffered heart attacks and 2 % were diagnosed with acute -- or serious -- heart failure , according to the researchers .
Although the overall fatality rate in those with heart complications from COVID-19 was 9.6 % , roughly 42 % of people admitted to intensive care units for heart-related ailments stemming from or made worse by the virus died , the data showed .
`` Clinicians should be aware of the potential impact of cardiovascular conditions and complications in COVID-19 patients , which should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the researchers wrote .

A new study suggests that 14% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients develop heart complications. Photo by hamiltonpaviana/Pixabay
Aug. 14 (UPI) -- COVID-19 causes heart problems that range from irregular heartbeats to angina and worsens pre-existing cardiovascular conditions, according to an analysis published Friday by PLOS ONE. Just over 14% of people hospitalized due to infection with the new coronavirus developed heart complications due to the disease, the researchers said. Advertisement
That's in addition to the nearly 13% of all people hospitalized who had pre-existing heart conditions at the time of their admission, they said.
Roughly 10% of those with pre-existing heart problems or who developed heart complications after becoming infected died, the data showed.
"We found that both pre-existing cardiovascular [disease] ... and the development of cardiovascular complications are associated with fatality rate COVID-19 [in] patients," wrote the researchers, from Magna Graecia University in Catanzaro, Italy.
The findings -- based on an analysis of 21 studies that included more than 77,300 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in the United States, Asia and Europe -- add to evidence that people with heart disease are at increased risk for serious illness from the virus, as well as damage to the heart, the researchers said.
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Although the majority of COVID-19 patients develop mild symptoms, older adults and those with pre-existing medical conditions such as heart disease, chronic lung disease or diabetes are at risk for serious illness from the virus, the researchers said.
Data from the American Heart Association indicates that nearly one in four people with COVID-19 experience heart-related complications.
"Much remains to be learned about COVID-19 infection and the heart," Dr. Mitchell S. V. Elkind, the American Heart Association president, said in a statement released Friday.
"Although we think of the lungs being the primary target ... several devastating complications of COVID-19 are cardiac in nature and may result in lingering cardiac dysfunction beyond the course of the viral illness itself," said Elkind, who is an attending neurologist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
In the PLOS ONE study, just over 36% of the hospitalized patients had high blood pressure before admission, while slightly fewer than 20% had diabetes, according to the researchers.
Roughly 11% of them were smokers and approximately 34% met the criteria for obesity, or being severely overweight based on body mass index, the data showed.
Just under 12% of the patients had a history of coronary artery disease before hospital admission for COVID-19, while nearly 10% had been diagnosed with heart failure and slightly more than 5% had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, the researchers said.
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Once they were hospitalized with the virus, just over 10% showed evidence of damage to the heart, while approximately 10% experienced angina, the data showed.
Roughly 18% experienced irregular heartbeat or heart palpitations, while 4% suffered heart attacks and 2% were diagnosed with acute -- or serious -- heart failure, according to the researchers.
Although the overall fatality rate in those with heart complications from COVID-19 was 9.6%, roughly 42% of people admitted to intensive care units for heart-related ailments stemming from or made worse by the virus died, the data showed.
"Clinicians should be aware of the potential impact of cardiovascular conditions and complications in COVID-19 patients, which should require more extensive and frequent monitoring," the researchers wrote.


upi--2020-08-14--Firefighters free dog with head stuck in cinder block wall

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- Firefighters and animal protection officers in Arizona came to the rescue of a dog @ @ @ @ @ a cinder block wall .
The Pima Animal Care Center in Tucson said Animal Protection @ @ @ @ @ Gurrola responded Thursday to a report of a dog with its head stuck in a @ @ @ @ @ officers summoned a Rural Metro Fire Department crew to the scene to help break through @ @ @ @ @ dog , which was dubbed Cinder by rescuers .
The dog is now recovering at @ @ @

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Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Firefighters and animal protection officers in Arizona came to the rescue of a dog with its head stuck in a cinder block wall.
The Pima Animal Care Center in Tucson said Animal Protection Officers Jordyn Long and Humberto Gurrola responded Thursday to a report of a dog with its head stuck in a cinder block wall.
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The officers summoned a Rural Metro Fire Department crew to the scene to help break through the blocks to free the dog, which was dubbed Cinder by rescuers.
The dog is now recovering at the center.


upi--2020-08-14--U.S. Navy develops software to track COVID-19 cases aboard ships

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- Damage control software to track the spread of the COVID-19 virus is being rolled out to U.S. Navy vessels , the Naval Sea Systems Command said on Friday .
The software will be delivered in laptop computers to171 surface ships , and will be used to repurpose the existing Advanced Damage Control System , officials said .
The system has been used to manage and store data related to incidents from ship collisions and fires to enemy attacks .
With the onset of the pandemic , the Naval Surface Warfare Center , Philadelphia Division @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manage and mitigate the impact of the virus , officials said .
The software already contains templates for chemical or biological attacks , and can track personnel , plot boundaries around quarantined areas and manage traffic throughout the ship .
`` The ability to innovate is a cornerstone of ADCS , '' John Buckley , branch manager of NSWCPD Machinery Control Systems and the damage control system , said in a statement .
`` One of the directives we had when we started designing the system was that it had to be adaptable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Buckley said .
`` A global pandemic was not something we had planned on , but keeping sailors safe definitely was . ''
The ADCS system has been in place aboard ships since 2018 .
The effort to design appropriate software to track the effects of the virus began after a COVID-19 outbreak among the crew of about 3,000 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in May .
`` This effort represents a substantial amount of collaboration and innovation across the Naval Sea Systems Command enterprise , '' officials said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of engineers , software developers , and trainers and the Technical Warrant Holder for Damage Control and Personnel Safety .
The laptop computers are expected to be fully deployed within two to four months .

A sailor aboard the dock landing ship USS Tortuga uses a laptop computer with software designed to track the possible spread of the COVID-19 virus aboard the ship. Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy
Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Damage control software to track the spread of the COVID-19 virus is being rolled out to U.S. Navy vessels, the Naval Sea Systems Command said on Friday. The software will be delivered in laptop computers to171 surface ships, and will be used to repurpose the existing Advanced Damage Control System, officials said. Advertisement
The system has been used to manage and store data related to incidents from ship collisions and fires to enemy attacks.
With the onset of the pandemic, the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division proposed upgrading the system to help ships manage and mitigate the impact of the virus, officials said.
The software already contains templates for chemical or biological attacks, and can track personnel, plot boundaries around quarantined areas and manage traffic throughout the ship.
"The ability to innovate is a cornerstone of ADCS," John Buckley, branch manager of NSWCPD Machinery Control Systems and the damage control system, said in a statement.
"One of the directives we had when we started designing the system was that it had to be adaptable for purposes we had never even considered," Buckley said. "A global pandemic was not something we had planned on, but keeping sailors safe definitely was."
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The ADCS system has been in place aboard ships since 2018. The effort to design appropriate software to track the effects of the virus began after a COVID-19 outbreak among the crew of about 3,000 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in May.
"This effort represents a substantial amount of collaboration and innovation across the Naval Sea Systems Command enterprise," officials said in the statement, citing the work of engineers, software developers, and trainers and the Technical Warrant Holder for Damage Control and Personnel Safety.
The laptop computers are expected to be fully deployed within two to four months.


upi--2020-08-14--Production of Air Force's first B-21 stealth bomber on schedule

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- Northrop Grumman 's construction of the first B-21 Raider stealth bomber , slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic , is back on track , a U.S. Air Force official said .
Randall Walden , director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office , acknowledged on Thursday that some B-21 subcontractors were affected by the pandemic .
Walden cited Spirit AeroSystems , which makes large composite aerostructures for the planes , as well as sections of the Boeing 737 Max .
The company received $ 80 million in Defense Production Act funds to help stimulate struggling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work on the temporarily-closed 737 Max line into B-21 production efforts .
`` The folks that are not manufacturing 737s and those components came over to our production line and really kind of beefed up -where people had some COVID issues - they beefed up that portion of our production , '' Walden said .
In a statement earlier in August , Walden said that the B-21 `` is starting to look like an airplane , '' and that `` overall , the B-21 Raider is coming along nicely . ''
The first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grumman 's facility in Palmdale , Calif. , with an expected rollout for testing in December 2021 .
The plane is expected to enter service in 2025 .
The Air Force has ordered 100 B-21s , heavy bombers , as part of its Long Range Strike Bomber program .
With its stealth design , it is meant to eventually replace the B-1 , B-2 and the now-65 year-old B-52 Stratofortress , officials say .
The B-21 will be a long-range , large , heavy-payload stealth intercontinental strategic bomber capable of delivering conventional and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offered few facts about the B-21 , and only shown off artists ' renderings of it , to protect information about the aircraft 's stealth technology .
They have , however , acknowledged that Ellsworth Air Force Base , S.D.
, will be the home of the first B-21 squadron .
Whiteman Air Force Base , Mo.
, and Dyess Air Force Base , Texas , are expected to house the next squadrons as well .

Construction of the first B-21 Raider stealth bomber remains on schedule, a U.S. Air Force official said on Thursday. Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman
Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Northrop Grumman's construction of the first B-21 Raider stealth bomber, slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, is back on track, a U.S. Air Force official said. Randall Walden, director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, acknowledged on Thursday that some B-21 subcontractors were affected by the pandemic. Advertisement
Walden cited Spirit AeroSystems, which makes large composite aerostructures for the planes, as well as sections of the Boeing 737 Max. The company received $80 million in Defense Production Act funds to help stimulate struggling businesses, and placed employees who normally work on the temporarily-closed 737 Max line into B-21 production efforts.
"The folks that are not manufacturing 737s and those components came over to our production line and really kind of beefed up -where people had some COVID issues - they beefed up that portion of our production," Walden said.
In a statement earlier in August, Walden said that the B-21 "is starting to look like an airplane," and that "overall, the B-21 Raider is coming along nicely."
The first B-21 Raider is under construction at Northrop Grumman's facility in Palmdale, Calif., with an expected rollout for testing in December 2021. The plane is expected to enter service in 2025.
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The Air Force has ordered 100 B-21s, heavy bombers, as part of its Long Range Strike Bomber program.
With its stealth design, it is meant to eventually replace the B-1, B-2 and the now-65 year-old B-52 Stratofortress, officials say. The B-21 will be a long-range, large, heavy-payload stealth intercontinental strategic bomber capable of delivering conventional and nuclear weapons.
Air Force officials have offered few facts about the B-21, and only shown off artists' renderings of it, to protect information about the aircraft's stealth technology.
They have, however, acknowledged that Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., will be the home of the first B-21 squadron. Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., and Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, are expected to house the next squadrons as well.


upi--2020-08-14--Billboard Music Awards to take place Oct. 14, Kelly Clarkson still hosting

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- The Billboard Music Awards announced a new date for their 2020 awards show on Friday .
The 2020 Billboard Music Awards will air Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. EDT on NBC , according to Billboard 's website .
The awards were originally scheduled for April 29 .
They had to postpone due to precautions over the COVID-19 pandemic .
Billboard confirms that Kelly Clarkson will still host the Billboard Music Awards .
It will be the singer 's third year in a row hosting the show .
Clarkson shared her own announcement on Instagram @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set for October 14 , 2020 and I 'll be hosting for the third time ! ''
Clarkson wrote .
`` Mark your calendars and do n't forget to tune-in on NBC .
# BBMAs '' Award shows have adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic in different ways .
The BET Awards held a remote ceremony by Zoom .
The Emmys plans to have a similar remote ceremony .
The MTV Video Music Awards have opted for an outdoor ceremony with little or no audience in attendance .
Billboard did not announce how they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Aug. 14 (UPI) -- The Billboard Music Awards announced a new date for their 2020 awards show on Friday. The 2020 Billboard Music Awards will air Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. EDT on NBC, according to Billboard's website.
The awards were originally scheduled for April 29. They had to postpone due to precautions over the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Billboard confirms that Kelly Clarkson will still host the Billboard Music Awards. It will be the singer's third year in a row hosting the show.
Clarkson shared her own announcement on Instagram Friday.
"The @BBMAs are set for October 14, 2020 and I'll be hosting for the third time!" Clarkson wrote. "Mark your calendars and don't forget to tune-in on NBC. #BBMAs"
Award shows have adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic in different ways. The BET Awards held a remote ceremony by Zoom. The Emmys plans to have a similar remote ceremony.
The MTV Video Music Awards have opted for an outdoor ceremony with little or no audience in attendance. Billboard did not announce how they plan to conduct the Oct. 14 ceremony.


upi--2020-08-14--New Zealand extends lockdown for Auckland amid COVID-19 outbreak

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Friday extended a lockdown for the country 's largest city after an outbreak of COVID-19 .
Earlier this week , the government placed Auckland under its second-highest Alert Level 3 lockdown through Friday .
Ardern extended the measures for another 12 days .
`` Together , we have got rid of COVID before , '' she said during an evening news conference .
`` We have kept it out for 102 days , longer than any other country .
We have been world-leading in our COVID response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were saved and our economy was getting going faster than almost anywhere else .
We can do all of that again . ''
The New Zealand Ministry of Health reported 12 new cases of the novel coronavirus and one probable case Friday .
All except one were linked to existing cases .
The new cases increase New Zealand 's latest outbreak of the virus to 29 .
Since the start of the pandemic , the country has had 1,251 cases and 22 deaths .
Public health officials are encouraging those who test positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local quarantine facility to limit the spread .
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff called the re-emergence of the virus in his city `` devastating . ''
`` However , we know from experience that going hard and going early is the best way to stop COVID-19 's spread , '' he said .
`` I welcome the fact that we are not going back to a Level 4 lockdown .
But even at Level 3 I know this means personal sacrifices for people and for businesses and I thank Aucklanders for that . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ public venues must close , employees must work from home , elective services at hospitals are deferred , domestic travel is limited and people may only leave their homes for essential reasons , such as groceries .

Visitors wear face masks as they tour the Whitney Museum of American Art as it reopens on September 3. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 14 (UPI) -- New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Friday extended a lockdown for the country's largest city after an outbreak of COVID-19. Earlier this week, the government placed Auckland under its second-highest Alert Level 3 lockdown through Friday. Ardern extended the measures for another 12 days. Advertisement
"Together, we have got rid of COVID before," she said during an evening news conference.
"We have kept it out for 102 days, longer than any other country. We have been world-leading in our COVID response, with the result that many lives were saved and our economy was getting going faster than almost anywhere else. We can do all of that again."
The New Zealand Ministry of Health reported 12 new cases of the novel coronavirus and one probable case Friday. All except one were linked to existing cases.
The new cases increase New Zealand's latest outbreak of the virus to 29. Since the start of the pandemic, the country has had 1,251 cases and 22 deaths.
Public health officials are encouraging those who test positive and their families to move to a local quarantine facility to limit the spread.
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Auckland Mayor Phil Goff called the re-emergence of the virus in his city "devastating."
"However, we know from experience that going hard and going early is the best way to stop COVID-19's spread," he said. "I welcome the fact that we are not going back to a Level 4 lockdown. But even at Level 3 I know this means personal sacrifices for people and for businesses and I thank Aucklanders for that."
Under the Level 3 lockdown, all public venues must close, employees must work from home, elective services at hospitals are deferred, domestic travel is limited and people may only leave their homes for essential reasons, such as groceries.


upi--2020-08-14--Python captured after six weeks on the loose in British Columbia

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- A 5-foot python that went missing in British Columbia was found more than a @ @ @ @ @ a ride in someone 's vehicle .
The Victoria Police Department said the ball python @ @ @ @ @ 2 but was n't reported to authorities until Aug. 4 , was found hiding under @ @ @ @ @ 2 miles from where it escaped from its owner 's backpack. ''
A patrol officer @ @ @ @ @ took the snake into custody without incident , '' the department said .
Victoria Animal @ @ @ @ @ it is unlikely the python traveled so great a distance on its own .
`` @ @ @ @ @ that distance , '' Fraser told the Times Colonist newspaper .
`` It probably slithered @ @ @ @ @ the ride . ''

A ball python that escaped from its owner's backpack was captured about six weeks later when it was found hiding under a vehicle. Photo courtesy of the Victoria Police Department
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Aug. 14 (UPI) -- A 5-foot python that went missing in British Columbia was found more than a month later after apparently hitching a ride in someone's vehicle. The Victoria Police Department said the ball python, which went missing July 2 but wasn't reported to authorities until Aug. 4, was found hiding under a vehicle this week about 2 miles from where it escaped from its owner's backpack. Advertisement
" A patrol officer who is familiar with snakes took the snake into custody without incident," the department said.
Victoria Animal Control Officer Ian Fraser said it is unlikely the python traveled so great a distance on its own.
"Snakes just don't travel that distance," Fraser told the Times Colonist newspaper. "It probably slithered into a car and hitched the ride."


upi--2020-08-14--ATV-related head, neck injuries are common among kids

All-terrain vehicles ( ATVs ) are a big draw for adventure-loving kids , but a new study warns that the thrill ride can often land children in the ER .
U.S. data shows that nearly 280,000 children were treated over a 25-year period for head and neck injuries caused by ATV accidents .
That 's about 31 children each day -- and nearly half of them were younger than 12 , the researchers reported .
`` I think it largely confirmed what we were concerned about , which was how frequent these injuries were occurring and how serious they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children 's Hospital in Columbus , Ohio .
The fact that 46 % of ATV-related head and neck injuries among kids occurred among those aged 12 or younger was particularly worrisome , Smith said .
`` These are large , powerful machines .
They 're designed for off-road use .
By definition , when you take this type of powerful machine off road , it requires an advanced degree of coordination , strength and moment-to-moment decision-making on uneven terrain , '' Smith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 years of age just simply does n't possess that degree of skill .
They just developmentally are n't ready . ''
That 's true even for the lighter , smaller ATVs designed for kids , Smith added .
The study looked at data from the U.S. National Electronic Injury Surveillance System to research injuries over a 25-year period , from 1990 through 2014 .
Over that time , rates of injuries were consistent from 1990 to 1997 , increased sharply ( by almost 143 % ) from 1997 to 2007 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 2014 .
It was unclear whether the drop was because of reduced injuries or whether it was because more people were using urgent care facilities instead of emergency rooms , a statistic observed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission , according to the study .
Limitations of the study include that it looked at data only for injuries treated at emergency departments and not at urgent care centers or individual doctor 's offices .
The study concluded that though numbers had decreased , ATV-related head and neck injuries remained common and can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of traumatic brain injury can include difficulty concentrating , sleeping and controlling impulses , as well as other thinking impairments , Smith said .
Smith and his colleagues discuss their findings in this video : Their findings were published Aug. 10 in the journal Clinical Pediatrics .
An ATV is an off-road , motorized vehicle with low-pressure tires , a straddle seat and handlebars .
Laws for who can drive them vary from as young as age 8 to age 18 and over , depending on the state , the researchers said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws to allow ATVs on roadways , which Smith suggests is not safe because they are designed for off-road use .
Their tires can make them harder to steer at high speeds and their design makes them less steady around corners , Smith explained .
To reduce ATV injuries among children , parents can ensure their kids are wearing a properly fitted helmet and following the manufacturer 's guidelines for the number of people who ride the vehicle at one time , said Torine Creppy , president of Safe Kids Worldwide , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ youth ] under the age of 16 should not operate or ride on ATVs due to the safety risk , '' Creppy said .
`` If a family chooses to let their child ride on an ATV , it 's important that they wear a helmet first and that if they 're under the age of 16 that they 're on a child 's ATV , '' Creppy added .
The annual economic costs of pediatric ATV deaths and injuries is nearly $ 1 billion , according to the study .
Smith recommends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' recommendations about ATV use .
This includes not driving until age 16 , wearing a helmet designed for motorcycle use , and never driving with a passenger on board .
`` We really need to do a much better job on a national level to have uniform requirements across the country , to require children to be older and to have the skills that are needed to operate the machine safely , '' Smith said .
`` The injury rates among children are much higher than adults , and it 's because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to operate an ATV safely . ''
For more on how to safely operate an ATV , head to the ATV Safety Institute .

