upi--2020-03-03--Iran releases 54K inmates as coronavirus outbreak deepens worldwide

March 3 ( UPI ) -- Iran said Tuesday it is temporarily releasing tens of thousands of prisoners in an attempt to stymie the spread of the deadly coronavirus among the country 's inmates as it struggles to contain one of the world 's worst COVID-19 epidemics .
Iran 's judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili told reporters the Middle Eastern country will be releasing more than 54,000 inmates from its crowded prison system on furlough after they test negative for the virus and post bail .
Among the prisoners could be British citizen Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe , who was arrested in April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempting to board a Britain-bound flight with her then-22-month-old daughter at Tehran 's Imam Khomeini International Airport .
Tulip Siddiq , Labor MP for Britain 's Hampstead and Kilburn region , said via Twitter that Iranian Ambassador to Britain , Hamid Baeidinejad , told her Zaghari-Ratcliffe may be released from Evin Pail in Tehran Tuesday or Wednesday .
`` If this furlough happens , the British government have an obligation to make it permanent , and not let her be used as a bargaining chip in the weeks to come , '' Siddiq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nazanin has told her family that she has still not been tested for coronavirus . ''
Zaghari-Ratcliffe , a 41-year-old charity worker , was sentenced to a five-year prison term for spying , according to Amnesty International , which said Tuesday her family is worried she may have contracted the virus that has killed more than 3,000 people worldwide .
`` Though it remains unconfirmed , the slightest possibility of prisoners being exposed to the coronavirus in Evin jail raises grave concerns and is a chilling prospect for Nazanin and other prisoners , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amnesty International Britain Director Kate Allen wrote in a statement .
Baeidinejad rejected claims that Zaghari-Ratcliffe may have contracted the virus , responding via Twitter that Esmail said she was `` in good health '' and has not been `` affected '' by COVID-19 .
`` [ Esmail ] added that one of the prisoners with security charge will be granted a furlough today or tomorrow to join family , '' he said , without elaborating who that might be .
A second Labor member of Parliament , Emily Thornberry , also called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , urging it to `` show the humanity , compassion and generosity that unites our peoples , and let Nazanin come home . ''
On Tuesday , Siddiq told her fellow ministers amid reports that at least one inmate at the jail has died from COVID-19 that Iranian officials have refused `` point-blank '' to test Zaghari-Ratcliffe .
At least 77 people have died amid the coronavirus outbreak in Iran as of Tuesday , according to Iran 's Ministry of Health , state-run Press TV reported , making the Middle Eastern country responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus second only to China where the disease emerged in December .
The country has recorded 2,336 confirmed cases of the virus and has ties to infections in several countries , some as far away as Canada .
The country 's religious leader , Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , called on Iranians Tuesday to heed the directives of health officials in the battle against the virus .
`` These orders should not at all be violated as God has obliged us to take responsibility for our own health and for that of others , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything that contributes to the society 's health and helps prevent the spread of the disease is a virtue and ... whatever facilitates its spread is a sin . ''
The World Health Organization said in a statement Monday that a team has arrived in Tehran to support its response to the epidemic by identifying at-risk populations and providing guidance .
The plane that brought the team to Iran also shipped medical supplies and protective equipment for more than 15,000 healthcare providers and laboratory kits to test nearly 100,000 people .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said via Twitter .
`` We have never before seen a respiratory pathogen that is capable of community transmission , but which can also be contained with the right measures . ''
As Iran releases prisoners in its battle against the virus , epidemics deepened around the globe aside from China where on Tuesday health officials confirmed 125 cases of the deadly coronavirus over the day prior , the lowest number of recorded cases in a 24-hour period for the Asian country since Jan. 20 .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death toll to 2,943 .
As the Chinese data was announced , countries in Europe , the Middle East and Africa were confirming first cases , pushing the number of nations and territories infected with the coronavirus to more than 70 .
Andorra , Indonesia , Jordan , Latvia , Morocco , Portugal , Saudi Arabia , Senegal and Tunisia announced their first patients infected with the virus in the previous 24 hours , while the worst-affected nations of South Korea , Italy and Iran continued to see their numbers of deaths and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Korea has the most COVID-19 patients with 5,186 as of Tuesday evening , an increase of 374 from that morning , prompting President Moon Jae-in to declare `` war '' against the virus .
`` The crisis in Daegu-North Gyeongsang has reached its peak , and the whole country is at war against the infectious disease , '' Moon said during a Tuesday press conference , referring to the area hardest hit by the virus .
`` We believe that inspecting large numbers of people at the fastest speed in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the best thing we can do at this stage to prevent the spread of local infections . ''
Italy reported a surge Monday evening of nearly 350 more cases from the day prior , for a total of 2,036 infected patients .
It also recorded 18 more deaths for a tally of 52 , according to the Ministry of Health .
According to the WHO , as of Tuesday , the outbreak has grown to 90,893 cases worldwide and 3,110 deaths .

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An Iranian woman wearing a face mask walks in Tehran, Iran, on Monday as the country faces a deepening COVID-19 epidemic. Photo by Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA-EFE
March 3 (UPI) -- Iran said Tuesday it is temporarily releasing tens of thousands of prisoners in an attempt to stymie the spread of the deadly coronavirus among the country's inmates as it struggles to contain one of the world's worst COVID-19 epidemics. Iran's judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili told reporters the Middle Eastern country will be releasing more than 54,000 inmates from its crowded prison system on furlough after they test negative for the virus and post bail. Advertisement
Among the prisoners could be British citizen Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was arrested in April 2016 by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard while attempting to board a Britain-bound flight with her then-22-month-old daughter at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport.
Tulip Siddiq, Labor MP for Britain's Hampstead and Kilburn region, said via Twitter that Iranian Ambassador to Britain, Hamid Baeidinejad, told her Zaghari-Ratcliffe may be released from Evin Pail in Tehran Tuesday or Wednesday.
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"If this furlough happens, the British government have an obligation to make it permanent, and not let her be used as a bargaining chip in the weeks to come," Siddiq said. "I remain concerned that Nazanin has told her family that she has still not been tested for coronavirus."
Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a 41-year-old charity worker, was sentenced to a five-year prison term for spying, according to Amnesty International, which said Tuesday her family is worried she may have contracted the virus that has killed more than 3,000 people worldwide.
"Though it remains unconfirmed, the slightest possibility of prisoners being exposed to the coronavirus in Evin jail raises grave concerns and is a chilling prospect for Nazanin and other prisoners, including jailed human rights defenders," Amnesty International Britain Director Kate Allen wrote in a statement.
Baeidinejad rejected claims that Zaghari-Ratcliffe may have contracted the virus, responding via Twitter that Esmail said she was "in good health" and has not been "affected" by COVID-19.
"[Esmail] added that one of the prisoners with security charge will be granted a furlough today or tomorrow to join family," he said, without elaborating who that might be.
A second Labor member of Parliament, Emily Thornberry, also called on Iran via Twitter to release Zaghari-Ratcliffe, urging it to "show the humanity, compassion and generosity that unites our peoples, and let Nazanin come home."
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On Tuesday, Siddiq told her fellow ministers amid reports that at least one inmate at the jail has died from COVID-19 that Iranian officials have refused "point-blank" to test Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
At least 77 people have died amid the coronavirus outbreak in Iran as of Tuesday, according to Iran's Ministry of Health, state-run Press TV reported, making the Middle Eastern country responsible for the most deaths due to the virus second only to China where the disease emerged in December.
The country has recorded 2,336 confirmed cases of the virus and has ties to infections in several countries, some as far away as Canada.
The country's religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called on Iranians Tuesday to heed the directives of health officials in the battle against the virus.
"These orders should not at all be violated as God has obliged us to take responsibility for our own health and for that of others," he said. "Therefore, anything that contributes to the society's health and helps prevent the spread of the disease is a virtue and ... whatever facilitates its spread is a sin."
The World Health Organization said in a statement Monday that a team has arrived in Tehran to support its response to the epidemic by identifying at-risk populations and providing guidance.
Advertisement
The plane that brought the team to Iran also shipped medical supplies and protective equipment for more than 15,000 healthcare providers and laboratory kits to test nearly 100,000 people.
"We are in unchartered territory with COVID-19," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said via Twitter. "We have never before seen a respiratory pathogen that is capable of community transmission, but which can also be contained with the right measures."
As Iran releases prisoners in its battle against the virus, epidemics deepened around the globe aside from China where on Tuesday health officials confirmed 125 cases of the deadly coronavirus over the day prior, the lowest number of recorded cases in a 24-hour period for the Asian country since Jan. 20. It also recorded 31 deaths, increasing its death toll to 2,943.
As the Chinese data was announced, countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa were confirming first cases, pushing the number of nations and territories infected with the coronavirus to more than 70.
Andorra, Indonesia, Jordan, Latvia, Morocco, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Tunisia announced their first patients infected with the virus in the previous 24 hours, while the worst-affected nations of South Korea, Italy and Iran continued to see their numbers of deaths and confirmed cases grow.
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Outside China, South Korea has the most COVID-19 patients with 5,186 as of Tuesday evening, an increase of 374 from that morning, prompting President Moon Jae-in to declare "war" against the virus.
"The crisis in Daegu-North Gyeongsang has reached its peak, and the whole country is at war against the infectious disease," Moon said during a Tuesday press conference, referring to the area hardest hit by the virus. "We believe that inspecting large numbers of people at the fastest speed in the world and making the results transparent and quick is the best thing we can do at this stage to prevent the spread of local infections."
Italy reported a surge Monday evening of nearly 350 more cases from the day prior, for a total of 2,036 infected patients. It also recorded 18 more deaths for a tally of 52, according to the Ministry of Health.
According to the WHO, as of Tuesday, the outbreak has grown to 90,893 cases worldwide and 3,110 deaths.


