upi--2020-03-09--Norway intercepts Russian aircraft with F-35s for first time

March 9 ( UPI ) -- The first interception and shadow of Russian aircraft by an F-35A fighter plane was conducted over the weekend by the Norwegian Air Force , officials said .
When two Russian Tu-142 anti-submarine aircraft , with MiG-31 fighter planes escorting them , came close to Norway 's airspace on Saturday , two Norwegian F-16 planes on NATO 's `` Quick Reaction Alert '' took off from Orland Air Station to identify and shadow them .
The F-16s were later relieved by two F-35As , also scrambled from Orland .
British Typhoon planes later took over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until they departed .
The operation took 13 hours and was supported by tanker aircraft , according to The Aviationist .
`` I am glad that the F-35 now contributes to understanding the situation and presence in our immediate areas , '' Lt. Gen. Rune Jakobsen of the Norwegian Air Force said of the mission .
`` Our fighter jets can now take care of both Iceland and home .
This shows that we have taken major and important steps towards getting operational benefit from the F-35 . ''
Norway has seven operational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing and integration , of a planned fleet of 52 .
The F-35As used in Saturday 's intercept incident were deployed three weeks ago to Iceland .
Submarines and ships of NATO partners are currently involved in bringing supplies to Cold Response , a multinational exercise underway in Norway , which ends on March 18 .

Norway's Air Force used its new F-35A fighter planes to intercept and shadow Russian aircraft on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Norwegian Air Force.
March 9 (UPI) -- The first interception and shadow of Russian aircraft by an F-35A fighter plane was conducted over the weekend by the Norwegian Air Force, officials said. When two Russian Tu-142 anti-submarine aircraft, with MiG-31 fighter planes escorting them, came close to Norway's airspace on Saturday, two Norwegian F-16 planes on NATO's "Quick Reaction Alert" took off from Orland Air Station to identify and shadow them. Advertisement
The F-16s were later relieved by two F-35As, also scrambled from Orland. British Typhoon planes later took over the mission of shadowing the Russian planes until they departed. The operation took 13 hours and was supported by tanker aircraft, according to The Aviationist.
"I am glad that the F-35 now contributes to understanding the situation and presence in our immediate areas," Lt. Gen. