upi--2020-02-07--USS Little Rock departs on maiden voyage to Central America

Feb. 6 ( UPI ) -- The USS Little Rock , also known as Littoral Combat Ship 9 , departed Mayport , Fla. , Thursday for the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility for its maiden voyage .
The Freedom-variant ship will operate in support of Campaign Martillo , launched in 2012 , which targets illicit trafficking routes in coastal waters along Central America , the Navy said .
This deployment will be the third to the region and the third to include a Freedom-variant LCS , with previous deployments taking place in 2010 and 2019 .
`` I expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work together with regional partners throughout Southern Command [ AOR ] , '' Cmdr .
Brad Long , USS Little Rock Gold Crew 's commanding officer , said .
`` We hope to advance and strengthen these partnerships to enhance the security in that region . ''
Littoral combat ships are designed to operate close to shore for patrol , interdiction , mine-countermeasures , undersea warfare operations and other missions .
Freedom-class littoral combat ships , which are built by Lockheed Martin , have a top speed range of more than 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of light weapon systems , short-range missiles and anti-submarine torpedoes .
Little Rock will be manned by a crew of more than 90 sailors , including surface warfare personnel , a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment and an aviation detachment , who will operate a MH-60 helicopter and a MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff Unmanned Vehicles .
The USS Little Rock was commissioned in December 2017 in Buffalo , N.Y. , with plans to return to its home port shortly after , but was delayed by inclement weather .

The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Little Rock departs Mayport, Fla. for the ship's maiden deployment Thursday. The Little Rock deployment will be the third deployment of a littoral combat ship in support of Joint Interagency Task Force South's Campaign MARTILLO. Photo by Devin Bowser/U.S. Navy
Feb. 6 (UPI) -- The USS Little Rock, also known as Littoral Combat Ship 9, departed Mayport, Fla., Thursday for the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility for its maiden voyage. The Freedom-variant ship will operate in support of Campaign Martillo, launched in 2012, which targets illicit trafficking routes in coastal waters along Central America, the Navy said. Advertisement
This deployment will be the third to the region and the third to include a Freedom-variant LCS, with previous deployments taking place in 2010 and 2019.
"I expect this deployment to offer a great opportunity to work together with regional partners throughout Southern Command [AOR]," Cmdr. Brad Long, USS Little Rock Gold Crew's commanding officer, said. "We hope to advance and strengthen these partnerships to enhance the security in that region."
Littoral combat ships are designed to operate close to shore for patrol, interdiction, mine-countermeasures, undersea warfare operations and other missions.
Freedom-class littoral combat ships, which are built by Lockheed Martin, have a top speed range of more than 40 miles per hour and carry a variety of light weapon systems, short-range missiles and anti-submarine torpedoes.
Little Rock will be manned by a crew of more than 90 sailors, including surface warfare personnel, a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment and an aviation detachment, who will operate a MH-60 helicopter and a MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff Unmanned Vehicles.
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The USS Little Rock was commissioned in December 2017 in Buffalo, N.Y., with plans to return to its home port shortly after, but was delayed by inclement weather.


upi--2020-02-07--Irish PM Varadkar's job in jeopardy as Sinn Fein surges in national polls

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- The job of Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar appeared in jeopardy as polls indicated his Fine Gael party was slumping and nationalists Sinn Fein were surging ahead of Saturday 's national election .
The 41-year-old Varadkar has been prime minister -- or Taoiseach -- since 2017 , when he took over from Enda Kenny as leader of the center-right Fine Gael .
His minority government has operated through a `` confidence-and-supply '' agreement with arch-rival party Fianna Fail , through which it is supplied the necessary votes to pass measures on an issue-by-basis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past two years has been Brexit -- both parties bitterly opposed any attempts to set up a hard border between Northern Ireland and European Union member Ireland as Britain exited the EU .
Vardakar , however , was forced to call for elections in December when relations began to fray with FIanna Fail leader Micheal Martin and several independent lawmakers needed for a majority in the Dail Éireann -- the lower house of the Irish Parliament .
The latest polls showed both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail faltering at the expense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mary Lou McDonald , who was threatening to upend a duopoly of power shared by the two centrist parties since the Republic of Ireland 's founding .
An Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll published this week showed Sinn Fein leading with 25 percent , followed by FIanna Fail at 23 percent and Fine Gael at 20 percent .
Sinn Fein is running only 42 candidates nationwide for the 160-seat Dail , leaving it unable to form a majority government on its own .
However , if the poll results hold up , McDonald would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even though the two establishment parties have ruled out forming a coalition government with Sinn Féin .
Analysts expected Fianna Fáil to win about 55 seats , with Fine Gael taking 35 and Sinn Féin up to 30 .

Irish prime minister and leader of the Fine Gael party Leo Varadkar (C) poses with the leaders of Fianna Fail party, Micheal Martin (L) and Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald before the start of a televised debate this week. Photo by Aidan CrawleyEPA-EFE
Feb. 7 (UPI) -- The job of Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar appeared in jeopardy as polls indicated his Fine Gael party was slumping and nationalists Sinn Fein were surging ahead of Saturday's national election. The 41-year-old Varadkar has been prime minister -- or Taoiseach -- since 2017, when he took over from Enda Kenny as leader of the center-right Fine Gael. His minority government has operated through a "confidence-and-supply" agreement with arch-rival party Fianna Fail, through which it is supplied the necessary votes to pass measures on an issue-by-basis. Advertisement
The biggest issue they have agreed on in the past two years has been Brexit -- both parties bitterly opposed any attempts to set up a hard border between Northern Ireland and European Union member Ireland as Britain exited the EU.
Vardakar, however, was forced to call for elections in December when relations began to fray with FIanna Fail leader Micheal Martin and several independent lawmakers needed for a majority in the Dail Éireann -- the lower house of the Irish Parliament.
The latest polls showed both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail faltering at the expense of a surging Sinn Fein headed by Mary Lou McDonald, who was threatening to upend a duopoly of power shared by the two centrist parties since the Republic of Ireland's founding.
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An Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll published this week showed Sinn Fein leading with 25 percent, followed by FIanna Fail at 23 percent and Fine Gael at 20 percent.
Sinn Fein is running only 42 candidates nationwide for the 160-seat Dail, leaving it unable to form a majority government on its own. However, if the poll results hold up, McDonald would be put in a position as kingmaker, even though the two establishment parties have ruled out forming a coalition government with Sinn Féin.
Analysts expected Fianna Fáil to win about 55 seats, with Fine Gael taking 35 and Sinn Féin up to 30.


upi--2020-02-07--GI bleeding may signal colon cancer in patients on blood thinners

Gastrointestinal bleeding in patients taking blood thinners for an irregular heartbeat should prompt doctors to check for colon cancer , a new study advises .
Researchers looked at more than 125,000 patients in Denmark with the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation ( a-fib ) .
They reported that those with gastrointestinal bleeding were 11 to 24 times more likely than others to be diagnosed with colon cancer .
The study was published Feb. 7 in the European Heart Journal .
Between 4 percent and 8 percent of a-fib patients who had bleeding in the lower GI tract were diagnosed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 percent of those without bleeding , said study leader Peter Vibe Rasmussen of the Department of Cardiology at Herlev-Gentofte University Hospital , part of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark .
`` Our findings underline the important point that patients with gastrointestinal bleeding should always be offered meticulous clinical examination , irrespective of whether or not they are taking anticoagulants .
It should not be dismissed as a mere consequence of anticoagulant treatment , '' Rasmussen said in a journal news release .
He said educating patients is a must as soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We should tell them that if they see blood in their stools they should always consult their doctor , '' Vibe Rasmussen said .
`` Timely examination could potentially provide early detection of [ colon ] cancer . ''
Patients with a-fib often take blood thinners , such as warfarin , dabigatran , rivaroxaban and apixaban , to prevent clots that can cause a stroke .
But bleeding from the GI tract can be a side effect in a small percentage of these patients .
There is no evidence that blood thinners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Society has more on colon cancer .

Patients with gastrointestinal bleeding were 11 to 24 times more likely than others to be diagnosed with colon cancer, a new study found. Photo by derneuemann /Pixabay
Gastrointestinal bleeding in patients taking blood thinners for an irregular heartbeat should prompt doctors to check for colon cancer, a new study advises. Researchers looked at more than 125,000 patients in Denmark with the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation (a-fib). They reported that those with gastrointestinal bleeding were 11 to 24 times more likely than others to be diagnosed with colon cancer. Advertisement
The study was published Feb. 7 in the European Heart Journal.
Between 4 percent and 8 percent of a-fib patients who had bleeding in the lower GI tract were diagnosed with colon cancer, compared to less than 1 percent of those without bleeding, said study leader Peter Vibe Rasmussen of the Department of Cardiology at Herlev-Gentofte University Hospital, part of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
"Our findings underline the important point that patients with gastrointestinal bleeding should always be offered meticulous clinical examination, irrespective of whether or not they are taking anticoagulants. It should not be dismissed as a mere consequence of anticoagulant treatment," Rasmussen said in a journal news release.
He said educating patients is a must as soon as they begin taking blood thinners. "We should tell them that if they see blood in their stools they should always consult their doctor," Vibe Rasmussen said. "Timely examination could potentially provide early detection of [colon] cancer."
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Patients with a-fib often take blood thinners, such as warfarin, dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban, to prevent clots that can cause a stroke. But bleeding from the GI tract can be a side effect in a small percentage of these patients.
There is no evidence that blood thinners cause colon cancer.
More information
The American Cancer Society has more on colon cancer.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-02-07--Most teens experience mostly negative emotions at school

It 's supposed to be the best time in your life , but a new study finds that U.S. high school students have mostly negative feelings throughout their school day .
Surveying nearly 22,000 students nationwide , researchers found about 75 percent expressed boredom , anger , sadness , fear or stress .
Girls were slightly more negative than boys , according to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and the Yale Child Study Center researchers .
A second survey asked 472 high school students in Connecticut about their feelings at distinct moments throughout the school day .
The teens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , according to the study .
The levels of negativity were `` higher than we expected , '' said study co-author and research scientist Zorana Ivcevic .
`` We know from talking to students that they are feeling tired , stressed and bored , but were surprised by how overwhelming it was , '' she said in a university news release .
The study 's co-author is Marc Brackett , founding director of the Center for Emotional Intelligence .
He said , `` Overall , students see school as a place where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ researchers also found that the most common positive feelings about school -- calm and happy -- were vague .
`` They are on the positive side of zero , '' Ivcevic said , `` but they are not energized or enthusiastic . ''
Feeling `` interested '' or `` curious '' would reveal a high level of student engagement at school that 's associated with deeper and more enduring learning , she noted .
Many of the negative feelings expressed by students may be interrelated .
For example , tiredness may contribute to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in many ways similar to being tired , '' Ivcevic said .
`` It 's a feeling of being drained , low-energy .
Physical states , such as being tired , can be at times misattributed as emotional states , such as boredom . ''
The way students feel at school affects their academic performance and their overall health and well-being , the researchers noted .
`` Students spend a lot of their waking time at school , '' Ivcevic said .
`` Kids are at school to learn , and emotions have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you 're bored , do you hear what 's being said around you ? ''
Recent research has looked at the effect of early start times for high schools and how that leads to sleep deprivation among teens .
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that high schools start at 8:30 a.m. or later , but most U.S. schools start much earlier .
`` It is possible that being tired is making school more taxing , so that it is more difficult for students to show curiosity and interest .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Ivcevic added .
The new report was published in the January issue of the Journal of Learning and Instruction .
The American Academy of Pediatrics has more on teens and school .

Pixabay Many of the negative feelings expressed by students may be interrelated, the study noted. For example, tiredness may contribute to boredom and stress. Photo by Ernesto Eslava
It's supposed to be the best time in your life, but a new study finds that U.S. high school students have mostly negative feelings throughout their school day. Surveying nearly 22,000 students nationwide, researchers found about 75 percent expressed boredom, anger, sadness, fear or stress. Advertisement
Girls were slightly more negative than boys, according to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and the Yale Child Study Center researchers.
A second survey asked 472 high school students in Connecticut about their feelings at distinct moments throughout the school day. The teens reported negative feelings 60 percent of the time, according to the study.
The levels of negativity were "higher than we expected," said study co-author and research scientist Zorana Ivcevic. "We know from talking to students that they are feeling tired, stressed and bored, but were surprised by how overwhelming it was," she said in a university news release.
The study's co-author is Marc Brackett, founding director of the Center for Emotional Intelligence. He said, "Overall, students see school as a place where they experience negative emotions."
The researchers also found that the most common positive feelings about school -- calm and happy -- were vague.
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"They are on the positive side of zero," Ivcevic said, "but they are not energized or enthusiastic."
Feeling "interested" or "curious" would reveal a high level of student engagement at school that's associated with deeper and more enduring learning, she noted.
Many of the negative feelings expressed by students may be interrelated. For example, tiredness may contribute to boredom and stress.
"Boredom is in many ways similar to being tired," Ivcevic said. "It's a feeling of being drained, low-energy. Physical states, such as being tired, can be at times misattributed as emotional states, such as boredom."
The way students feel at school affects their academic performance and their overall health and well-being, the researchers noted.
"Students spend a lot of their waking time at school," Ivcevic said. "Kids are at school to learn, and emotions have a substantial impact on their attention. If you're bored, do you hear what's being said around you?"
Recent research has looked at the effect of early start times for high schools and how that leads to sleep deprivation among teens. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that high schools start at 8:30 a.m. or later, but most U.S. schools start much earlier.
"It is possible that being tired is making school more taxing, so that it is more difficult for students to show curiosity and interest. It is like having an extra weight to carry," Ivcevic added.
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The new report was published in the January issue of the Journal of Learning and Instruction.
More information
The American Academy of Pediatrics has more on teens and school.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-02-07--Beaked whales observed coordinating deep dives

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- Beaked whales rely on synchronization and silence to avoid predation during their deep dives to hunt for food .
In a new study , scientists successfully tagged two beaked whales from the same social group on three separate occasions -- once in the Canary Islands , another time off the coast of Italy and once in the Azores .
The sensors allowed researchers to track their dive patterns and vocalizations .
`` In all cases the pairs of whales dove in extreme synchrony , '' Natacha Aguilar de Soto , marine biologist at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a news release .
`` They also coordinated the depth and time when they started and ended foraging with echolocation at depth .
This is in spite of them separating during the foraging , or deepest , part of the dive to hunt independently . ''
Beaked whales are a group of toothed whales that include as many as 22 different species , though only four are well known by scientists .
They 're found in all of the planet 's major oceans .
While hunting individually , beaked whales use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prey .
Slower clicks and the echoes that bounce back help the whales track prey across long distances , while fast click series , or buzzes , offer faster echo returns that help the whale chase down and capture the prey .
`` We think they also use those sounds to keep track of each other , '' de Soto said .
The newly recorded tracking data -- detailed this week in the journal Scientific Reports -- showed the whales , after hunting on their own , reconvene at a depth of approximately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The group of whales then ascend silently to the surface .
`` In the last third of the dive they stop making sound and ascend in a seemingly random direction , covering 1 kilometer [ 0.6 miles ] or more horizontally , and yet manage to stay together , '' de Soto said .
By keeping quiet and ascending in sporadic patterns , researchers estimate the beaked whales avoid predation by killer whales .
The behavior is n't without its costs .
The time required for reconvening and slowly ascending in unpredictable directions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount of time the beaked whales can spend actually hunting .
Other deep diving whales that do n't use such extreme coordination hunt for roughly 35 percent longer .
Scientists suspect the beaked whale 's susceptibility to killer whales moved them to evolve stealthier dive strategies .
`` Other deep diving whales such as pilot and sperm whales can rely on the strength of their numerous groups and powerful muscles to defend against killer whale attacks , '' de Soto said .
According to de Soto , the new research could explain why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sonar .
Previous studies have revealed links between Navy sonar exercises and beaked whale strandings .
`` Our results suggest that beaked whale behavior is highly tuned to avoid predators .
Beaked whales do n't want to take chances , and so any unusual sound that could possibly be from a predator may trigger a strong evasive behavior , '' de Soto said .
`` This is a strategy that has worked over millions of years but the invention of sonar has brought a whole new set of sounds into the water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not from predators . ''
Researchers hope their continued study of beaked whale dive patterns can inform the development of improved sonar mitigation strategies .

New research suggests the dives of beaked whales are highly synchronized and designed to avoid predation by killer whales. Photo by Roland Edler/ Wikimedia Commons
Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Beaked whales rely on synchronization and silence to avoid predation during their deep dives to hunt for food. In a new study, scientists successfully tagged two beaked whales from the same social group on three separate occasions -- once in the Canary Islands, another time off the coast of Italy and once in the Azores. The sensors allowed researchers to track their dive patterns and vocalizations. Advertisement
"In all cases the pairs of whales dove in extreme synchrony," Natacha Aguilar de Soto, marine biologist at the University of La Laguna in Spain, said in a news release. "They also coordinated the depth and time when they started and ended foraging with echolocation at depth. This is in spite of them separating during the foraging, or deepest, part of the dive to hunt independently."
Beaked whales are a group of toothed whales that include as many as 22 different species, though only four are well known by scientists. They're found in all of the planet's major oceans.
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While hunting individually, beaked whales use echolocation clicks to find and capture their prey. Slower clicks and the echoes that bounce back help the whales track prey across long distances, while fast click series, or buzzes, offer faster echo returns that help the whale chase down and capture the prey.
"We think they also use those sounds to keep track of each other," de Soto said.
The newly recorded tracking data -- detailed this week in the journal Scientific Reports -- showed the whales, after hunting on their own, reconvene at a depth of approximately 2,500 feet beneath the ocean surface. The group of whales then ascend silently to the surface.
"In the last third of the dive they stop making sound and ascend in a seemingly random direction, covering 1 kilometer [0.6 miles] or more horizontally, and yet manage to stay together," de Soto said.
By keeping quiet and ascending in sporadic patterns, researchers estimate the beaked whales avoid predation by killer whales. The behavior isn't without its costs. The time required for reconvening and slowly ascending in unpredictable directions requires nearly an hour, reducing the amount of time the beaked whales can spend actually hunting. Other deep diving whales that don't use such extreme coordination hunt for roughly 35 percent longer.
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Scientists suspect the beaked whale's susceptibility to killer whales moved them to evolve stealthier dive strategies.
"Other deep diving whales such as pilot and sperm whales can rely on the strength of their numerous groups and powerful muscles to defend against killer whale attacks," de Soto said.
According to de Soto, the new research could explain why beaked whales appear to be especially sensitive to sonar. Previous studies have revealed links between Navy sonar exercises and beaked whale strandings.
"Our results suggest that beaked whale behavior is highly tuned to avoid predators. Beaked whales don't want to take chances, and so any unusual sound that could possibly be from a predator may trigger a strong evasive behavior," de Soto said. "This is a strategy that has worked over millions of years but the invention of sonar has brought a whole new set of sounds into the water that beaked whales cannot know are not from predators."
Researchers hope their continued study of beaked whale dive patterns can inform the development of improved sonar mitigation strategies.