upi--2020-03-03--Ex-San Antonio Spurs star Tim Duncan fills in for Gregg Popovich as coach

March 3 ( UPI ) -- Tim Duncan served as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs during Tuesday night 's game against the Charlotte Hornets .
Duncan , who spent his entire 19-year playing career with the Spurs , replaced Gregg Popovich , who missed the road contest against the Hornets because of personal business , the team announced before the game .
Earlier this season , Duncan was named the acting head coach when Popovich was ejected during a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Nov. 16 .
Duncan has been an assistant coach on Popovich 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former NBA All-Star collaborated with assistants Will Hardy and Becky Hammon during the Spurs ' 104-103 comeback victory over the Hornets on Tuesday .
Popovich is expected to return for the Spurs ' next game against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night .
Duncan , 43 , won five NBA titles with San Antonio and will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later this year .
The Spurs entered Tuesday 's matchup against the Hornets with a 25-34 record , four games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Former San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan served as head coach during the team's game against the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night. Gregg Popovich missed the road game because of personal reasons. File Photo by Brian Kersey/UPI | License Photo
March 3 (UPI) -- Tim Duncan served as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs during Tuesday night's game against the Charlotte Hornets. Duncan, who spent his entire 19-year playing career with the Spurs, replaced Gregg Popovich, who missed the road contest against the Hornets because of personal business, the team announced before the game. Advertisement
Earlier this season, Duncan was named the acting head coach when Popovich was ejected during a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Nov. 16.
Duncan has been an assistant coach on Popovich's coaching staff since July 2019. The former NBA All-Star collaborated with assistants Will Hardy and Becky Hammon during the Spurs' 104-103 comeback victory over the Hornets on Tuesday.
Popovich is expected to return for the Spurs' next game against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night.
Gregg Popovich will miss tonight's Spurs-Hornets game due to personal business. Tim Duncan will serve as the Spurs head coach tonight in place of Pop. pic.twitter.com/pvZFshWuOs— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 3, 2020
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Duncan, 43, won five NBA titles with San Antonio and will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later this year.
The Spurs entered Tuesday's matchup against the Hornets with a 25-34 record, four games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.


upi--2020-03-03--Princeton students 'disappointed' with Marshawn Lynch as class speaker

March 3 ( UPI ) -- Princeton University students voiced their displeasure with the school 's announcement of NFL running back Marshawn Lynch as their senior Class Day speaker in June .
Princeton announced Lynch as the speaker last week , saying `` we wanted a Class Day speaker who unapologetically embodied and advocated for our own identities and values . ''
The announcement of Lynch as the speaker prompted senior students to call out the school 's Class Day co-chairs in an op-ed piece for the school newspaper .
`` Many of us were disappointed when we saw that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marshawn Lynch , mainly because we did not feel included in the process by which this speaker was nominated and finally selected , '' the op-ed read .
`` ... Saying that Lynch has 'unapologetically embodied and advocated for our own identities and values ' [ as stated in the University 's official Instagram post ] without actually consulting us , the Princeton community , is paradoxical and thus questionable .
`` We do not mean to criticize this choice of speaker in particular , but rather want to call attention to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The three Class Day co-chairs are students at Princeton .
`` Our goal was to invite a speaker who embodies the various experiences we have shared as a community during our Princeton tenure ; someone whose professional and personal passions speak to the service-focused and intellectually rigorous interests core to the university , '' the co-chairs said in a statement .
The former Seattle Seahawks star , nicknamed `` Beast Mode , '' is known throughout the league for his physical running style and his viral engagements with media members .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , students questioned Lynch 's previous interactions with the media during NFL press conferences .
`` Among articles that praised his NFL career and philanthropic contributions , we came across articles discussing Lynch 's reticence with the media and his terse responses at press conferences , '' the op-ed read .
`` In 2013 and 2014 , for example , Lynch was fined $ 50,000 and $ 100,000 for refusing to speak to the media .
`` During the 2015 Super Bowl media day , Lynch famously responded to multiple questions with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so I wo n't get fined . '
With no other frame of reference , such reports caused confusion over the set of criteria that led to his nomination . ''
The previous two Class Day speakers at the school have been actress Ellie Kemper , a Princeton alum , and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker .
Lynch , 33 , a native of Oakland and Cal alum , came out of retirement last season and returned to the Seahawks for the team 's playoff run .
The upcoming free-agent running back has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Buffalo Bills , Seahawks and then-Oakland Raiders .
Princeton 's Class Day is scheduled for June 1 , one day before commencement .

NFL running back Marshawn Lynch (R) has played 13 seasons in the league between the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks and the then-Oakland Raiders. File Photo by James Atoa/UPI | License Photo
March 3 (UPI) -- Princeton University students voiced their displeasure with the school's announcement of NFL running back Marshawn Lynch as their senior Class Day speaker in June. Princeton announced Lynch as the speaker last week, saying "we wanted a Class Day speaker who unapologetically embodied and advocated for our own identities and values." The announcement of Lynch as the speaker prompted senior students to call out the school's Class Day co-chairs in an op-ed piece for the school newspaper. Advertisement
"Many of us were disappointed when we saw that this year's speaker was to be Marshawn Lynch, mainly because we did not feel included in the process by which this speaker was nominated and finally selected," the op-ed read. "... Saying that Lynch has 'unapologetically embodied and advocated for our own identities and values' [as stated in the University's official Instagram post] without actually consulting us, the Princeton community, is paradoxical and thus questionable.
"We do not mean to criticize this choice of speaker in particular, but rather want to call attention to the opaque selection process for Class Day speakers."
The three Class Day co-chairs are students at Princeton.
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"Our goal was to invite a speaker who embodies the various experiences we have shared as a community during our Princeton tenure; someone whose professional and personal passions speak to the service-focused and intellectually rigorous interests core to the university," the co-chairs said in a statement.
The former Seattle Seahawks star, nicknamed "Beast Mode," is known throughout the league for his physical running style and his viral engagements with media members. In the op-ed piece that was published Friday, students questioned Lynch's previous interactions with the media during NFL press conferences.
"Among articles that praised his NFL career and philanthropic contributions, we came across articles discussing Lynch's reticence with the media and his terse responses at press conferences," the op-ed read. "In 2013 and 2014, for example, Lynch was fined $50,000 and $100,000 for refusing to speak to the media.
"During the 2015 Super Bowl media day, Lynch famously responded to multiple questions with variants of 'I'm just here so I won't get fined.' With no other frame of reference, such reports caused confusion over the set of criteria that led to his nomination."
The previous two Class Day speakers at the school have been actress Ellie Kemper, a Princeton alum, and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.
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Lynch, 33, a native of Oakland and Cal alum, came out of retirement last season and returned to the Seahawks for the team's playoff run. The upcoming free-agent running back has played 13 seasons in the league between the Buffalo Bills, Seahawks and then-Oakland Raiders.
Princeton's Class Day is scheduled for June 1, one day before commencement.


upi--2020-03-03--U.N. Atomic agency: Iran has tripled stockpile of enriched uranium

March 3 ( UPI ) -- Iran has nearly tripled its stockpile of enriched uranium since November , the United Nations ' nuclear watchdog said Thursday .
Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran had stockpiled more than 1,020 kilograms of low-enriched uranium as of Feb. 19 , up from 372 kilograms on Nov. 3 , and that it had increased the number of machines it was using to enrich uranium allowing for faster production of nuclear fuel .
The totals surpassed the limit of 202.8 kilograms allowed under a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backed out of in May 2018 .
The material was enriched has high as 4.5 percent purity , but more than half was below that level .
Iran has said it would only enrich beyond 5 percent if had some technical need for the material .
Analysts have said the increased stockpile and faster rate of enrichment has reduced the `` breakout time '' -- the period Iran would need to acquire a nuclear bomb from about one year when the accord took effect to just more than three months .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nuclear warhead and guidance system to be capable of mounting a nuclear missile strike .
The IAEA found no evidence that Iran was taking specific steps toward nuclear weapons production and Iran has said its nuclear program is in service of peaceful , civilian purposes .
A separate IAEA report stated that Iran has raised `` serious concern '' by refusing to allow inspectors to access two sites and rejecting its requests to take samples at the sites in order to see if they had been used to store nuclear material or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agency found unexplained traces of enriched uranium after taking samples at a site in Tehran and has since repeatedly observed activities `` consistent with efforts to sanitize '' the site .

The U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency reported Tuesday that Iran has tripled its stockpile of enriched uranium since November. File Photo by Iranian Presidency Office/EPA-EFE
March 3 (UPI) -- Iran has nearly tripled its stockpile of enriched uranium since November, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog said Thursday. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran had stockpiled more than 1,020 kilograms of low-enriched uranium as of Feb. 19, up from 372 kilograms on Nov. 3, and that it had increased the number of machines it was using to enrich uranium allowing for faster production of nuclear fuel. Advertisement
The totals surpassed the limit of 202.8 kilograms allowed under a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers, which the United States backed out of in May 2018.
The material was enriched has high as 4.5 percent purity, but more than half was below that level. Iran has said it would only enrich beyond 5 percent if had some technical need for the material.
Analysts have said the increased stockpile and faster rate of enrichment has reduced the "breakout time" -- the period Iran would need to acquire a nuclear bomb from about one year when the accord took effect to just more than three months.
In addition to stockpiling uranium, Iran would require a nuclear warhead and guidance system to be capable of mounting a nuclear missile strike.
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The IAEA found no evidence that Iran was taking specific steps toward nuclear weapons production and Iran has said its nuclear program is in service of peaceful, civilian purposes.
A separate IAEA report stated that Iran has raised "serious concern" by refusing to allow inspectors to access two sites and rejecting its requests to take samples at the sites in order to see if they had been used to store nuclear material or conduct other nuclear-related activities.
Last year the agency found unexplained traces of enriched uranium after taking samples at a site in Tehran and has since repeatedly observed activities "consistent with efforts to sanitize" the site.


upi--2020-03-04--House passes bill on COVID-19 funding as U.S. cases rise to 129

March 4 ( UPI ) -- Another Washington state resident has died from COVID-19 , and officials in California announced its first death from the virus , as Congress and public health agencies move to battle the growing outbreak .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday there are 129 cases of the coronavirus in the United States .
That includes 12 new cases in Washington state , where there are 39 confirmed patients .
The two new deaths bring the total to 11 in the United States .
The U.S. House voted 415-2 to pass a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency funding to fight the outbreak after days of intense negotiations .
Approval was expected in the Senate by the end of the week followed by prompt approval by President Donald Trump .
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby , R-Ala. , who negotiated the funding with House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey , D-N.Y. , said the measure will provide $ 7.76 billion to battle the coronavirus .
`` This should not be about politics ; this is about doing our job to protect the American people from a potential pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The funding was three times the $ 2.5 billion initially requested by the Trump administration .
The bill includes $ 7.4 billion in new discretionary spending for vaccine development , research , equipment and state and local health budgets amid the outbreak including more than $ 400 million to be sent to governments within 30 days with each state receiving no less than $ 4 million .
`` While we all ardently hope that this public health emergency does not worsen , House Democrats will not hesitate to act again if we must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Lowey said .
After a meeting at the White House with executives from the nation 's largest air carriers , Trump said air travel is safe for `` large portions of the world . ''
United Airlines on Wednesday said in an email to employees that it would cut flights in the United States and Canada by 10 percent and overseas flights by 20 percent in April , curtailing the flight schedule `` in a way that minimizes the impact on our employees and our operation , '' CNN reported .
Executives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other airlines briefed Trump and Pence on their procedures for ensuring aircraft are safe and disinfected for passengers to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
They urged the administration to reassure the public as ticket sales have slowed globally in recent weeks , and worried travelers have postponed or canceled trips over outbreak fears .
Several airlines have grounded flights to Hong Kong , Japan , Milan and other international destinations where the virus has sickened hundreds .
Administration officials also discussed procedures for properly disinfecting planes between flights , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with infected passengers can be found and monitored for treatment .
Trump and Vice President Mike Pence also reiterated their belief that earlier travel restrictions for foreign nationals arriving from China and State Department-issued travel warnings for areas of Italy and South Korea have limited the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States .
Additionally , the United States started screening all passengers arriving on direct flights from Italy and South Korea on Tuesday .
Meanwhile , several carriers -- including American , Delta and United -- have waived some ticket change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but they only apply to those purchasing tickets this month , and not for those who booked travel months ago for now-canceled vacations or conventions .
Pence on Wednesday said that it appears the elderly are most at risk from the virus and that all nursing home inspection resources usually used to identify abuse and neglect will be redirected exclusively to ensuring compliance with infection control standards .
Meanwhile , New York state officials confirmed 11 cases of COVID-19 after the friend of a 50-year-old man with the disease tested positive along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three children .
The 50-year-old man 's wife , two children and a neighbor tested positive earlier .
The 50-year-old , from New Rochelle in Westchester County , is the only one to require hospitalization for the illness , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said during a press briefing .
New York is one of 13 U.S. states with confirmed cases of the virus .
Cuomo said an initial review of the 50-year-old man 's travels does n't suggest any travel to China or other countries at the nexus of the outbreak , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of person-to-person transmission .
Although the man lived outside New York City , he worked as an attorney in Manhattan .
`` We will continue working closely with our state partners to ensure we are doing everything we can to keep New Yorkers safe , '' New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement .
The Westchester patient was first diagnosed at a hospital in the city earlier this week , as the city began conducting rapid testing locally , de Blasio said .
The man 's 20-year-old son , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is a student at Yeshiva University in Manhattan , and he had been symptomatic prior to his father 's hospitalization , officials said .
No details on the son 's condition were immediately available .
Yeshiva announced Wednesday it had canceled all in-person graduate courses on the campus and closed its all-boys ' high school .
De Blasio said two of the son 's contacts from the Yeshiva campus have been sent to Bellevue Hospital for testing .
Cuomo said about 300 students and faculty from several State University of New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studying abroad in high-risk countries will be recalled to New York and quarantined in dorms located throughout the state .

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A second Princess Cruises vessel has been asked to idle off the coast of California to test passengers for COVID019 after the Diamond Princess was quarantined off Japan in February. Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo
March 4 (UPI) -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday as a cruise ship was being held off the state's coast after a former passenger died from COVID-19 and others on board were suffering from symptoms. The declaration follows health officials saying a patient who died in Placer County on Wednesday from the coronavirus was a passenger of a Princess Cruises vessel that had made a round-trip voyage from San Francisco to Mexico from Feb. 11 to 21. Princess Cruises identified the victim in an email to UPI as a 71-year-old man. Advertisement
Newsom told reporters during a news conference that following the disembarkation of passengers in San Francisco, the cruise ship went on to Hawaii and was returning to California with 11 passengers and 10 crew among the thousands on board exhibiting symptoms of the virus.
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Princess Cruises said in a statement emailed to UPI that it has been notified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that the federal health agency was investigating "a small cluster of COVID-19 cases in northern California" among its former passengers.
All former passengers of the Mexico trip have been sent a message by the cruise company, the cruise line said.
It did not reveal how many passengers were on board the Grand Princess but said 62 of them had participated in the February cruise to Mexico.
"In an abundance of caution, these guests and other potential close crew contacts have been asked to remain in their staterooms until screened by our on-board medical team," Princess Cruises said.
The cruise line said fewer than 100 passengers on the vessel, including those who participated in the February trip to Mexico, have been identified for testing as they are either experiencing influenza-like symptoms or are receiving care for respiratory illness.
"To facilitate this testing, the U.S. Coast Guard will deliver sampling kits to the ship the morning of March 5 via helicopter," a statement from the cruise line read. "On-board medical team will administer the test, and the samples will be sent in batches by helicopter to a lab in Richmond, Calif., across the bay from San Francisco."
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No passengers will be permitted to leave the ship until all results have been received, it said, adding those who have been identified for testing must remain in their rooms.
Newsom told reporters that he's declaring a state of emergency not only because of the cruise ship but because the patient who died was one of 2,500 passengers who disembarked the ship in San Francisco on Feb. 21.
"We are working very closely with [CDC] and working closely with our healthcare partners up and down the state of California to contact all of the individuals from the manifest," he said, adding passengers who are not California residents are being tracked down.
California, he said, has 54 confirmed cases of the virus, including 24 people who were repatriated from either the coronavirus-riddled Diamond Princess cruise ship under quarantine in Japan or Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the global outbreak.
"The state of California is deploying every level of government to help identify cases and slow the spread of this coronavirus," Newsom said in a statement. "This emergency proclamation will help the state further prepare our communities and our healthcare system in the event it spreads more broadly."
California's first death to COVID-19 brings the death toll in the United States to 11 as Washington state recorded another death, its ninth since the outbreak began.
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Washington also reported 10 new confirmed cases of the virus, raising its total count to 31.
The CDC reported Wednesday there are 129 cases of the coronavirus in the United States.
Officials in King County, where many of Washington's deaths have occurred, are recommending people who are pregnant, the elderly and those with underlying health issues and weakened immune systems to avoid concert venues, conventions, sporting events and crowded social gatherings.
Emergency funding
Meanwhile, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 415-2 to pass a bill providing nearly $8 billion in emergency funding to fight the outbreak after days of intense negotiations. Approval was expected in the Senate by the end of the week followed by prompt approval by President Donald Trump.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., who negotiated the funding with House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., said the measure will provide $7.76 billion to battle the coronavirus.
"This should not be about politics; this is about doing our job to protect the American people from a potential pandemic," Shelby said in a statement.
The funding was three times the $2.5 billion initially requested by the Trump administration.
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The bill includes $7.4 billion in new discretionary spending for vaccine development, research, equipment and state and local health budgets amid the outbreak including more than $400 million to be sent to governments within 30 days with each state receiving no less than $4 million.
"While we all ardently hope that this public health emergency does not worsen, House Democrats will not hesitate to act again if we must augment this funding with more resources," Lowey said.
Air travel
After a meeting at the White House with executives from the nation's largest air carriers, Trump said air travel is safe for "large portions of the world."
United Airlines on Wednesday said in an email to employees that it would cut flights in the United States and Canada by 10 percent and overseas flights by 20 percent in April, curtailing the flight schedule "in a way that minimizes the impact on our employees and our operation," CNN reported.
Executives from American, United, Southwest and other airlines briefed Trump and Pence on their procedures for ensuring aircraft are safe and disinfected for passengers to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
They urged the administration to reassure the public as ticket sales have slowed globally in recent weeks, and worried travelers have postponed or canceled trips over outbreak fears. Several airlines have grounded flights to Hong Kong, Japan, Milan and other international destinations where the virus has sickened hundreds.
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Administration officials also discussed procedures for properly disinfecting planes between flights, as well as tracking passenger travel so that close contacts with infected passengers can be found and monitored for treatment.
Trump and Vice President Mike Pence also reiterated their belief that earlier travel restrictions for foreign nationals arriving from China and State Department-issued travel warnings for areas of Italy and South Korea have limited the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States. Additionally, the United States started screening all passengers arriving on direct flights from Italy and South Korea on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, several carriers -- including American, Delta and United -- have waived some ticket change fees in the aftermath of the outbreak, but they only apply to those purchasing tickets this month, and not for those who booked travel months ago for now-canceled vacations or conventions.
New York cases
Pence on Wednesday said that it appears the elderly are most at risk from the virus and that all nursing home inspection resources usually used to identify abuse and neglect will be redirected exclusively to ensuring compliance with infection control standards.
Meanwhile, New York state officials confirmed 11 cases of COVID-19 after the friend of a 50-year-old man with the disease tested positive along with the friend's wife and their three children. The 50-year-old man's wife, two children and a neighbor tested positive earlier.
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The 50-year-old, from New Rochelle in Westchester County, is the only one to require hospitalization for the illness, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a press briefing.
New York is one of 13 U.S. states with confirmed cases of the virus.
Cuomo said an initial review of the patient's travels doesn't suggest any travel to China or other countries at the nexus of the outbreak, so authorities are treating it as a case of person-to-person transmission. Although the man lived outside New York City, he worked as an attorney in Manhattan.
"We will continue working closely with our state partners to ensure we are doing everything we can to keep New Yorkers safe," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement.
The Westchester patient was first diagnosed at a hospital in the city earlier this week, as the city began conducting rapid testing locally, de Blasio said.
The man's 20-year-old son, who has also been diagnosed with COVID-19, is a student at Yeshiva University in Manhattan, and he had been symptomatic prior to his father's hospitalization, officials said. No details on the son's condition were immediately available.
Yeshiva announced Wednesday it had canceled all in-person graduate courses on the campus and closed its all-boys' high school. De Blasio said two of the son's contacts from the Yeshiva campus have been sent to Bellevue Hospital for testing.
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Cuomo said about 300 students and faculty from several State University of New York and City University of New York schools studying abroad in high-risk countries will be recalled to New York and quarantined in dorms located throughout the state.


upi--2020-03-04--Former Pro Bowl DL Muhammad Wilkerson facing DWI, drug charges

March 4 ( UPI ) -- Former Green Bay Packers and New York Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson was charged with driving while intoxicated , possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia , a New Jersey State Police spokesman confirmed Wednesday .
Wilkerson , 30 , was stopped for a traffic violation early Monday morning , police told ESPN and NFL Media .
According to police , he was accompanied by a 28-year-old male passenger , Jihad Ballard , who was also charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia .
Police did n't reveal the results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ESPN , Wilkerson was n't given a standardized field sobriety test .
Wilkerson and Ballard have been released pending a court date .
`` None of the allegations against my client are criminal in nature -- instead , all of the allegations are for traffic and disorderly offenses only , '' Wilkerson 's attorney , Joshua F. McMahon , Esq.
, said in a statement Wednesday .
`` Muhammad , like any other citizen , is innocent until proven guilty , appreciates people from the community withholding their judgement until all the facts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his day in court .
`` Until then , Mo is going to continue working incredibly hard to get back out on the playing field doing what he loves and is grateful for the support of NFL fans everywhere . ''
It marked Wilkerson 's second DWI arrest in less than a year .
He was taken into custody by New York police last June .
Wilkerson , a first-round selection by the Jets in the 2011 NFL Draft , earned Pro Bowl honors in the 2015 season and was named second-team All-Pro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a five-year , $ 86 million extension with the Jets in July 2016 , but his productivity on the field dropped and he was subsequently released in 2018 .
Wilkerson signed a one-year , $ 5 million contract with the Packers , but he appeared in only three games in 2018 due to injuries .
Wilkerson , who is currently a free agent , was n't on an NFL roster last season .

Former New York Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson (L) hasn't played in the NFL since the 2018 season. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
March 4 (UPI) -- Former Green Bay Packers and New York Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson was charged with driving while intoxicated, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, a New Jersey State Police spokesman confirmed Wednesday. Wilkerson, 30, was stopped for a traffic violation early Monday morning, police told ESPN and NFL Media. According to police, he was accompanied by a 28-year-old male passenger, Jihad Ballard, who was also charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Advertisement
Police didn't reveal the results of a blood-alcohol test. According to ESPN, Wilkerson wasn't given a standardized field sobriety test.
Wilkerson and Ballard have been released pending a court date.
"None of the allegations against my client are criminal in nature -- instead, all of the allegations are for traffic and disorderly offenses only," Wilkerson's attorney, Joshua F. McMahon, Esq., said in a statement Wednesday. "Muhammad, like any other citizen, is innocent until proven guilty, appreciates people from the community withholding their judgement until all the facts are revealed, and looks forward to his day in court.
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"Until then, Mo is going to continue working incredibly hard to get back out on the playing field doing what he loves and is grateful for the support of NFL fans everywhere."
It marked Wilkerson's second DWI arrest in less than a year. He was taken into custody by New York police last June.
Wilkerson, a first-round selection by the Jets in the 2011 NFL Draft, earned Pro Bowl honors in the 2015 season and was named second-team All-Pro in 2013 and 2015. He signed a five-year, $86 million extension with the Jets in July 2016, but his productivity on the field dropped and he was subsequently released in 2018.
Wilkerson signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Packers, but he appeared in only three games in 2018 due to injuries.
Wilkerson, who is currently a free agent, wasn't on an NFL roster last season.


upi--2020-03-04--Watch: Islanders' Johnny Boychuk receives 90 stitches after taking skate to face

March 4 ( UPI ) -- New York Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk needed 90 stitches to close a gash around his eyelid after being hit in the face by the skate of Montreal Canadiens forward Artturi Lehkonen .
Islanders team president and general manager Lou Lamoriello told reporters Wednesday that Boychuk suffered no damage to his eye .
The team did n't provide a timetable for his return .
`` Johnny Boychuk is OK .
There has been no damage to his eye , '' Lamoriello said .
`` Fortunately , it was just the eyelid that took 90 stitches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care of it .
`` I do n't want to exaggerate with the stitches because they do very small stitches , but there were 90 of them .
He 'll be fine .
It 's just a matter of time with the eye opening up and him feeling good . ''
Boychuk and Lehkonen were in front of the Islanders ' net when Lehkonen appeared to lose his balance and fell forward .
The fall caused his legs to kick backward , and his right skate connected with Boychuk 's face as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ice and covered his face with his gloves before skating off in visible pain .
In a tweet posted Wednesday , Boychuk thanked those who offered positive messages after the scary injury .
`` Thank you to everyone for the positive messages and thoughts !
I am extremely grateful , '' Boychuk wrote on Twitter .
`` Please know they did not go unheard .
Luckily for me the skate only cut my eyelid .
Sorry for the late response ... facial recognition was n't working ...
Thank you again my friends @ @

New York Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk (R) suffered a cut around his eyelid after being hit in the face by Montreal Canadiens forward Artturi Lehkonen on Tuesday night. File Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo
March 4 (UPI) -- New York Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk needed 90 stitches to close a gash around his eyelid after being hit in the face by the skate of Montreal Canadiens forward Artturi Lehkonen. Islanders team president and general manager Lou Lamoriello told reporters Wednesday that Boychuk suffered no damage to his eye. The team didn't provide a timetable for his return. Advertisement
"Johnny Boychuk is OK. There has been no damage to his eye," Lamoriello said. "Fortunately, it was just the eyelid that took 90 stitches to fix. A plastic surgeon took care of it.
"I don't want to exaggerate with the stitches because they do very small stitches, but there were 90 of them. He'll be fine. It's just a matter of time with the eye opening up and him feeling good."
Boychuk and Lehkonen were in front of the Islanders' net when Lehkonen appeared to lose his balance and fell forward. The fall caused his legs to kick backward, and his right skate connected with Boychuk's face as he looked downward.
Boychuk immediately crashed to the ice and covered his face with his gloves before skating off in visible pain.
Advertisement YIKES Isles' Johnny Boychuk took a skate blade to the face in last night's game vs. Montreal. GM Lou Lamoriello said it took 90 stitches to repair the eyelid https://t.co/izkFf5UzEh pic.twitter.com/GKc4vmMnzo— Hockey Night in Canada (@hockeynight) March 4, 2020
In a tweet posted Wednesday, Boychuk thanked those who offered positive messages after the scary injury.
"Thank you to everyone for the positive messages and thoughts! I am extremely grateful," Boychuk wrote on Twitter. "Please know they did not go unheard. Luckily for me the skate only cut my eyelid. Sorry for the late response...facial recognition wasn't working... Thank you again my friends."
Thank you to everyone for the positive messages and thoughts! I am extremely grateful. Please know they did not go unheard. Luckily for me the skate only cut my eyelid. Sorry for the late response...facial recognition wasn't working... thank you again my friends. Johnny B— Johnny Boychuk (@joboych) March 4, 2020
The Canadiens beat the Islanders 6-2 Tuesday night.


upi--2020-03-04--Watch: Phillies' Bryce Harper hacks two homers vs. Pirates

March 4 ( UPI ) -- Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper hit two home runs in a spring training win against the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday in Clearwater , Fla. Harper hit his first home run of spring training in the first inning on the 9-7 victory at Spectrum Field .
He returned to the plate for his second long ball in the fourth frame before being replaced in the top of the fifth inning .
`` I was just trying to have good at-bats and see pitches and jump on pitches when I could , '' Harper told reporters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ mound for Pittsburgh .
The right-handed pitcher began the bottom of the first inning by giving up a leadoff home run to Phillies catcher J.T .
Realmuto .
Noesi walked Scott Kingery before Harper stepped up to the plate .
Harper proceeded to smash a Noesi offering over the right field fence , giving the Phillies a 3-0 lead .
Harper grounded out in his next at-bat in the second inning .
The Pirates added two runs in the inning , while the Phillies scored once .
The Phillies increased their lead to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the third inning .
Harper returned to the plate in the fourth frame , with Nick Maton standing on third base .
He whacked one of Yacksel Rios ' pitches to the opposite field , clearing the left field fence and giving the Phillies a 7-3 edge .
The Pirates plated another run on a fifth-inning error .
Adam Frazier hit a solo homer in the sixth inning , cutting the Phillies ' lead to 7-5 .
The Pirates plated two more runs in the seventh inning before tying the score at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frame .
The Phillies responded with a two-run homer from Carlos De La Cruz in the bottom of the inning and held on to earn the win .
The Phillies used a split-squad lineup for Wednesday 's game .
The other half of the squad had a game Wednesday night against the New York Yankees in Tampa , Fla. Harper missed two weeks of spring training last year because he did n't sign his contract with the Phillies until late February .
The six-time All-Star hit .260 with 35 home runs and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season .
The Phillies host the Toronto Blue Jays at 1:05 p.m. EST Thursday in Clearwater .

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper hit .260 with 35 home runs and a career-high 114 RBIs in 157 games last season.. File Photo by Kevin Dietsh/UPI | License Photo
March 4 (UPI) -- Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper hit two home runs in a spring training win against the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday in Clearwater, Fla. Harper hit his first home run of spring training in the first inning on the 9-7 victory at Spectrum Field. He returned to the plate for his second long ball in the fourth frame before being replaced in the top of the fifth inning. Advertisement
"I was just trying to have good at-bats and see pitches and jump on pitches when I could," Harper told reporters.
Hector Noesi started the game on the mound for Pittsburgh. The right-handed pitcher began the bottom of the first inning by giving up a leadoff home run to Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto. Noesi walked Scott Kingery before Harper stepped up to the plate. Harper proceeded to smash a Noesi offering over the right field fence, giving the Phillies a 3-0 lead.
Harper grounded out in his next at-bat in the second inning. The Pirates added two runs in the inning, while the Phillies scored once. The Phillies increased their lead to 5-3 on a Neil Walker RBI single in the third inning.
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Harper returned to the plate in the fourth frame, with Nick Maton standing on third base. He whacked one of Yacksel Rios' pitches to the opposite field, clearing the left field fence and giving the Phillies a 7-3 edge.
The Pirates plated another run on a fifth-inning error. Adam Frazier hit a solo homer in the sixth inning, cutting the Phillies' lead to 7-5. The Pirates plated two more runs in the seventh inning before tying the score at 7-7 in the top of the eight frame. The Phillies responded with a two-run homer from Carlos De La Cruz in the bottom of the inning and held on to earn the win.
The Phillies used a split-squad lineup for Wednesday's game. The other half of the squad had a game Wednesday night against the New York Yankees in Tampa, Fla.
Harper missed two weeks of spring training last year because he didn't sign his contract with the Phillies until late February. The six-time All-Star hit .260 with 35 home runs and a career-high 114 RBIs in 157 games last season.
The Phillies host the Toronto Blue Jays at 1:05 p.m. EST Thursday in Clearwater.


upi--2020-03-04--Ukrainian Parliaments votes Denys Shmygal as new prime minister

March 4 ( UPI ) -- The Ukrainian Parliament selected Denys Shmygal to be the country 's new prime minister Wednesday after President Volodymyr Zelensky asked for and received the resignation of Oleksiy Honcharuk .
The president sought Honcharuk 's departure after the latter allegedly described Zelensky 's views on the country 's economy as `` primitive , '' Al Jazeera reported .
Honcharuk 's Cabinet 's disapproval ratings were above 50 percent at the time of his resignation , about six months on the job .
Shmygal said he 'll implement a list of `` strategic reforms '' over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's patience is running out , '' he told Parliament .
`` We need the reforms now . ''
Zelensky ran on an anti-corruption and economic reform platform .
He 's hoping the ouster of Honcharuk will be a boost to his administration .
His own approval ratings dropped below 50 percent in February .
`` This is the first government where this is no high-level corruption , '' Zelensky said before the Parliament voted to approve Honcharuk 's resignation .
`` But not stealing is not enough .
This is a government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not enough .
New brains and new hearts are needed . ''

Denys Shmygal speaks before lawmakers vote during an extraordinary session of Ukrainian Parliament to choose him as the new prime minister in Kiev on Wednesday. Photo by Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA-EFE
March 4 (UPI) -- The Ukrainian Parliament selected Denys Shmygal to be the country's new prime minister Wednesday after President Volodymyr Zelensky asked for and received the resignation of Oleksiy Honcharuk. The president sought Honcharuk's departure after the latter allegedly described Zelensky's views on the country's economy as "primitive," Al Jazeera reported. Honcharuk's Cabinet's disapproval ratings were above 50 percent at the time of his resignation, about six months on the job. Advertisement
Shmygal was Honcharuk's deputy prime minister.
Shmygal said he'll implement a list of "strategic reforms" over the next several years.
"People's patience is running out," he told Parliament. "We need the reforms now."
Zelensky ran on an anti-corruption and economic reform platform. He's hoping the ouster of Honcharuk will be a boost to his administration. His own approval ratings dropped below 50 percent in February.
"This is the first government where this is no high-level corruption," Zelensky said before the Parliament voted to approve Honcharuk's resignation. "But not stealing is not enough. This is a government of new faces, but faces are not enough. New brains and new hearts are needed."


upi--2020-03-04--Inspector general: FBI failed to correct issues identifying domestic terror threats

March 4 ( UPI ) -- The Justice Department 's inspector general on Wednesday released a report describing problems with the FBI 's handling of investigations into potential terrorists based in the United States .
In the report , Inspector General Michael Horowitz described multiple instances in which individuals who were identified by the FBI but had their cases dropped without further action went on to carry out terrorist attacks .
`` Since September 11 , 2001 , [ homegrown violent extremists ] have carried out over 20 attacks in the United States , some of which occurred after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the individual , '' the report said .
The Justice Department describes a homegrown violent extremist or HVE as an individual in the United States who has been radicalized in the country and is not working directly with a foreign terrorist organization .
The investigation cited at least six attacks committed in the United States by individuals who had been previously assessed or investigated by the FBI between 2009 and 2017 , including the attackers behind shootings in Fort Hood , Texas , in 2009 and Orlando 's Pulse night club in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marathon bombing .
An internal FBI document said the agency had a `` fundamentally complete understanding of the HVE threat at a national level '' and noted that it is extremely complex to determine whether individuals are planning to commit terrorist attacks or simply consuming terrorist propaganda .
After several of the attacks , the FBI conducted reviews into how they typically assess suspects who carry out those attacks but Horowitz said the FBI `` did not ensure that all field offices and headquarters implemented recommended improvements and subsequent policy requirements . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ review its assessment of potential threats in 2017 but found that nearly 40 percent of cases the FBI believed warranted further investigation went unaddressed for 18 months even after that time .
It also found that 31 percent of lone-actor terrorists have a documented history of mental illness but agents were restricted from opening actual federal investigations into individuals with identifiable mental health conditions , resulting in many not developing into terrorism cases .
`` The concerns of these agents suggest that the FBI should ensure that it has a comprehensive strategy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threats to public safety and to coordinate the sharing of such information to other assessment programs within the FBI and as importantly with external partners on the federal state and local level as permissible , '' Horowitz said .

March 4 (UPI) -- The Justice Department's inspector general on Wednesday released a report describing problems with the FBI's handling of investigations into potential terrorists based in the United States.
In the report, Inspector General Michael Horowitz described multiple instances in which individuals who were identified by the FBI but had their cases dropped without further action went on to carry out terrorist attacks.
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"Since September 11, 2001, [homegrown violent extremists] have carried out over 20 attacks in the United States, some of which occurred after the FBI closed a counterterrorism investigation or assessment on the individual," the report said.
The Justice Department describes a homegrown violent extremist or HVE as an individual in the United States who has been radicalized in the country and is not working directly with a foreign terrorist organization.
The investigation cited at least six attacks committed in the United States by individuals who had been previously assessed or investigated by the FBI between 2009 and 2017, including the attackers behind shootings in Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009 and Orlando's Pulse night club in 2016 as well as the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
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An internal FBI document said the agency had a "fundamentally complete understanding of the HVE threat at a national level" and noted that it is extremely complex to determine whether individuals are planning to commit terrorist attacks or simply consuming terrorist propaganda.
After several of the attacks, the FBI conducted reviews into how they typically assess suspects who carry out those attacks but Horowitz said the FBI "did not ensure that all field offices and headquarters implemented recommended improvements and subsequent policy requirements."
The report says the FBI sought to review its assessment of potential threats in 2017 but found that nearly 40 percent of cases the FBI believed warranted further investigation went unaddressed for 18 months even after that time.
It also found that 31 percent of lone-actor terrorists have a documented history of mental illness but agents were restricted from opening actual federal investigations into individuals with identifiable mental health conditions, resulting in many not developing into terrorism cases.
"The concerns of these agents suggest that the FBI should ensure that it has a comprehensive strategy to document the information it receives about non-terrorist threats to public safety and to coordinate the sharing of such information to other assessment programs within the FBI and as importantly with external partners on the federal state and local level as permissible," Horowitz said.


upi--2020-03-04--Checkout clerk's advice earns Maryland woman $100,000

March 4 ( UPI ) -- A Maryland woman said heeding a checkout clerk 's advice paid off when she scored a $ 100,000 lottery jackpot .
Tierra Parson , 37 , of Hagerstown , told Maryland Lottery officials she was making a snack stop at Sheetz in Hagerstown when she decided to buy a scratch-off lottery ticket .
Parson said she needed some help deciding which ticket to buy .
`` I asked the cashier what was a good game to play and she suggested the Rose Gold game because it was new , '' Parson recalled .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home that night and revealed a $ 100,000 top prize .
`` My family came running down the steps to see what was wrong , '' Parson said .
`` I screamed , ' I just won on a Lottery ticket . '
'' Parson said she went back to the store to thank the clerk for the advice .
`` I drove back up there , showed her the ticket and gave her $ 100 , '' she said .
`` If it was n't for her , I might have picked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the money will go toward paying off her credit card debt and saving for her children 's educations .

A Maryland woman said a scratch-off lottery ticket recommended by a checkout clerk earned her a $100,000 jackpot. Photo courtesy of the Maryland Lottery
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe March 4 (UPI) -- A Maryland woman said heeding a checkout clerk's advice paid off when she scored a $100,000 lottery jackpot. Tierra Parson, 37, of Hagerstown, told Maryland Lottery officials she was making a snack stop at Sheetz in Hagerstown when she decided to buy a scratch-off lottery ticket. Advertisement
Parson said she needed some help deciding which ticket to buy.
"I asked the cashier what was a good game to play and she suggested the Rose Gold game because it was new," Parson recalled.
She said she scratched the ticket off at home that night and revealed a $100,000 top prize.
"My family came running down the steps to see what was wrong," Parson said. "I screamed, 'I just won on a Lottery ticket.'"
Parson said she went back to the store to thank the clerk for the advice.
"I drove back up there, showed her the ticket and gave her $100," she said. "If it wasn't for her, I might have picked a different game."
Parson said the money will go toward paying off her credit card debt and saving for her children's educations.


upi--2020-03-04--Watch: Woman nearly stomped by moose in Colorado

March 4 ( UPI ) -- A Colorado woman captured video of another woman approaching a loose moose at the side of a road and nearly getting stomped by the animal .
Anna Stonehouse posted a video to Facebook that she said was filmed in late February at the side of a Breckenridge road .
The video shows people gathered to watch a nearby moose from a distance when a woman walks up to the moose and touches its body .
The moose turns on the woman and lifts its front legs off the ground , nearly trampling the woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I 'm the one who gasped in the video .
It was horrifying , '' Stonehouse told KDVR-TV .
`` I thought it was pretty shocking and everyone else around did too , '' Stonehouse said .
`` We all wanted to keep our distance and get away and let the moose do its thing .
To see someone act that way , it seemed very childish and inappropriate and ignorant . ''
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said the woman in the video has been identified and was issued a @ @ @ @ @ @

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March 4 (UPI) -- A Colorado woman captured video of another woman approaching a loose moose at the side of a road and nearly getting stomped by the animal.
Anna Stonehouse posted a video to Facebook that she said was filmed in late February at the side of a Breckenridge road.
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The video shows people gathered to watch a nearby moose from a distance when a woman walks up to the moose and touches its body.
The moose turns on the woman and lifts its front legs off the ground, nearly trampling the woman, who then flees from the animal.
"I'm the one who gasped in the video. It was horrifying," Stonehouse told KDVR-TV.
"I thought it was pretty shocking and everyone else around did too," Stonehouse said. "We all wanted to keep our distance and get away and let the moose do its thing. To see someone act that way, it seemed very childish and inappropriate and ignorant."
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said the woman in the video has been identified and was issued a citation for harassment of wildlife.


upi--2020-03-04--Dow has second-best day in history after Joe Biden wins

March 4 ( UPI ) -- The Dow Jones Industrial Average had its second-largest gain in history Wednesday as the markets rallied after recovering from last week 's coronavirus scare .
The Dow gained 1,173 points , or 4 percent , closing at 27,090 .
The Nasdaq Composite was up 3.85 percent at 9,018 and the S & P 500 was up 4.22 percent at 3,130 .
Experts attributed the rally to former Vice President Joe Biden 's Super Tuesday wins in 10 states .
Final vote tallies are n't official , but Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , D-Mass.
, won none .
Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg dropped out of the race Wednesday after a poor showing the night before .
Investors believe Biden is more friendly to the markets compared to Sanders and Warren .
`` Investors fear Bernie because he wants to cut off the head of capitalism by raising taxes significantly on the rich and using the funds to provide free everything to everybody else , '' Ed Yardeni , president and chief investment strategist at Yardeni Research , said , according to CNBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedom , according to Bernie .
No wonder investors are reacting to him as though he is going to infect us all with the virus of socialism . ''
The Dow had its worst week since the 2008 financial crisis last week amid fears of a growing COVID-19 outbreak .
It dropped more than 12 percent for the week .

Traders work on the the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at the opening bell on Wall Street in New York City on Tuesday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
March 4 (UPI) -- The Dow Jones Industrial Average had its second-largest gain in history Wednesday as the markets rallied after recovering from last week's coronavirus scare. The Dow gained 1,173 points, or 4 percent, closing at 27,090. The Nasdaq Composite was up 3.85 percent at 9,018 and the S&P 500 was up 4.22 percent at 3,130. Advertisement
Experts attributed the rally to former Vice President Joe Biden's Super Tuesday wins in 10 states. Final vote tallies aren't official, but Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., won 14 states, while Sen. Elizabeth Sanders, D-Mass., won none. Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg dropped out of the race Wednesday after a poor showing the night before.
Investors believe Biden is more friendly to the markets compared to Sanders and Warren.
"Investors fear Bernie because he wants to cut off the head of capitalism by raising taxes significantly on the rich and using the funds to provide free everything to everybody else," Ed Yardeni, president and chief investment strategist at Yardeni Research, said, according to CNBC.
"Getting everything for free trumps freedom, according to Bernie. No wonder investors are reacting to him as though he is going to infect us all with the virus of socialism."
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The Dow had its worst week since the 2008 financial crisis last week amid fears of a growing COVID-19 outbreak. It dropped more than 12 percent for the week.


upi--2020-03-04--Man brings tux-wearing llama to sister's wedding

March 4 ( UPI ) -- An Ohio man made his sister into a viral star when he made good on a 5-year-old threat to bring a tuxedo-clad llama as his plus-one to her wedding .
Mendl Weinstock , 21 , said he was on a road trip with his older sister , Riva , and some friends about five years ago when his then-single sibling started speculating about the details of her eventual wedding .
`` I said , 'If you make me come to this wedding , I 'm going to bring a llama with me , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just the first thing that popped into my head . ''
Riva Weinstock became engaged in October and shortly after the phone call where she told her brother about the news , she received a text message confirmation that Mendl had booked a llama rental .
`` When my brother puts his mind to something , he gets it done .
So at some point I had to accept it and decide that it was easier to get in on the joke than to fight it , '' she said .
Mendl Weinstock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resulting scene -- a tuxedo-clad llama standing next to his unamused sister in her bridal gown .
The bride said she is planning retribution , possibly at her brother 's upcoming college graduation .
`` I 've definitely started planning my revenge , '' she said .
`` He should sleep with one eye open . ''

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March 4 (UPI) -- An Ohio man made his sister into a viral star when he made good on a 5-year-old threat to bring a tuxedo-clad llama as his plus-one to her wedding.
Mendl Weinstock, 21, said he was on a road trip with his older sister, Riva, and some friends about five years ago when his then-single sibling started speculating about the details of her eventual wedding.
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"I said, 'If you make me come to this wedding, I'm going to bring a llama with me," he told CNN. "It was just the first thing that popped into my head."
Riva Weinstock became engaged in October and shortly after the phone call where she told her brother about the news, she received a text message confirmation that Mendl had booked a llama rental.
"When my brother puts his mind to something, he gets it done. So at some point I had to accept it and decide that it was easier to get in on the joke than to fight it," she said.
Mendl Weinstock posted a photo to Reddit of the resulting scene -- a tuxedo-clad llama standing next to his unamused sister in her bridal gown.
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The bride said she is planning retribution, possibly at her brother's upcoming college graduation.
"I've definitely started planning my revenge," she said. "He should sleep with one eye open."


upi--2020-03-04--Farming encouraged cooperation and violence among early humans

March 4 ( UPI ) -- As hunter-gatherers settled down and took to farming the land , groups of people began gathering in larger numbers and cooperating .
But new research suggests the adoption of agriculture encouraged violence between humans populations , too .
`` We were interested in understanding why people would make the shift from hunting and gathering to farming , '' Elic Weitzel , doctoral student in anthropology at the University of Connecticut , said in a news release .
`` Then I started to get interested in what happened in society after they made that shift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Weitzel and his colleagues used `` ideal free distribution '' to simulate the distribution of farmers in in eastern North America between 7,500 and 5,000 years ago , as well as to locate the most coveted land -- the acreage with the most food , water , raw materials and shelter .
Scientists graded different land parcels with a `` net primary productivity '' score .
The most productive pieces of land tended to host the largest concentration of people , and thus , host the greatest amount of conflict and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a suitable area , you can lay claim and keep others from accessing what you have , '' Weitzel said .
`` That becomes a cooperative process , because one person is not as effective as a whole group is at defending a territory . ''
But scientists also found evidence of the so-called Allee 's Principle , which posits increases in individual fitness boost the density of the population through cooperation .
`` The transition from a hunting and gathering society to an agricultural society is dependent on collaboration , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Troy University .
`` The development of agriculture appears to only have happened in nine places around the world so Eastern North America is a unique part of the world to study .
Agriculture was one of the most consequential transitions that happened in the past .
It changed our whole economic situation . ''
The concentration of valuable resources could only be accessed via cooperation and coordinated protection , but coveted land and resources also inspired jealousy and violence .
`` When a resource like domesticated crops is dense and predictable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would be defendable , '' Weitzel said .
`` Other groups may want access to your crop in case their crop failed , for example .
There is cooperation and there are aspects of competition .
Harvesting and defending . ''
During the time period studied , scientists identified archaeological evidence of larger , more dense population centers , a sign of growing levels of cooperation among groups of humans .
But researchers also found evidence of increased violence and trophy taking in the archaeological record .
`` Of course there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trophy-taking is a different type of violence , '' Weitzel said .
`` The victor removes a part of the loser as a signal they won .
They took scalps , hands , feet , heads -- that first evidence appears to have happened at the same time as plant management . ''
Scientists were also able to see patterns predicted by Allee 's Principle playing out in the archaeological record .
As concentrations of humans grew , the land 's suitability declined and groups began to disperse once more .
A decline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dispersal .
Researchers suggest their findings -- published this week in the journal Environmental Archaeology -- could be used to better understand the effects of modern pressures , like climate change and economic inequality , on human behavior .
`` This is one of the ways archaeology is relevant to contemporary and future society , '' Weitzel said .
`` The modeling of human behaviors in society and our relationships can help us overcome current collective action problems .
We are all better off if we cooperate . ''