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are a big draw for adventure-loving kids, but a new study warns that the thrill ride can often land children in the ER.
U.S. data shows that nearly 280,000 children were treated over a 25-year period for head and neck injuries caused by ATV accidents. That's about 31 children each day -- and nearly half of them were younger than 12, the researchers reported.
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"I think it largely confirmed what we were concerned about, which was how frequent these injuries were occurring and how serious they were," said Dr. Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
The fact that 46% of ATV-related head and neck injuries among kids occurred among those aged 12 or younger was particularly worrisome, Smith said.
"These are large, powerful machines. They're designed for off-road use. By definition, when you take this type of powerful machine off road, it requires an advanced degree of coordination, strength and moment-to-moment decision-making on uneven terrain," Smith said. "And a child at 12 years of age just simply doesn't possess that degree of skill. They just developmentally aren't ready."
Advertisement
That's true even for the lighter, smaller ATVs designed for kids, Smith added.
The study looked at data from the U.S. National Electronic Injury Surveillance System to research injuries over a 25-year period, from 1990 through 2014. Over that time, rates of injuries were consistent from 1990 to 1997, increased sharply (by almost 143%) from 1997 to 2007, and then dropped by 37% from 2007 to 2014.
It was unclear whether the drop was because of reduced injuries or whether it was because more people were using urgent care facilities instead of emergency rooms, a statistic observed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, according to the study. Limitations of the study include that it looked at data only for injuries treated at emergency departments and not at urgent care centers or individual doctor's offices.
The study concluded that though numbers had decreased, ATV-related head and neck injuries remained common and can have serious medical outcomes. Long-term impacts of traumatic brain injury can include difficulty concentrating, sleeping and controlling impulses, as well as other thinking impairments, Smith said.
Smith and his colleagues discuss their findings in this video:
Advertisement
Their findings were published Aug. 10 in the journal Clinical Pediatrics.
An ATV is an off-road, motorized vehicle with low-pressure tires, a straddle seat and handlebars. Laws for who can drive them vary from as young as age 8 to age 18 and over, depending on the state, the researchers said.
Some local jurisdictions are also changing traffic laws to allow ATVs on roadways, which Smith suggests is not safe because they are designed for off-road use. Their tires can make them harder to steer at high speeds and their design makes them less steady around corners, Smith explained.
To reduce ATV injuries among children, parents can ensure their kids are wearing a properly fitted helmet and following the manufacturer's guidelines for the number of people who ride the vehicle at one time, said Torine Creppy, president of Safe Kids Worldwide, in Washington, D.C.
"Generally, [youth] under the age of 16 should not operate or ride on ATVs due to the safety risk," Creppy said.
"If a family chooses to let their child ride on an ATV, it's important that they wear a helmet first and that if they're under the age of 16 that they're on a child's ATV," Creppy added.
Advertisement
The annual economic costs of pediatric ATV deaths and injuries is nearly $1 billion, according to the study.
Smith recommends parents follow the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations about ATV use. This includes not driving until age 16, wearing a helmet designed for motorcycle use, and never driving with a passenger on board.
"We really need to do a much better job on a national level to have uniform requirements across the country, to require children to be older and to have the skills that are needed to operate the machine safely," Smith said. "The injury rates among children are much higher than adults, and it's because of their developmental immaturity and their inability to operate an ATV safely."
More information
For more on how to safely operate an ATV, head to the ATV Safety Institute.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-08-14--Lawmakers in Congress leave for August recess without COVID-19 stimulus deal