upi--2020-02-07--Pete Buttigieg shines in Iowa, but minority support still low

WATERLOO , Iowa , Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- Before the results of the Iowa caucuses trickled in , one of the main concerns for the campaign of former South Bend , Ind.
, Mayor Pete Buttigieg was his lack of support from minority voters .
Buttigieg hoped to repair that with the support of Waterloo 's African-American mayor , Quentin Hart .
However , as Buttigieg hopes to carry momentum from Iowa to New Hampshire , his support from minority voters remains low , indicated by his lackluster performance in Waterloo , the most ethnically diverse city in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Waterloo to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in all three sets of results released by the Iowa Democratic Party .
He also failed to reach the 15 percent viability threshold in 10 out of 30 caucus locations around the city , including all six precincts of Ward 4 , home to the most diverse and least affluent neighborhoods .
On Saturday , 48 hours before the caucus , Buttigieg expressed confidence he could win in places like Waterloo .
`` It 's a city that reminds me a lot of home , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which he made his final pitch to about 500 voters in a packed ballroom .
`` I 'm from a racially diverse , industrial , river city here in the Midwest , '' Buttigieg said .
`` It lines up with the story of my own community and is part of what I envision as the future of the middle of the country -- being diverse , forward-looking and empowered . ''
Waterloo is not much different from South Bend , the city that Buttigieg says he has helped turn around .
Waterloo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Cedar River , while South Bend has a population of 100,000 living on the banks of the St. Joseph River .
Much like South Bend , Waterloo is home to a large African-American population , about 16 percent of residents , as well as Hispanic , Bosnian and Congolese immigrants .
It has also endured many years of high unemployment and poverty rates , after large manufacturers like John Deere left the city in droves in the 1980s .
`` There were a lot of thriving businesses .
We were considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who recently endorsed Buttigieg and appeared with him at the Saturday town hall .
Hart is Waterloo 's first African-American mayor and only the third in the history of the state .
He has expressed strong support for the Douglass Plan for black Americans , a series of economic policy proposals by the Buttigieg campaign .
He believes Buttigieg is committed to empowering minority Americans and has been evaluated unfairly compared with other candidates .
`` I urgently believe that if we 're going to give a litmus test on a particular area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ask every candidate some of those same questions , so we can hear what they 're going to do .
What 's your vision for black America ? ''
said Hart .
`` The real story is he inherited a community that had challenges prior to him getting there , just like I did .
Mayors ca n't run from those problems .
We have to run to them , and that 's what I 've seen him doing while he was there . ''
Buttigieg often touts the `` turnaround '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a strong indicator of his executive-level experience .
But the resume proved insufficient on Monday , particularly in Ward 4 , where he received no delegates at all .
`` This is the diverse coalition of my neighbors who came out in Waterloo Ward 4 Precinct 5 to support Bernie Sanders , '' tweeted Chris Schwartz , a Black Hawk County supervisor and a state co-chairman for the Sanders campaign , attaching a photo of Sanders supporters .
In a sign of his steady support from minority voters , former Vice President Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precincts in Ward 4 , with Sanders winning the other two .
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and entrepreneur Andrew Yang also passed the viability threshold in at least one precinct in Ward 4 .
Waterloo has consistently voted in favor of the Democratic Party in general elections .
But the city has an added distinction : Its caucus results have predicted the eventual Democratic nominee in the past five election cycles .
In 2016 , Hillary Clinton picked up Waterloo on her way to the nomination , even though she lost the county @ @ @

1/5
Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg campaigns with Mayor Quentin Hart in Waterloo, Iowa on Saturday. Photo by Sam Cabral/Medill News Service
WATERLOO, Iowa, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Before the results of the Iowa caucuses trickled in, one of the main concerns for the campaign of former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg was his lack of support from minority voters. Buttigieg hoped to repair that with the support of Waterloo's African-American mayor, Quentin Hart. Advertisement
However, as Buttigieg hopes to carry momentum from Iowa to New Hampshire, his support from minority voters remains low, indicated by his lackluster performance in Waterloo, the most ethnically diverse city in Iowa.
Buttigieg finished a distant second in Waterloo to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in all three sets of results released by the Iowa Democratic Party. He also failed to reach the 15 percent viability threshold in 10 out of 30 caucus locations around the city, including all six precincts of Ward 4, home to the most diverse and least affluent neighborhoods.
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On Saturday, 48 hours before the caucus, Buttigieg expressed confidence he could win in places like Waterloo.
"It's a city that reminds me a lot of home," he said after a town hall in which he made his final pitch to about 500 voters in a packed ballroom.
"I'm from a racially diverse, industrial, river city here in the Midwest," Buttigieg said. "It lines up with the story of my own community and is part of what I envision as the future of the middle of the country -- being diverse, forward-looking and empowered."
Waterloo is not much different from South Bend, the city that Buttigieg says he has helped turn around. Waterloo is a city of 70,000 that resides on the Cedar River, while South Bend has a population of 100,000 living on the banks of the St. Joseph River. Much like South Bend, Waterloo is home to a large African-American population, about 16 percent of residents, as well as Hispanic, Bosnian and Congolese immigrants.
It has also endured many years of high unemployment and poverty rates, after large manufacturers like John Deere left the city in droves in the 1980s.
"There were a lot of thriving businesses. We were considered Factory City," said Hart, who recently endorsed Buttigieg and appeared with him at the Saturday town hall.
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Hart is Waterloo's first African-American mayor and only the third in the history of the state. He has expressed strong support for the Douglass Plan for black Americans, a series of economic policy proposals by the Buttigieg campaign. He believes Buttigieg is committed to empowering minority Americans and has been evaluated unfairly compared with other candidates.
"I urgently believe that if we're going to give a litmus test on a particular area for one candidate, then we need to ask every candidate some of those same questions, so we can hear what they're going to do. What's your vision for black America?" said Hart.
"The real story is he inherited a community that had challenges prior to him getting there, just like I did. Mayors can't run from those problems. We have to run to them, and that's what I've seen him doing while he was there."
Buttigieg often touts the "turnaround" of South Bend under his leadership as a strong indicator of his executive-level experience. But the resume proved insufficient on Monday, particularly in Ward 4, where he received no delegates at all.
"This is the diverse coalition of my neighbors who came out in Waterloo Ward 4 Precinct 5 to support Bernie Sanders," tweeted Chris Schwartz, a Black Hawk County supervisor and a state co-chairman for the Sanders campaign, attaching a photo of Sanders supporters.
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In a sign of his steady support from minority voters, former Vice President Joe Biden won four out of the six precincts in Ward 4, with Sanders winning the other two. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and entrepreneur Andrew Yang also passed the viability threshold in at least one precinct in Ward 4.
Waterloo has consistently voted in favor of the Democratic Party in general elections. But the city has an added distinction: Its caucus results have predicted the eventual Democratic nominee in the past five election cycles. In 2016, Hillary Clinton picked up Waterloo on her way to the nomination, even though she lost the county to Sanders.
Democrats campaign in Iowa ahead of caucus


upi--2020-02-07--Lockheed Martin delivers second KC-130J refueler to France

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- Lockheed Martin delivered the second of two KC-130J Super Hercules aerial refuelers to representatives from France 's Armée de l'Air this week , the company reported .
According to Lockheed , France has received a total of four Super Hercules planes through the Pentagon 's foreign military sales program .
In addition to the two KC-130J refuelers , the country purchased two C-130J-30 combat delivery airlifters under the sale .
Those were delivered in 2017 and 2018 and brought into service in 2018 for use in airlift and refueling activities in the sub-Saharan Sahel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it sold under the deal in September 2019 .
All four of the Super Hercules aircraft are operated in conjuction with France 's existing C-130H fleet .
`` France 's C-130 crews have long demonstrated the unmatched and proven performance of the Hercules aircraft in support of critical missions , '' said Rod McLean , vice president and general manager of air mobility and maritime missions at Lockheed Martin .
`` This additional KC-130J expands the Armée de l'Air 's already robust airlift and refueling resources to not only serve as a national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well . ''
The C-130J Super Hercules series describes a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft , used for a wide variety of applications , including transport of troops and cargo as well as medical evacuation .
It 's also used for airborne assault , search and rescue , weather reconnaissance , maritime patrol and aerial firefighting .
The KC-130J variant can refuel both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft , and conduct rapid ground refueling .
Seventeen nations -- including Australia , Canada , Israel , Iraq and South Korea -- have Super @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. firefighters who were killed in a January crash fighting Australian wildfires were flying a C-130 air tanker .
The cause of the accident has not yet been determined .
In 2018 , Germany announced the acquisition of a C-130J-30/KC-130J fleet , to be operated in partnership with France -- the first operator relationship of this type in C-130J history , according to Lockheed .
In October , Lockheed won a $ 12.4 million contract for support of France 's Super Hercules aircraft .

France's second KC-130J Super Hercules aerial refueler takes off from Lockheed Martin's facility in Marietta, Ga. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin
Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin delivered the second of two KC-130J Super Hercules aerial refuelers to representatives from France's Armée de l'Air this week, the company reported. According to Lockheed, France has received a total of four Super Hercules planes through the Pentagon's foreign military sales program. Advertisement
In addition to the two KC-130J refuelers, the country purchased two C-130J-30 combat delivery airlifters under the sale. Those were delivered in 2017 and 2018 and brought into service in 2018 for use in airlift and refueling activities in the sub-Saharan Sahel region.
Lockheed delivered the first KC-130J it sold under the deal in September 2019.
All four of the Super Hercules aircraft are operated in conjuction with France's existing C-130H fleet.
"France's C-130 crews have long demonstrated the unmatched and proven performance of the Hercules aircraft in support of critical missions," said Rod McLean, vice president and general manager of air mobility and maritime missions at Lockheed Martin. "This additional KC-130J expands the Armée de l'Air's already robust airlift and refueling resources to not only serve as a national asset, but a global resource as well."
The C-130J Super Hercules series describes a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft, used for a wide variety of applications, including transport of troops and cargo as well as medical evacuation. It's also used for airborne assault, search and rescue, weather reconnaissance, maritime patrol and aerial firefighting.
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The KC-130J variant can refuel both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft, and conduct rapid ground refueling.
Seventeen nations -- including Australia, Canada, Israel, Iraq and South Korea -- have Super Hercules variants in their fleets.
Three U.S. firefighters who were killed in a January crash fighting Australian wildfires were flying a C-130 air tanker. The cause of the accident has not yet been determined.
In 2018, Germany announced the acquisition of a C-130J-30/KC-130J fleet, to be operated in partnership with France -- the first operator relationship of this type in C-130J history, according to Lockheed.
In October, Lockheed won a $12.4 million contract for support of France's Super Hercules aircraft.


upi--2020-02-07--Viagra linked to temporary vision problems

Viagra can salvage a man 's sex life , but in rare cases it may temporarily steal his sight .
Researchers report that some men who took sildenafil -- the generic form of the impotence drug -- suffered from vision problems , including a kind of color blindness that could take weeks to resolve .
The case report details 17 Turkish males who wound up in the hospital after taking sildenafil for the first time .
The men suffered a number of vision problems , including dilated pupils , blurred vision , light sensitivity and color blindness , the doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the highest recommended dose of 100 milligrams , even though none had been prescribed sildenafil , the report said .
The visual side effects began shortly after taking the drug , and were still present when the men came to the hospital a day or two later , the researchers reported .
All the symptoms eventually cleared up , but it took three weeks for some .
The findings were published Feb. 7 in the journal Frontiers in Neurology .
These sort of vision effects are n't uncommon in people who take Viagra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turns out that the enzyme that Viagra blocks to promote erections is closely akin to another enzyme that 's important for the function of photoreceptors in the eyes , said Dr. Richard Rosen , a vitreoretinal surgeon at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai , in New York City .
There 's a crossover effect of about 10 percent where Viagra blocks the photoreceptor enzyme , Rosen said .
`` While it 's blocking the effect of the enzyme in the penis , it 's blocking the enzyme in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tends to knock out the red and green cones in a person 's eyes , causing them to have intensely blue-shaded vision -- an effect that occurred in the Turkish patients .
Sildenafil also might affect a person 's vision because it acts as a vasodilator for the genitals , opening up blood vessels and allowing more blood to flow to that part of the body , said Dr. Rishi Singh , a staff surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic 's Cole Eye Institute .
More blood flowing to other body regions means there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Singh said .
Singh does n't think switching to another erectile dysfunction drug would solve the problem if this is a recurring symptom for a Viagra user .
`` They all work with the same action , so I do n't see there being any difference , '' Singh said .
The best solution probably is to take a lower dose of Viagra , said Dr. Talia Kaden , an ophthalmologist with Manhattan Eye , Ear & Throat Hospital , in New York City .
`` While all of the patients ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a good reminder to start with a slightly lower dose when using Viagra for the first time , and to carefully monitor for any visual changes after taking the medication , '' Kaden said .
A heavy overdose of sildenafil could cause permanent damage to the eyes , Rosen warned .
Rosen and his colleagues wrote about a case a couple of years ago where a young man took as much as four times the highest recommended dose of sildenafil by accident .
`` He had permanent damage to photoreceptors in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on high-resolution imaging of the retina , '' Rosen said .
`` Like any drug , one size does n't fit all , '' Rosen concluded .
`` If you 're taking it for the first time , do n't be greedy .
Start with a low dose and see if you 're responsive . ''
The American Academy of Ophthalmology has more about erectile dysfunction drugs and vision .

Pixabay Researchers reported that 17 Turkish men suffered a number of vision problems, including dilated pupils, blurred vision, light sensitivity and color blindness after taking sildenafil. Photo by Requieri Tozzi
Viagra can salvage a man's sex life, but in rare cases it may temporarily steal his sight. Researchers report that some men who took sildenafil -- the generic form of the impotence drug -- suffered from vision problems, including a kind of color blindness that could take weeks to resolve. Advertisement
The case report details 17 Turkish males who wound up in the hospital after taking sildenafil for the first time.
The men suffered a number of vision problems, including dilated pupils, blurred vision, light sensitivity and color blindness, the doctors reported.
The men had all taken the highest recommended dose of 100 milligrams, even though none had been prescribed sildenafil, the report said.
The visual side effects began shortly after taking the drug, and were still present when the men came to the hospital a day or two later, the researchers reported. All the symptoms eventually cleared up, but it took three weeks for some.
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The findings were published Feb. 7 in the journal Frontiers in Neurology.
These sort of vision effects aren't uncommon in people who take Viagra, U.S. medical experts said.
It turns out that the enzyme that Viagra blocks to promote erections is closely akin to another enzyme that's important for the function of photoreceptors in the eyes, said Dr. Richard Rosen, a vitreoretinal surgeon at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, in New York City.
There's a crossover effect of about 10 percent where Viagra blocks the photoreceptor enzyme, Rosen said.
"While it's blocking the effect of the enzyme in the penis, it's blocking the enzyme in the retina," Rosen explained.
This tends to knock out the red and green cones in a person's eyes, causing them to have intensely blue-shaded vision -- an effect that occurred in the Turkish patients.
Sildenafil also might affect a person's vision because it acts as a vasodilator for the genitals, opening up blood vessels and allowing more blood to flow to that part of the body, said Dr. Rishi Singh, a staff surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic's Cole Eye Institute.
More blood flowing to other body regions means there's less blood flow to the eyes, Singh said.
Advertisement
Singh doesn't think switching to another erectile dysfunction drug would solve the problem if this is a recurring symptom for a Viagra user.
"They all work with the same action, so I don't see there being any difference," Singh said.
The best solution probably is to take a lower dose of Viagra, said Dr. Talia Kaden, an ophthalmologist with Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital, in New York City.
"While all of the patients' symptoms resolved within three weeks, this is a good reminder to start with a slightly lower dose when using Viagra for the first time, and to carefully monitor for any visual changes after taking the medication," Kaden said.
A heavy overdose of sildenafil could cause permanent damage to the eyes, Rosen warned.
Rosen and his colleagues wrote about a case a couple of years ago where a young man took as much as four times the highest recommended dose of sildenafil by accident.
"He had permanent damage to photoreceptors in the cones in his eyes that we documented on high-resolution imaging of the retina," Rosen said.
"Like any drug, one size doesn't fit all," Rosen concluded. "If you're taking it for the first time, don't be greedy. Start with a low dose and see if you're responsive."
Advertisement
More information
The American Academy of Ophthalmology has more about erectile dysfunction drugs and vision.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-02-07--Watch: Horse wrapped in barbed wire rescued from ditch

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- A horse that somehow ended up with barbed wire wrapped around its body was @ @ @ @ @ in a ditch .
The Muldrow Police Department said a local mail carrier spotted the @ @ @ @ @ 10 a.m. Thursday and alerted authorities .
A video shared by the department shows a @ @ @ @ @ helping the horse get back on its feet so the barbed wire could be removed @ @ @ @ @ equine , an 18-year-old horse named Mars M.C.
, was returned to its owners and @ @ @

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Feb. 7 (UPI) -- A horse that somehow ended up with barbed wire wrapped around its body was rescued after being found lying in a ditch.
The Muldrow Police Department said a local mail carrier spotted the horse in a ditch about 10 a.m. Thursday and alerted authorities.
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A video shared by the department shows a large group of police officers helping the horse get back on its feet so the barbed wire could be removed.
The department said the equine, an 18-year-old horse named Mars M.C., was returned to its owners and is recovering.


upi--2020-02-07--U.S.'s coronavirus task force steps up screening, allots $100M for aid

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Homeland Security officials announced Friday that they will be stepping up efforts to screen travelers arriving in the United States for the 2019 novel coronavirus .
In addition , President Donald Trump 's Novel Coronavirus Task Force indicated that the administration has allocated $ 100 million in foreign aid to outbreak response in China and other affected countries , Stephen Biegun , deputy Secretary of State said during a press briefing .
`` This aid signals strong U.S. leadership in response to this outbreak , '' Biegun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world 's most generous donor , '' he continued .
During a press briefing led by all of the members of the President 's Task Force , which includes representatives from multiple agencies within the federal government , officials noted that while the Administration 's travel policies , which took effect Sunday , are `` aggressive , '' they are also necessary to protect the American public .
As of Friday , according to CDC director Robert Redfield , there are more than 31,000 confirmed cases of 2019 nCoV and 600 deaths attributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there have been more than 300 cases in 27 other countries , including 12 in the United States , and 69 cases of person-to-person transmission outside China .
`` The risk to the American public remains low , '' Redfield said , adding that `` persistent contact tracing '' of the 12 confirmed cases is ongoing in order to assess who they may have unwittingly exposed to the virus .
`` We are vigilant in our efforts to confront the challenges this new virus presents , '' he continued .
All foreign travelers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air , sea and land -- will undergo three layers of screening .
Customs and Border Patrol will inquire as to travel history during routine passport checks and also monitor travelers for symptoms of illness .
Next , medical personnel contracted with the CDC will question travelers who have been to mainland China about their health and their possible exposure to the virus .
Finally , CDC staff will perform diagnostic testing on travelers deemed to be at risk for exposure .
According to Redfield , the agency has more than 800 staffers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As of Friday , the agency and its partners had screened more than 17,000 travelers .
These efforts are on top of the Trump administration 's decision to ban entry to the United States for all foreign travelers arriving from mainland China .
U.S. citizens who have traveled to China are still being routed to 11 airports across the country , while the Coast Guard is monitoring all passenger and cargo ships arriving at ports with travelers and crew who may have been exposed , said acting secretary of the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Although the World Health Organization has opposed travel restrictions , Task Force officials emphasized the U.S. policy was recommended and endorsed by career public health experts within government .
Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar said the policies are also `` consistent '' with those of other governments in response to the ongoing outbreak .
Task Force officials also said more than 18 tons of medical equipment -- including masks , gowns and respirators -- had been received in private donations and transported this week to Wuhan , China , ground zero @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar said that the U.S. offer to send public health experts to Wuhan to assist in outbreak response `` remains on the table . ''
That offer has thus far been rebuffed .
The Task Force was formed in late January after the first case of 2019 nCoV was confirmed in an American citizen who had traveled to Wuhan .
Anthony S. Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the Task Force , noted that the travel restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the spread of the virus in the United States , and in other countries that have implemented them , without disrupting the flow of supplies and information for the outbreak response .
Separately , he said that progress has been made on both a drug treatment and a vaccine against 2019 nCoV , with two trials of the antiviral Remdesivir and tests on a candidate vaccine in mouse models starting this week .
Barring setbacks , he expects the vaccine to start undergoing testing in humans within two and a half months @

1/2
The virus was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China. Illustration courtesy of CDC
Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Homeland Security officials announced Friday that they will be stepping up efforts to screen travelers arriving in the United States for the 2019 novel coronavirus. In addition, President Donald Trump's Novel Coronavirus Task Force indicated that the administration has allocated $100 million in foreign aid to outbreak response in China and other affected countries, Stephen Biegun, deputy Secretary of State said during a press briefing. Advertisement
"This aid signals strong U.S. leadership in response to this outbreak," Biegun added. The country "remains the world's most generous donor," he continued.
During a press briefing led by all of the members of the President's Task Force, which includes representatives from multiple agencies within the federal government, officials noted that while the Administration's travel policies, which took effect Sunday, are "aggressive," they are also necessary to protect the American public.
Advertisement
As of Friday, according to CDC director Robert Redfield, there are more than 31,000 confirmed cases of 2019 nCoV and 600 deaths attributed to the virus. In addition, there have been more than 300 cases in 27 other countries, including 12 in the United States, and 69 cases of person-to-person transmission outside China.
"The risk to the American public remains low," Redfield said, adding that "persistent contact tracing" of the 12 confirmed cases is ongoing in order to assess who they may have unwittingly exposed to the virus.
"We are vigilant in our efforts to confront the challenges this new virus presents," he continued.
All foreign travelers arriving in the United States -- by air, sea and land -- will undergo three layers of screening. Customs and Border Patrol will inquire as to travel history during routine passport checks and also monitor travelers for symptoms of illness.
Next, medical personnel contracted with the CDC will question travelers who have been to mainland China about their health and their possible exposure to the virus. Finally, CDC staff will perform diagnostic testing on travelers deemed to be at risk for exposure.
According to Redfield, the agency has more than 800 staffers on the ground engaged in screening efforts. As of Friday, the agency and its partners had screened more than 17,000 travelers.
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These efforts are on top of the Trump administration's decision to ban entry to the United States for all foreign travelers arriving from mainland China. U.S. citizens who have traveled to China are still being routed to 11 airports across the country, while the Coast Guard is monitoring all passenger and cargo ships arriving at ports with travelers and crew who may have been exposed, said acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad. F. Wolf.
Although the World Health Organization has opposed travel restrictions, Task Force officials emphasized the U.S. policy was recommended and endorsed by career public health experts within government. Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar said the policies are also "consistent" with those of other governments in response to the ongoing outbreak.
Task Force officials also said more than 18 tons of medical equipment -- including masks, gowns and respirators -- had been received in private donations and transported this week to Wuhan, China, ground zero for the outbreak.
In addition, Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar said that the U.S. offer to send public health experts to Wuhan to assist in outbreak response "remains on the table." That offer has thus far been rebuffed.
Advertisement
The Task Force was formed in late January after the first case of 2019 nCoV was confirmed in an American citizen who had traveled to Wuhan. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the Task Force, noted that the travel restrictions have allowed for a "pause" in the spread of the virus in the United States, and in other countries that have implemented them, without disrupting the flow of supplies and information for the outbreak response.
Separately, he said that progress has been made on both a drug treatment and a vaccine against 2019 nCoV, with two trials of the antiviral Remdesivir and tests on a candidate vaccine in mouse models starting this week. Barring setbacks, he expects the vaccine to start undergoing testing in humans within two and a half months.


upi--2020-02-07--Escaped cows rounded up on runway at Iowa airport

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- Police and animal rescuers responded to an Iowa airport to wrangle a trio of @ @ @ @ @ way to the runway .
The Ames Animal Shelter said personnel responded with the Ames @ @ @ @ @ came in Thursday about three escaped cows on the runway at Ames Municipal Airport .
@ @ @ @ @ was probably one of our more truly Iowan calls for service . ''
The cows @ @ @ @ @ of police and the animals ' owners , the shelter said .
`` We 're @ @ @ @ @ , but we 're pretty sure we established last night that cows do not , @ @ @ @ @

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Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Police and animal rescuers responded to an Iowa airport to wrangle a trio of escaped cows who made their way to the runway.
The Ames Animal Shelter said personnel responded with the Ames Police Department when a call came in Thursday about three escaped cows on the runway at Ames Municipal Airport.
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The shelter said it "was probably one of our more truly Iowan calls for service."
The cows were wrangled with the help of police and the animals' owners, the shelter said.
"We're not sure if pigs fly, but we're pretty sure we established last night that cows do not," the shelter said.


upi--2020-02-07--Man wins $250,000 lottery jackpot 7 years after $200,000 win

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- A North Carolina man who funded a beach trip with his $ 200,000 lottery jackpot seven years ago said he plans to do the same with the $ 250,000 he won this week .
Donald Hildebran of Connelly Springs told North Carolina Education Lottery officials he stopped Tuesday at the Quality Mart in Morganton and bought two scratch-off lottery tickets .
He said he returned to the same store later that same day and bought two more tickets , the second of which was a $ 250,000 winning 20X The Cash game .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bucks back , '' Hildebran said .
`` But when I scanned the ticket it told me to go to lottery headquarters . ''
Hildebran previously won $ 200,000 in June 2013 from a $ 200,000 Extreme Cash scratch-off ticket .
He said he used some of his previous winnings to fund a trip to the beach , and is planning to do the same this time .
`` I 'm going fishing , '' he said .
`` I 'm going to the beach . ''
He said this time he plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new Ford Explorer .
`` It 's got more room , '' the winner said , `` for what you 'll need to take to the beach . ''

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Feb. 7 (UPI) -- A North Carolina man who funded a beach trip with his $200,000 lottery jackpot seven years ago said he plans to do the same with the $250,000 he won this week.
Donald Hildebran of Connelly Springs told North Carolina Education Lottery officials he stopped Tuesday at the Quality Mart in Morganton and bought two scratch-off lottery tickets.
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He said he returned to the same store later that same day and bought two more tickets, the second of which was a $250,000 winning 20X The Cash game.
"I thought I'd made my five bucks back," Hildebran said. "But when I scanned the ticket it told me to go to lottery headquarters."
Hildebran previously won $200,000 in June 2013 from a $200,000 Extreme Cash scratch-off ticket. He said he used some of his previous winnings to fund a trip to the beach, and is planning to do the same this time.
"I'm going fishing," he said. "I'm going to the beach."
He said this time he plans to drive to the beach in a new Ford Explorer.
"It's got more room," the winner said, "for what you'll need to take to the beach."


upi--2020-02-07--Watch: BTS performs 'Black Swan' choreography at dance practice

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- South Korean boy band BTS is giving a glimpse of its choreography for the @ @ @ @ @ '' The K-pop group shared a dance practice video Friday that shows a behind-the-scenes look @ @ @ @ @ song .
`` Black Swan '' features intricate and synchronized choreography .
BTS previously performed @ @ @ @ @ The Late Late Show starring James Corden in January .
`` Black Swan '' appears @ @ @ @ @ , Map of the Soul : 7 .
The group has yet to release a @ @ @ @ @ .
BTS will release Map of the Soul : 7 , a followup to Map @ @ @ @ @ , on Feb. 21 .
The group will promote the album with a new world @ @ @ @ @ April .
BTS ' agency , Big Hit Entertainment , shared plans this week to @ @ @ @ @ agency is working on a new boy band and hopes for the group to make @ @ @ @ @

Feb. 7 (UPI) -- South Korean boy band BTS is giving a glimpse of its choreography for the single "Black Swan."
The K-pop group shared a dance practice video Friday that shows a behind-the-scenes look at a rehearsal for the song.
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"Black Swan" features intricate and synchronized choreography. BTS previously performed "Black Swan" on The Late Late Show starring James Corden in January.
"Black Swan" appears on BTS' forthcoming album, Map of the Soul: 7. The group has yet to release a music video for the song.
BTS will release Map of the Soul: 7, a followup to Map of the Soul: Persona, on Feb. 21. The group will promote the album with a new world tour, which begins in April.
BTS' agency, Big Hit Entertainment, shared plans this week to expand the company. The agency is working on a new boy band and hopes for the group to make its debut in 2022.


upi--2020-02-07--Watch: Fisherman finds apparent SpaceX parachutes, capsule door off Florida coast

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- The captain of a charter fishing boat in Florida shared video of his unusual @ @ @ @ @ and a capsule door from the SpaceX Dragon Crew launch .
David Stokes said he @ @ @ @ @ last week about 32 miles off the coast of Daytona Beach when he found the @ @ @ @ @ appears to be a capsule door still attached .
Stokes said the door appears to @ @ @ @ @ Crew capsule .
The discovery came about 10 days after SpaceX deliberately exploded a rocket @ @ @ @ @ of the discovery to YouTube .
Stokes said he has attempted to contact SpaceX and @ @ @ @ @ tweet about the discovery in the hopes of bringing it to their attention .
`` @ @ @ @ @ to come check it out to see what they think about it ... any damage @ @ @ @ @ told WKMG-TV .
`` It would also be awesome to have Elon Musk autograph it @ @

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Feb. 7 (UPI) -- The captain of a charter fishing boat in Florida shared video of his unusual recent catch: two parachutes and a capsule door from the SpaceX Dragon Crew launch.
David Stokes said he was fishing with some friends last week about 32 miles off the coast of Daytona Beach when he found the two large parachutes with that appears to be a capsule door still attached.
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Stokes said the door appears to be from the SpaceX Dragon Crew capsule. The discovery came about 10 days after SpaceX deliberately exploded a rocket.
He posted a video of the discovery to YouTube.
Stokes said he has attempted to contact SpaceX and tagged Elon Musk in a tweet about the discovery in the hopes of bringing it to their attention.
"I'd like for SpaceX to come check it out to see what they think about it ... any damage to it," Stokes told WKMG-TV. "It would also be awesome to have Elon Musk autograph it."


upi--2020-02-07--Watch: Oprah Winfrey says Gayle King received death threats from Kobe Bryant fans

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- Oprah Winfrey says friend and fellow television personality Gayle King has received death threats since her controversial interview about late basketball star Kobe Bryant .
Winfrey , 66 , said on Friday 's episode of Today that King , 65 , is `` not doing well '' following backlash to her interview with WNBA star Lisa Leslie about Bryant .
Winfrey teared up as she described how King has received death threats from fans of Bryant .
`` She is not doing well , '' Winfrey said of King .
`` May I say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because she has now death threats and has to now travel with security and she 's feeling very much attacked . ''
King spoke to Leslie , a retired WNBA star , in an interview for CBS This Morning following Bryant 's death in January .
King faced heavy backlash after CBS promoted the interview with a clip that showed King asking Leslie about the 2003 rape accusation against Bryant .
`` She 's not doing well , and she feels she was put in a really terrible position , because that interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of King .
`` In the context of the interview , everyone seemed fine , including Lisa Leslie . ''
`` It was only because somebody at the network put up that clip , '' she added .
`` I can see how people would obviously be very upset if you thought that Gayle was just trying to press to get an answer from Lisa Leslie . ''
Winfrey said King has n't slept in `` two days '' because of the backlash , and criticized the `` misogynist vitriol '' directed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything , but the misogynist vitriol and the attacking to the point where it is dangerous to be on the streets alone because it 's not just the people who are attacking .
It 's the people who take that message and feel like they can do whatever they want to because of it , '' Winfrey said .
King said in an Instagram video Thursday that her question to Leslie about the Bryant sexual assault allegations was taken `` out of context . ''
She said the full interview was a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I 'm mortified , I 'm embarrassed , and I am very angry , '' King said .
`` Unbeknownst to me , my network put up a clip from a very wide-ranging interview , totally taken out of context .
When you see it that way , it 's very jarring . ''
Los Angeles will hold a public memorial for Bryant and the eight other people who died in a helicopter crash Jan. 26 .
The memorial will take place Feb. 24 at the Staples Center .

.@Oprah emotionally responds to backlash her friend Gayle King received over King's recent interview about Kobe Bryant with WNBA legend Lisa Leslie: "She is not doing well because she has now death threats." pic.twitter.com/M8HrCp8vTr— TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (@HodaAndJenna) February 7, 2020
Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Oprah Winfrey says friend and fellow television personality Gayle King has received death threats since her controversial interview about late basketball star Kobe Bryant.
Winfrey, 66, said on Friday's episode of Today that King, 65, is "not doing well" following backlash to her interview with WNBA star Lisa Leslie about Bryant.
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Winfrey teared up as she described how King has received death threats from fans of Bryant.
"She is not doing well," Winfrey said of King. "May I say, she is not doing well, because she has now death threats and has to now travel with security and she's feeling very much attacked."
King spoke to Leslie, a retired WNBA star, in an interview for CBS This Morning following Bryant's death in January. King faced heavy backlash after CBS promoted the interview with a clip that showed King asking Leslie about the 2003 rape accusation against Bryant.
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"She's not doing well, and she feels she was put in a really terrible position, because that interview had already ran," Winfrey said of King. "In the context of the interview, everyone seemed fine, including Lisa Leslie."
"It was only because somebody at the network put up that clip," she added. "I can see how people would obviously be very upset if you thought that Gayle was just trying to press to get an answer from Lisa Leslie."
Winfrey said King hasn't slept in "two days" because of the backlash, and criticized the "misogynist vitriol" directed at her friend.
"Anybody can criticize anything, but the misogynist vitriol and the attacking to the point where it is dangerous to be on the streets alone because it's not just the people who are attacking. It's the people who take that message and feel like they can do whatever they want to because of it," Winfrey said.
King said in an Instagram video Thursday that her question to Leslie about the Bryant sexual assault allegations was taken "out of context." She said the full interview was a "wide-ranging" conversation about Bryant's legacy.
"I'm mortified, I'm embarrassed, and I am very angry," King said. "Unbeknownst to me, my network put up a clip from a very wide-ranging interview, totally taken out of context. When you see it that way, it's very jarring."
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Los Angeles will hold a public memorial for Bryant and the eight other people who died in a helicopter crash Jan. 26. The memorial will take place Feb. 24 at the Staples Center.


upi--2020-02-07--100 House Democrats reject President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- Over 100 House Democrats signed a letter , released on Friday , critical of President Donald Trump 's peace plan for the Middle East .
The two-page letter , with seven pagers of signatures , was led by Rep. Alan Lowenthal , D-Calif. , and warns that a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine would be impossible under the plan .
At a White House ceremony on Jan. 27 unveiling Trump 's 200-page peace plan , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to move forward on establishing additional settlements and exercising Israeli control of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , facing corruption charges , a March 2 election and a vote in Israel 's parliament on accepting Trump 's plan , has since retreated from the promise .
The letter says the proposed plan `` will exacerbate and entrench conflict , rather than resolve it , '' and noted that Israel must not interpret it `` as a license to violate international law by annexing all or portions of the West Bank . ''
It also questions the timing of the peace plan 's rollout , coming only weeks before the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of `` motives unrelated to helping solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict '' and calls it `` an inappropriate intervention in a foreign election . ''
The majority of Arab states , and the Palestinian Authority , have already rejected the plan , saying that Palestine would exist in name only and `` not constitute statehood , '' awarding Palestine with non-contiguous territory controlled by Israeli security forces .
In December , Lowenthal drafted a House resolution that expressed U.S. support for the two-state solution .
It passed in the House by 226 to 188 @

Rep. Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif., led over 100 House Democrats in signing a letter, released Friday, rejecting President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan. File Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Over 100 House Democrats signed a letter, released on Friday, critical of President Donald Trump's peace plan for the Middle East. The two-page letter, with seven pagers of signatures, was led by Rep. Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif., and warns that a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine would be impossible under the plan. At a White House ceremony on Jan. 27 unveiling Trump's 200-page peace plan, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to move forward on establishing additional settlements and exercising Israeli control of the disputed West Bank area. Advertisement
Netanyahu, facing corruption charges, a March 2 election and a vote in Israel's parliament on accepting Trump's plan, has since retreated from the promise.
The letter says the proposed plan "will exacerbate and entrench conflict, rather than resolve it," and noted that Israel must not interpret it "as a license to violate international law by annexing all or portions of the West Bank."
It also questions the timing of the peace plan's rollout, coming only weeks before the next election in Israel. It accuses Trump of "motives unrelated to helping solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict" and calls it "an inappropriate intervention in a foreign election."
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The majority of Arab states, and the Palestinian Authority, have already rejected the plan, saying that Palestine would exist in name only and "not constitute statehood," awarding Palestine with non-contiguous territory controlled by Israeli security forces.
In December, Lowenthal drafted a House resolution that expressed U.S. support for the two-state solution. It passed in the House by 226 to 188.


upi--2020-02-07--Watch: Pearl Jam release final 'Dance of the Clairvoyants' music video

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- Pearl Jam released on Friday their third and final music video for their latest single , `` Dance of the Clairvoyants . ''
The new version , titled `` Mach III , '' includes more footage of the band performing alongside nature images and then later , severe weather .
Past versions focused mainly on showcasing environmental images .
Pearl Jam said on Twitter that this newest entry is their first official music video in seven years .
`` Expecting perfection/ Leave a lot to ignore/ When the past is the present/ And the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is the same as before , '' Pearl Jam 's Eddie Vedder sings on the track .
`` Dance of the Clairvoyants '' will appear on their new album titled Gigaton , which is set for release on March 27 .
Gigaton is Pearl Jam 's first album since 2013 's Lighting Bolt .
Pearl Jam will begin touring North America in support of the new album on March 18 .
The group are also set to perform at the Apollo Theater in New York City for the first time ever on March @ @

Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Pearl Jam released on Friday their third and final music video for their latest single, "Dance of the Clairvoyants."
The new version, titled "Mach III," includes more footage of the band performing alongside nature images and then later, severe weather.
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Past versions focused mainly on showcasing environmental images. Pearl Jam said on Twitter that this newest entry is their first official music video in seven years.
"Expecting perfection/ Leave a lot to ignore/ When the past is the present/ And the future's no more/ When every tomorrow/ Is the same as before," Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder sings on the track.
"Dance of the Clairvoyants" will appear on their new album titled Gigaton, which is set for release on March 27. Gigaton is Pearl Jam's first album since 2013's Lighting Bolt.
Pearl Jam will begin touring North America in support of the new album on March 18.
The group are also set to perform at the Apollo Theater in New York City for the first time ever on March 26.


upi--2020-02-07--Young people may copy friends' eating habits from social media, study finds

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- `` Liking '' healthy foods on social media platforms like Facebook may encourage others to eat a balanced diet , new research has found .
In a study published Thursday in the journal Appetite , scientists from the School of Life and Health Sciences at Ashton University in England observed that participants ate an extra fifth of a portion of fruit and vegetables themselves for every portion they thought their social media peers ate .
Conversely , social media users are also more likely to snack on junk food if they think their friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study suggests we may be influenced by our social peers more than we realize when choosing certain foods , '' study co-author and Ashton doctoral student Lily Hawkins said in a press release .
`` We seem to be subconsciously accounting for how others behave when making our own food choices . ''
The findings suggest that social media users essentially `` copy '' friends ' eating habits , she added .
For the study , the research team asked 369 university students to estimate the amount of fruit , vegetables , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook peers consumed on a daily basis .
They then cross-referenced this information with the participants ' own actual eating habits and showed that those who felt their social circles `` approved '' of eating junk food consumed significantly more themselves -- in fact , an extra portion of unhealthy snack foods and sugary drinks for every three portions they believed their online social circles did .
Meanwhile , those who thought their friends ate a healthy diet had more portions of fruit and vegetables .
These habits could have developed from seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drink they consumed , or simply a general impression of their overall health .
There was no significant link between the participants ' eating habits and their body mass index , an indicator of weight .
The researchers said the next stage of their work would track a participant group over time to see whether the influence of social media on eating habits had a longer-term impact on weight and overall health .
The researchers said the findings to date provide the first evidence to suggest our online social circles could be implicitly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implications for using `` nudge '' techniques on social media to encourage healthy eating .
`` The implication is that we can use social media as a tool to 'nudge ' each other 's eating behavior within friendship groups , and potentially use this knowledge as a tool for public health interventions , '' Hawkins said .
`` With children and young people spending a huge amount of time interacting with peers and influencers via social media , the important new findings from this study could help shape how we deliver interventions that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a young age -- and stick with them for life , '' added Claire Farrow , director of Aston University 's Applied Health Research Group .

Social media users "copy" friends' eating habits, study finds. Photo by Helena Lopes
Feb. 7 (UPI) -- "Liking" healthy foods on social media platforms like Facebook may encourage others to eat a balanced diet, new research has found. In a study published Thursday in the journal Appetite, scientists from the School of Life and Health Sciences at Ashton University in England observed that participants ate an extra fifth of a portion of fruit and vegetables themselves for every portion they thought their social media peers ate. Advertisement
Conversely, social media users are also more likely to snack on junk food if they think their friends are doing the same.
"This study suggests we may be influenced by our social peers more than we realize when choosing certain foods," study co-author and Ashton doctoral student Lily Hawkins said in a press release. "We seem to be subconsciously accounting for how others behave when making our own food choices."
The findings suggest that social media users essentially "copy" friends' eating habits, she added.
For the study, the research team asked 369 university students to estimate the amount of fruit, vegetables, "energy-dense snacks" and sugary drinks their Facebook peers consumed on a daily basis.
They then cross-referenced this information with the participants' own actual eating habits and showed that those who felt their social circles "approved" of eating junk food consumed significantly more themselves -- in fact, an extra portion of unhealthy snack foods and sugary drinks for every three portions they believed their online social circles did.
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Meanwhile, those who thought their friends ate a healthy diet had more portions of fruit and vegetables. These habits could have developed from seeing friends' posts about the food and drink they consumed, or simply a general impression of their overall health.
There was no significant link between the participants' eating habits and their body mass index, an indicator of weight. The researchers said the next stage of their work would track a participant group over time to see whether the influence of social media on eating habits had a longer-term impact on weight and overall health.
The researchers said the findings to date provide the first evidence to suggest our online social circles could be implicitly influencing our eating habits, with important implications for using "nudge" techniques on social media to encourage healthy eating.
"The implication is that we can use social media as a tool to 'nudge' each other's eating behavior within friendship groups, and potentially use this knowledge as a tool for public health interventions," Hawkins said.
"With children and young people spending a huge amount of time interacting with peers and influencers via social media, the important new findings from this study could help shape how we deliver interventions that help them adopt healthy eating habits from a young age -- and stick with them for life," added Claire Farrow, director of Aston University's Applied Health Research Group.


upi--2020-02-07--Watch: Animal rescuers save dog stranded in California canal

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- Animal rescuers said a bystander helped them rescue a dog spotted struggling to escape @ @ @ @ @ group Venus Animal Haven said a witness stopped to help when he spotted them attempting @ @ @ @ @ in a canal in Fresno .
A video shared by the rescuers shows the group @ @ @ @ @ makeshift rope .
The man uses the belt rope to descend the canal wall and @ @ @ @ @ Venus Animal Haven said the dog is recovering from the ordeal while rescuers attempt to @ @ @ @

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Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Animal rescuers said a bystander helped them rescue a dog spotted struggling to escape from a canal.
Rescue group Venus Animal Haven said a witness stopped to help when he spotted them attempting to reach a dog stranded in a canal in Fresno.
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A video shared by the rescuers shows the group fashioning some belts into a makeshift rope.
The man uses the belt rope to descend the canal wall and reach the stranded canine.
Venus Animal Haven said the dog is recovering from the ordeal while rescuers attempt to locate its owners.


upi--2020-02-07--NASA: Software defects could have destroyed Boeing Starliner on test flight

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- Two `` critical '' software defects found after an unpiloted test flight of the Boeing Starliner capsule in December could have caused destruction of the vehicle had they not been corrected by ground controllers , NASA said Friday .
`` The two software issues are likely are only symptoms , not the root problem , '' Douglas Loverro , associate administrator of NASA 's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate , said during a briefing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida .
NASA hopes Boeing 's crew capsule eventually will ferry astronauts to and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during its December test flight , Starliner suffered multiple software glitches and failed to dock at the space station as planned .
In January , NASA and Boeing convened an independent review team to investigate the Starliner 's shortcomings .
The review is ongoing , but this week the review team offered preliminary findings , as well as an initial list of corrective actions .
Until Friday 's announcement and press briefing , Boeing and NASA had confirmed only one software error , which caused the capsule to miss a planned docking with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach the planned orbital height .
`` After finding the first software glitch , we went looking for similar problems , and we found one , '' said Jim Chilton , senior vice president of Boeing 's Space and Launch Division .
`` We found it because we went looking . ''
The joint NASA-Boeing investigation team found that ground intervention prevented loss of the vehicle in both cases .
`` While this anomaly was corrected in flight , if it had gone uncorrected , it would have led to erroneous thruster firings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] separation from deorbit , with the potential for a catastrophic spacecraft failure , '' said Paul Hill , a member of the NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel that is examining problems with the mission .
Hill is the former director of Mission Operations at NASA 's Lyndon B. Johnson 's Space Center in Houston and a former flight director for the space shuttle and International Space Station .
The additional software error places into further doubt that Starliner will be permitted to carry astronauts to the space station without another test flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crew Dragon capsule , is expected to carry two NASA astronauts to the space station as early as this spring .
The investigation also revealed issues with the vessel 's Intermittent space-to-ground communication system , which impeded the ability of Boeing 's engineers and flight managers to command and control the spacecraft -- and investigators already have provided 11 top-priority corrective actions to the Boeing team .
During Friday 's press briefing , NASA and Boeing officials said the software glitches were the result of breakdowns in both the design and code phase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The fixes will require `` systemic corrective actions , '' NASA said in a statement ahead of the briefing , with Loverro saying that `` numerous process escapes '' existed during which both NASA and Boeing could have uncovered the defects .
NASA said it expects to have the know the root causes of the issues and provide a full set of corrective actions for Starliner by the end of February .
`` We want to assure that these necessary steps are completely understood prior to determining the plan for future flights , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the anomaly investigation , NASA also is still reviewing the data collected from the test flight to help determine the future plan . ''
Shortly after its liftoff from Kennedy Space Center in Florida atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket -- on a mission to put the commercial capsule to the test -- the spacecraft immediately deviated from its flight plan , firing thrusters unexpectedly , reorienting itself and using too much fuel , which prevented rendezvous and docking with the space station .
Engineers on the ground regained control of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe orbit , albeit too low to rendezvous with the space station .
Mission controllers carried out as many other tests as possible and then brought Starliner back for a landing in New Mexico .
The capsule , which for the most part was not damaged in re-entry , is being refurbished at Kennedy Space Center .
`` We going to continue our ground software tests and we 're going to test until we get this right , '' said John Mulholland , vice president and program manager or Boeing 's Starliner program @

The Boeing Starliner spacecraft sits in its processing facility at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on Jan. 15 to be refurbished after its ill-fated flight. File Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Two "critical" software defects found after an unpiloted test flight of the Boeing Starliner capsule in December could have caused destruction of the vehicle had they not been corrected by ground controllers, NASA said Friday. "The two software issues are likely are only symptoms, not the root problem," Douglas Loverro, associate administrator of NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, said during a briefing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Advertisement
NASA hopes Boeing's crew capsule eventually will ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station, but during its December test flight, Starliner suffered multiple software glitches and failed to dock at the space station as planned.
In January, NASA and Boeing convened an independent review team to investigate the Starliner's shortcomings. The review is ongoing, but this week the review team offered preliminary findings, as well as an initial list of corrective actions.
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Until Friday's announcement and press briefing, Boeing and NASA had confirmed only one software error, which caused the capsule to miss a planned docking with International Space Station because Starliner did not reach the planned orbital height.
"After finding the first software glitch, we went looking for similar problems, and we found one," said Jim Chilton, senior vice president of Boeing's Space and Launch Division. "We found it because we went looking."
The joint NASA-Boeing investigation team found that ground intervention prevented loss of the vehicle in both cases.
"While this anomaly was corrected in flight, if it had gone uncorrected, it would have led to erroneous thruster firings and uncontrolled motion during [service module] separation from deorbit, with the potential for a catastrophic spacecraft failure," said Paul Hill, a member of the NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel that is examining problems with the mission.
Hill is the former director of Mission Operations at NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson's Space Center in Houston and a former flight director for the space shuttle and International Space Station.
The additional software error places into further doubt that Starliner will be permitted to carry astronauts to the space station without another test flight. SpaceX, which has developed a Crew Dragon capsule, is expected to carry two NASA astronauts to the space station as early as this spring.
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The investigation also revealed issues with the vessel's Intermittent space-to-ground communication system, which impeded the ability of Boeing's engineers and flight managers to command and control the spacecraft -- and investigators already have provided 11 top-priority corrective actions to the Boeing team.
During Friday's press briefing, NASA and Boeing officials said the software glitches were the result of breakdowns in both the design and code phase and the test and verification phase.
The fixes will require "systemic corrective actions," NASA said in a statement ahead of the briefing, with Loverro saying that "numerous process escapes" existed during which both NASA and Boeing could have uncovered the defects.
NASA said it expects to have the know the root causes of the issues and provide a full set of corrective actions for Starliner by the end of February.
"We want to assure that these necessary steps are completely understood prior to determining the plan for future flights," NASA said. "Separately from the anomaly investigation, NASA also is still reviewing the data collected from the test flight to help determine the future plan."
Shortly after its liftoff from Kennedy Space Center in Florida atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket -- on a mission to put the commercial capsule to the test -- the spacecraft immediately deviated from its flight plan, firing thrusters unexpectedly, reorienting itself and using too much fuel, which prevented rendezvous and docking with the space station.
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Engineers on the ground regained control of the spacecraft and placed it in a safe orbit, albeit too low to rendezvous with the space station. Mission controllers carried out as many other tests as possible and then brought Starliner back for a landing in New Mexico.
The capsule, which for the most part was not damaged in re-entry, is being refurbished at Kennedy Space Center.
"We going to continue our ground software tests and we're going to test until we get this right," said John Mulholland, vice president and program manager or Boeing's Starliner program.


upi--2020-02-07--Douglas Hodge, financier in college cheating scandal, gets longest sentence yet

Douglas Hodge, financier in college cheating scandal, gets longest sentence yet -- 9 months

Feb. 7 ( UPI ) -- Douglas Hodge , the former CEO of investment company Pimco , was sentenced Friday to nine months in prison -- the harshest punishment yet in the nationwide college admissions scandal .
A federal judge in Boston sentenced Hodge to prison and ordered him to pay a $ 750,000 fine .
Prosecutors say he paid $ 850,000 over several years to falsify admissions criteria and get four of his children admitted to prestigious universities in Los Angeles and Washington , D.C .
They were to be admitted as soccer and tennis athletes , the charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused of trying to get another child into Loyola Marymount University , was the 14th parent in the national scandal to be sentenced since the operation , code named `` Varsity Blues , '' was announced last year .
Prosecutors said although he already enjoyed `` extreme , almost unfathomable privilege '' as CEO of Pacific Investment Management Co. , Hodge used a `` back door '' method to gain college admittance for his children and used it longer and more often than the other 35 parents in the scam .
The court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service .
U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton called his actions `` appalling and mind-boggling at the same time . ''
Prosecutors , who regarded Hodge as the most culpable of all parents involved in the case by repeatedly using the scheme for the advantage of his children , argued for a two-year prison sentence .
Hodge pleaded guilty last fall to charges of mail fraud , wire fraud , hones services mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering .
`` As a parent , I have counseled my children to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them right from wrong .
Well , I did not listen to mine , '' he said in court .
Thirty-one people involved in the scandal have either pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty , and the other 22 have requested trial .
Of the 53 people charged , 36 are parents or college coaches .

Hodge paid $850,000 over a decade to obtain phony athletic scholarships at prestigious universities for four of his children. File Photo by C.J. Gunther/EPA-EFE
Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Douglas Hodge, the former CEO of investment company Pimco, was sentenced Friday to nine months in prison -- the harshest punishment yet in the nationwide college admissions scandal. A federal judge in Boston sentenced Hodge to prison and ordered him to pay a $750,000 fine. Prosecutors say he paid $850,000 over several years to falsify admissions criteria and get four of his children admitted to prestigious universities in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. They were to be admitted as soccer and tennis athletes, the charges said. Advertisement
Hodge, who was also accused of trying to get another child into Loyola Marymount University, was the 14th parent in the national scandal to be sentenced since the operation, code named "Varsity Blues," was announced last year.
Prosecutors said although he already enjoyed "extreme, almost unfathomable privilege" as CEO of Pacific Investment Management Co., Hodge used a "back door" method to gain college admittance for his children and used it longer and more often than the other 35 parents in the scam.
The court ordered Hodge to 500 hours of community service. U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton called his actions "appalling and mind-boggling at the same time."
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Prosecutors, who regarded Hodge as the most culpable of all parents involved in the case by repeatedly using the scheme for the advantage of his children, argued for a two-year prison sentence.
Hodge pleaded guilty last fall to charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, hones services mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
"As a parent, I have counseled my children to listen to that inner voice that tells them right from wrong. Well, I did not listen to mine," he said in court.
Thirty-one people involved in the scandal have either pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty, and the other 22 have requested trial. Of the 53 people charged, 36 are parents or college coaches.


upi--2020-02-09--Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wins 2020 Daytona 500 pole

Feb. 9 ( UPI ) -- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will start on the front row after winning the pole Sunday for the season-opening Daytona 500 next week at Daytona International Speedway .
Stenhouse turned a fast lap of 194.582 mph to claim the pole position , edging Alex Bowman for the top spot in the race .
Bowman reached 194.363 mph around the 2 1/2-mile track to secure a front-row spot for the third straight year .
He finished 17th and 11th in the previous two openers .
Stenhouse 's third pole in 257 Cup Series starts and first at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new Chevrolet Camaro .
Next Sunday 's Daytona 500 also will be Stenhouse 's first start with JTG-Daugherty Racing .
He replaced Ryan Preece in the No .
47 Chevrolet .
`` It 's cool , '' Stenhouse told reporters Sunday .
`` [ Team owner ] Tad [ Geschickter ] and [ wife ] Jodi are back at the shop with everybody .
So I 'm just thankful for the opportunity to be here and to bring guys with me like [ crew chief ] Brian [ Pattie ] .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're in my corner and they 've been behind me throughout all my career .
`` [ Competition director ] Ernie [ Cope ] runs a great organization and a great shop .
...
I 'm really proud to put our Kroger Chevy on the pole on Kroger pole day for the Daytona 500 .
That was our goal coming down here .
Pattie was working really hard all off-season for that goal and everybody chipped in . ''
Only the top two spots were set in single-car qualifying .
The starting order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be determined by a pair of qualifying races Thursday at Daytona .
Bowman 's teammates , Chase Elliott and Jimmie Johnson , qualified third and fourth and will start on the front row for Thursday 's Duel races .
Defending Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin was the fifth-fastest driver , while Christopher Bell ( ninth ) was the fastest rookie .
Reigning Cup Series champion Kyle Busch was sixth-fastest .

1/2
Pole winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (right) and Alex Bowman will start on the front row for the 2020 Daytona 500 next week at Daytona International Speedway. Photo by Mike Gentry/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will start on the front row after winning the pole Sunday for the season-opening Daytona 500 next week at Daytona International Speedway. Stenhouse turned a fast lap of 194.582 mph to claim the pole position, edging Alex Bowman for the top spot in the race. Bowman reached 194.363 mph around the 2 1/2-mile track to secure a front-row spot for the third straight year. He finished 17th and 11th in the previous two openers. Advertisement
Stenhouse's third pole in 257 Cup Series starts and first at Daytona came on his second day in the new Chevrolet Camaro.
Next Sunday's Daytona 500 also will be Stenhouse's first start with JTG-Daugherty Racing. He replaced Ryan Preece in the No. 47 Chevrolet.
"It's cool," Stenhouse told reporters Sunday. "[Team owner] Tad [Geschickter] and [wife] Jodi are back at the shop with everybody. So I'm just thankful for the opportunity to be here and to bring guys with me like [crew chief] Brian [Pattie]. They've been working really hard. They're in my corner and they've been behind me throughout all my career.
"[Competition director] Ernie [Cope] runs a great organization and a great shop. ... I'm really proud to put our Kroger Chevy on the pole on Kroger pole day for the Daytona 500. That was our goal coming down here. Pattie was working really hard all off-season for that goal and everybody chipped in."
Advertisement RETWEET TO CONGRATULATE RICKY STENHOUSE JR. ON HIS DAYTONA 500 POLE! pic.twitter.com/mUGKSsWluy— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 9, 2020
Only the top two spots were set in single-car qualifying. The starting order for the remainder of the 40-car field will be determined by a pair of qualifying races Thursday at Daytona.
Bowman's teammates, Chase Elliott and Jimmie Johnson, qualified third and fourth and will start on the front row for Thursday's Duel races.
Defending Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin was the fifth-fastest driver, while Christopher Bell (ninth) was the fastest rookie. Reigning Cup Series champion Kyle Busch was sixth-fastest.