Farming brought people together in larger concentrations, encouraging cooperation -- but also violence. Photo by Pexels from Pixabay
March 4 (UPI) -- As hunter-gatherers settled down and took to farming the land, groups of people began gathering in larger numbers and cooperating. But new research suggests the adoption of agriculture encouraged violence between humans populations, too. "We were interested in understanding why people would make the shift from hunting and gathering to farming," Elic Weitzel, doctoral student in anthropology at the University of Connecticut, said in a news release. "Then I started to get interested in what happened in society after they made that shift and started farming on a larger scale." Advertisement
Weitzel and his colleagues used "ideal free distribution" to simulate the distribution of farmers in in eastern North America between 7,500 and 5,000 years ago, as well as to locate the most coveted land -- the acreage with the most food, water, raw materials and shelter.
Scientists graded different land parcels with a "net primary productivity" score. The most productive pieces of land tended to host the largest concentration of people, and thus, host the greatest amount of conflict and violence.
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"If you are living in a suitable area, you can lay claim and keep others from accessing what you have," Weitzel said. "That becomes a cooperative process, because one person is not as effective as a whole group is at defending a territory."
But scientists also found evidence of the so-called Allee's Principle, which posits increases in individual fitness boost the density of the population through cooperation.
"The transition from a hunting and gathering society to an agricultural society is dependent on collaboration," said co-author Stephen Carmody, an anthropologist at Troy University. "The development of agriculture appears to only have happened in nine places around the world so Eastern North America is a unique part of the world to study. Agriculture was one of the most consequential transitions that happened in the past. It changed our whole economic situation."
The concentration of valuable resources could only be accessed via cooperation and coordinated protection, but coveted land and resources also inspired jealousy and violence.
"When a resource like domesticated crops is dense and predictable, that is when we expect that it would be defendable," Weitzel said. "Other groups may want access to your crop in case their crop failed, for example. There is cooperation and there are aspects of competition. Harvesting and defending."
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During the time period studied, scientists identified archaeological evidence of larger, more dense population centers, a sign of growing levels of cooperation among groups of humans. But researchers also found evidence of increased violence and trophy taking in the archaeological record.
"Of course there are signs of violence throughout history, but trophy-taking is a different type of violence," Weitzel said. "The victor removes a part of the loser as a signal they won. They took scalps, hands, feet, heads -- that first evidence appears to have happened at the same time as plant management."
Scientists were also able to see patterns predicted by Allee's Principle playing out in the archaeological record. As concentrations of humans grew, the land's suitability declined and groups began to disperse once more. A decline in trophy-taking violence declined during the period of dispersal.
Researchers suggest their findings -- published this week in the journal Environmental Archaeology -- could be used to better understand the effects of modern pressures, like climate change and economic inequality, on human behavior.
"This is one of the ways archaeology is relevant to contemporary and future society," Weitzel said. "The modeling of human behaviors in society and our relationships can help us overcome current collective action problems. We are all better off if we cooperate."


upi--2020-03-04--U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in Louisiana abortion case

WASHINGTON , March 4 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a highly anticipated case that could restrict access to abortions by requiring doctors who perform them to be able to admit patients at nearby hospitals .
The case , June Medical Services LLC vs. Russo , centers around a Louisiana law mandating that abortion service providers have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion facility .
Julie Rikelman , a lawyer with the Center for Reproductive Rights who argued before the court on behalf of June Medical Services , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effectively force abortion clinics to close , placing an undue burden on patients .
If the law is upheld , just one doctor at one clinic would be responsible for the about 10,000 Louisiana women seeking abortion services each year , Rikelman argued .
Defending the Louisiana legislation , Elizabeth Murrill said admitting privileges served as a basic health screening critical for the protection of women 's health .
`` Louisiana 's decision to require abortion providers to have admitting privileges was justified by abundant evidence of life-threatening health and safety violations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor repeatedly challenged the specific requirements around the hospital providing the admitting privileges .
Ginsburg said including a distance between the hospital and the clinic was unnecessary .
Most patients never have complications , but when they do , they 've typically left the clinic to go to the hospital closest to their home , Ginsburg said .
`` Her home has no necessary relationship to 30 miles from a clinic , '' Ginsburg concluded .
Murrill and Principal Deputy Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall argued that the 30-mile provision is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitting privileges and would serve to maintain continuity of medical care .
The law was first challenged when doctors sued the state in 2014 .
Two years later , in Whole Woman 's Health vs. Hellerstedt , the Supreme Court struck down a Texas admitting privileges law on the basis of the undue burden the law placed on abortion seekers .
The Louisiana case was brought before the Supreme Court after the 5th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law .
Rikelman said Whole Woman 's Health vs. Hellerstedt sets a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this case .
`` This case is about respect for the court 's precedent , '' Rikelman said .
`` The Louisiana law at issue here , Act 620 , is identical to the Texas law and was expressly modeled on it . ''
Murrill contended that the case should not be compared to the Texas decision .
`` The law was different , the facts are different .
The regulatory structure is different .
And the record is different , '' she said .
`` And all of those things dictated a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday also considered whether June Medical Services has a close enough relationship to the issue to be able to bring it before the court .
Generally , third-party standing is not allowed unless the party has a close relationship with the affected people .
Rikelman argued that the admitting privileges `` directly regulated '' the clinic , but Wall said it may have a conflict of interest .
`` Their interests are not necessarily aligned , '' Wall said .
`` One is the interest of for-profit providers and not being regulated in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest of women in their own health and safety . ''

June Medical Services vs. Russo, now before the U.S. Supreme Court, centers around a Louisiana law mandating that abortion service providers have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion facility. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
WASHINGTON, March 4 (UPI) -- The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a highly anticipated case that could restrict access to abortions by requiring doctors who perform them to be able to admit patients at nearby hospitals. The case, June Medical Services LLC vs. Russo, centers around a Louisiana law mandating that abortion service providers have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion facility. Advertisement
Julie Rikelman, a lawyer with the Center for Reproductive Rights who argued before the court on behalf of June Medical Services, said requiring doctors to have admitting privileges would effectively force abortion clinics to close, placing an undue burden on patients.
If the law is upheld, just one doctor at one clinic would be responsible for the about 10,000 Louisiana women seeking abortion services each year, Rikelman argued.
Defending the Louisiana legislation, Elizabeth Murrill said admitting privileges served as a basic health screening critical for the protection of women's health.
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"Louisiana's decision to require abortion providers to have admitting privileges was justified by abundant evidence of life-threatening health and safety violations," Murrill said.
Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor repeatedly challenged the specific requirements around the hospital providing the admitting privileges. Ginsburg said including a distance between the hospital and the clinic was unnecessary.
Most patients never have complications, but when they do, they've typically left the clinic to go to the hospital closest to their home, Ginsburg said.
"Her home has no necessary relationship to 30 miles from a clinic," Ginsburg concluded.
Murrill and Principal Deputy Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall argued that the 30-mile provision is consistent with the Louisiana regulatory structure of admitting privileges and would serve to maintain continuity of medical care.
The law was first challenged when doctors sued the state in 2014. Two years later, in Whole Woman's Health vs. Hellerstedt, the Supreme Court struck down a Texas admitting privileges law on the basis of the undue burden the law placed on abortion seekers.
The Louisiana case was brought before the Supreme Court after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law.
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Rikelman said Whole Woman's Health vs. Hellerstedt sets a precedent that should not be undone in this case.
"This case is about respect for the court's precedent," Rikelman said. "The Louisiana law at issue here, Act 620, is identical to the Texas law and was expressly modeled on it."
Murrill contended that the case should not be compared to the Texas decision.
"The law was different, the facts are different. The regulatory structure is different. And the record is different," she said. "And all of those things dictated a different result."
The case argued Wednesday also considered whether June Medical Services has a close enough relationship to the issue to be able to bring it before the court. Generally, third-party standing is not allowed unless the party has a close relationship with the affected people. Rikelman argued that the admitting privileges "directly regulated" the clinic, but Wall said it may have a conflict of interest.
"Their interests are not necessarily aligned," Wall said. "One is the interest of for-profit providers and not being regulated in particular ways. The other is the interest of women in their own health and safety."


upi--2020-03-04--Gastric bypass improves weight loss, type 2 diabetes, study finds