Aug. 14 ( UPI ) -- Congressional lawmakers have left Capitol Hill for the remainder of the August recess , without a deal for the next COVID-19 relief package , which is expected to send another stimulus payment to most Americans .
The House and Senate are now both on recess .
House Democratic leaders and negotiators from the White House have worked this month to find a deal on another relief bill .
Both chambers have crafted relief aid but the two sides remain far apart on certain provisions .
Unless negotiators reach an agreement , lawmakers will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The House is scheduled to return Sept. 14 and the Senate the second week of the month .
Adding to the uncertainty are both parties ' national nominating conventions , which will be held over the next two weeks .
The Democrats will stage theirs next week and the Republicans a week later .
`` If [ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ] and [ Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer ] decide to finally let another package move forward , it would take bipartisan consent to meet for legislative business sooner than scheduled , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I want you to see how vast our differences are , '' Pelosi told reporters Thursday .
`` It 's no wonder we have a vast difference because this administration , other Republicans in Congress have never understood the gravity of this situation . ''
Democrats have said they want the Republican proposals to increase COVID-19 spending , from $ 1 trillion to $ 2 trillion , and reintroduce a federal unemployment benefit that paid out-of-work Americans an extra $ 600 per week .
The benefit expired last month .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit , but at reduced amounts .
The Democratic plan calls for the same $ 600 payment per week .
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow argued that $ 2 trillion is `` too much '' and said a Democratic effort to add funding for the U.S .
Postal Service is part of a `` liberal left wish list . ''
Trump has said he opposes new USPS funding -- which critics say is an attempt by the president to stifle mail-in votes for the general election in November .
Democrats initially asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which included relief for states , but the proposal has been summarily rejected by GOP negotiators .
At a press briefing Friday , President Donald Trump accused Democrats of holding up the process .
`` I 've directed the secretary of the Treasury to get ready and send direct payments , $ 3,400 for a family of four , to all Americans , '' he said of the provisions in the GOP plan .
`` Democrats are holding this up . ''
Trump said he 's also ready to send `` rental assistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion to states so they can reopen schools safely for the fall .

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks to reporters Thursday on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., outlining differences between coronavirus relief legislation in the House and Senate. Lawmakers have left for August recess and, unless both sides agree to a deal, they won't return until mid-September. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Congressional lawmakers have left Capitol Hill for the remainder of the August recess, without a deal for the next COVID-19 relief package, which is expected to send another stimulus payment to most Americans. The House and Senate are now both on recess. House Democratic leaders and negotiators from the White House have worked this month to find a deal on another relief bill. Both chambers have crafted relief aid but the two sides remain far apart on certain provisions. Advertisement
Unless negotiators reach an agreement, lawmakers will not return to Capitol Hill until September. The House is scheduled to return Sept. 14 and the Senate the second week of the month.
Adding to the uncertainty are both parties' national nominating conventions, which will be held over the next two weeks. The Democrats will stage theirs next week and the Republicans a week later.
"If [House Speaker Nancy Pelosi] and [Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer] decide to finally let another package move forward, it would take bipartisan consent to meet for legislative business sooner than scheduled," said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.
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"I want you to see how vast our differences are," Pelosi told reporters Thursday.
"It's no wonder we have a vast difference because this administration, other Republicans in Congress have never understood the gravity of this situation."
Democrats have said they want the Republican proposals to increase COVID-19 spending, from $1 trillion to $2 trillion, and reintroduce a federal unemployment benefit that paid out-of-work Americans an extra $600 per week. The benefit expired last month.
The Republican proposal does reintroduce the enhanced federal benefit, but at reduced amounts. The Democratic plan calls for the same $600 payment per week.
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow argued that $2 trillion is "too much" and said a Democratic effort to add funding for the U.S. Postal Service is part of a "liberal left wish list." Trump has said he opposes new USPS funding -- which critics say is an attempt by the president to stifle mail-in votes for the general election in November.
Democrats initially asked for $3 trillion in spending, which included relief for states, but the proposal has been summarily rejected by GOP negotiators.
At a press briefing Friday, President Donald Trump accused Democrats of holding up the process.
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"I've directed the secretary of the Treasury to get ready and send direct payments, $3,400 for a family of four, to all Americans," he said of the provisions in the GOP plan. "Democrats are holding this up."
Trump said he's also ready to send "rental assistance" payments and more than $100 billion to states so they can reopen schools safely for the fall.