March 4 ( UPI ) -- People who are both severely obese and have type 2 diabetes may benefit from weight loss surgery , a new analysis suggests .
In findings published Wednesday in JAMA Surgery , researchers report that those with both conditions -- which carry significant long-term health implications -- saw improvement in their type 2 diabetes symptoms after undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy , the two most commonly performed weight-loss procedures .
In general , people who had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass experienced greater weight loss , slightly higher type 2 diabetes remission rates and better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sleeve gastrectomy , the study found .
`` Overall , we found that in this very large group of adults with severe obesity and type 2 diabetes , the two most common bariatric surgical procedures led to substantial improvements in type 2 diabetes , '' co-author Kathleen M. McTigue , an associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center , told UPI .
`` Since type 2 diabetes can lead to bad health outcomes , bariatric surgery is something that patients like those in our study should consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manage their health . ''
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , more than 34 million Americans have type 2 diabetes .
And , as UPI reported on February 27 , more than 40 percent of U.S. adults are obese or severely obese , which is defined as body mass index over 30 .
Health experts believe there is significant overlap between the two conditions .
For their study , McTigue and her colleagues enrolled more than 9,700 people from 34 U.S. hospitals in the National Patient-Centered Clinical Research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for roughly three years , on average .
The mean age of study participants was approximately 50 years .
Weight loss at one year was more than 6 percent higher in people who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass compared to those who had sleeve gastrectomy , and rates of type 2 diabetes remission -- meaning healthy blood sugar levels without the need for medication -- were also 10 percent higher in this group .
In all , more than 59 percent of those who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass experienced remission one year after surgery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sleeve gastrectomy .
Five years after surgery , 86 percent of the study participants who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass had remission , compared 84 percent of those who had sleeve gastrectomy .
In all , among 6,141 patients who experienced remission , the subsequent type 2 diabetes relapse rate was lower for those who had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass than those who had sleeve gastrectomy -- 8.4 percent versus 11 percent at one year after surgery and 33 percent versus 42 percent at five years after surgery .
In addition , at five years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gastric bypass saw greater reductions -- more than 1 percent versus less than 0.9 percent -- in hemoglobin A1c compared to those who had sleeve gastrectomy .
`` For patients who are choosing between sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass , it 's important to note that the rates of diabetes remission were similar for these two procedures , '' McTigue said .
People with more advanced diabetes at the time of surgery -- such as older people , those using insulin , those using more complex type 2 diabetes medication regimens or those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may see larger improvements in their condition with gastric bypass than with sleeve gastrectomy , she said .
`` Of course , patients ' personal values , history with lifestyle approaches , and likelihood of adverse surgical outcomes should also be considered as patients and physicians consider the best way for a given adult to address type 2 diabetes , when it co-occurs with severe obesity , '' McTigue said .
`` Maintaining healthy eating and physical activity patterns and managing body weight are important considerations for all patients who have diabetes -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important following bariatric surgery . ''

Weight loss surgery can improve type 2 diabetes in those who are obese, a new study shows. File Photo by peter-facebook /Pixabay
March 4 (UPI) -- People who are both severely obese and have type 2 diabetes may benefit from weight loss surgery, a new analysis suggests. In findings published Wednesday in JAMA Surgery, researchers report that those with both conditions -- which carry significant long-term health implications -- saw improvement in their type 2 diabetes symptoms after undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy, the two most commonly performed weight-loss procedures. Advertisement
In general, people who had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass experienced greater weight loss, slightly higher type 2 diabetes remission rates and better long-term blood-sugar control than those who had sleeve gastrectomy, the study found.
"Overall, we found that in this very large group of adults with severe obesity and type 2 diabetes, the two most common bariatric surgical procedures led to substantial improvements in type 2 diabetes," co-author Kathleen M. McTigue, an associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, told UPI. "Since type 2 diabetes can lead to bad health outcomes, bariatric surgery is something that patients like those in our study should consider when they are thinking about how to manage their health."
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According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 34 million Americans have type 2 diabetes. And, as UPI reported on February 27, more than 40 percent of U.S. adults are obese or severely obese, which is defined as body mass index over 30.
Health experts believe there is significant overlap between the two conditions.
For their study, McTigue and her colleagues enrolled more than 9,700 people from 34 U.S. hospitals in the National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network Bariatric Study and followed their health for roughly three years, on average. The mean age of study participants was approximately 50 years.
Weight loss at one year was more than 6 percent higher in people who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass compared to those who had sleeve gastrectomy, and rates of type 2 diabetes remission -- meaning healthy blood sugar levels without the need for medication -- were also 10 percent higher in this group.
In all, more than 59 percent of those who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass experienced remission one year after surgery, compared to 55 percent who had sleeve gastrectomy.
Five years after surgery, 86 percent of the study participants who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass had remission, compared 84 percent of those who had sleeve gastrectomy.
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In all, among 6,141 patients who experienced remission, the subsequent type 2 diabetes relapse rate was lower for those who had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass than those who had sleeve gastrectomy -- 8.4 percent versus 11 percent at one year after surgery and 33 percent versus 42 percent at five years after surgery.
In addition, at five years after surgery, those who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass saw greater reductions -- more than 1 percent versus less than 0.9 percent -- in hemoglobin A1c compared to those who had sleeve gastrectomy.
"For patients who are choosing between sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass, it's important to note that the rates of diabetes remission were similar for these two procedures," McTigue said.
People with more advanced diabetes at the time of surgery -- such as older people, those using insulin, those using more complex type 2 diabetes medication regimens or those with poor control of blood sugar -- may see larger improvements in their condition with gastric bypass than with sleeve gastrectomy, she said.
"Of course, patients' personal values, history with lifestyle approaches, and likelihood of adverse surgical outcomes should also be considered as patients and physicians consider the best way for a given adult to address type 2 diabetes, when it co-occurs with severe obesity," McTigue said. "Maintaining healthy eating and physical activity patterns and managing body weight are important considerations for all patients who have diabetes -- and developing and maintaining healthy lifestyles remains important following bariatric surgery."


upi--2020-03-04--OSHA fines Nebraska grain storage firm $230K in employee death

EVANSVILLE , Ind.
, March 4 ( UPI ) -- A Nebraska grain storage company faces nearly $ 230,000 in penalties related to the death of one of its employees in a grain elevator in September .
The Department of Labor cited Interstate Commodities for `` grain handling violations '' that resulted in the death of Zane Fecht at the company 's Fremont , Neb.
, facility .
The company also was placed in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration 's severe violator enforcement program .
The program `` is intended to focus enforcement efforts on recalcitrant employers who demonstrate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their employees through willful , repeated , or failure-to-abate violations relating to significant hazards , '' according to OSHA .
Fecht , 32 , entered a concrete grain elevator Sept. 22 to `` break up the crust on the grain , when he reportedly fell through the crust , and had not emerged from the grain elevator , '' according to Dodge County Sheriff 's Office , which responded to the call .
Fecht was not wearing a harness or a lifeline , which OSHA requires at such facilities .
`` Grain industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and provide them with appropriate rescue equipment prior to entering a grain bin , '' Matt Thurlby , the OSHA Omaha area director , said in a statement .
`` Tragedies such as this can be prevented when safety procedures and hazard control measures are implemented , '' Thurlby said .
Interstate Commodities , whose headquarters is in Troy , N.Y. , did not respond to calls for comment .
According to the Department of Labor , the company requested an informal conference with OSHA , which will be held March 17 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company to discuss OSHA 's findings with the OSHA area director and present information that may change the severity of the citations or penalties , '' Scott Allen , a spokesman for the Department of Labor , said in an email .
`` If OSHA and the company do not come to an agreement , then the company can choose to contest the citation , '' Allen said .
Dozens of farmers , farmworkers and grain elevator employees die in grain bins every year .
Most such accidents occur on small farms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same safety regulations as larger commercial facilities .

Zane Fetch, 32, entered a concrete grain elevator like the one pictured in September to break up a crust, fell through that crust, was engulfed in grain and died. Photo courtesy of Pixabay
EVANSVILLE, Ind., March 4 (UPI) -- A Nebraska grain storage company faces nearly $230,000 in penalties related to the death of one of its employees in a grain elevator in September. The Department of Labor cited Interstate Commodities for "grain handling violations" that resulted in the death of Zane Fecht at the company's Fremont, Neb., facility. Advertisement
The company also was placed in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's severe violator enforcement program.
The program "is intended to focus enforcement efforts on recalcitrant employers who demonstrate indifference to the health and safety of their employees through willful, repeated, or failure-to-abate violations relating to significant hazards," according to OSHA.
Fecht, 32, entered a concrete grain elevator Sept. 22 to "break up the crust on the grain, when he reportedly fell through the crust, and had not emerged from the grain elevator," according to Dodge County Sheriff's Office, which responded to the call.
Fecht was not wearing a harness or a lifeline, which OSHA requires at such facilities.
"Grain industry employers are legally required to train workers, and provide them with appropriate rescue equipment prior to entering a grain bin," Matt Thurlby, the OSHA Omaha area director, said in a statement.
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"Tragedies such as this can be prevented when safety procedures and hazard control measures are implemented," Thurlby said.
Interstate Commodities, whose headquarters is in Troy, N.Y., did not respond to calls for comment. According to the Department of Labor, the company requested an informal conference with OSHA, which will be held March 17.
"It's an opportunity for the company to discuss OSHA's findings with the OSHA area director and present information that may change the severity of the citations or penalties," Scott Allen, a spokesman for the Department of Labor, said in an email.
"If OSHA and the company do not come to an agreement, then the company can choose to contest the citation," Allen said.
Dozens of farmers, farmworkers and grain elevator employees die in grain bins every year. Most such accidents occur on small farms, which are not required to follow the same safety regulations as larger commercial facilities.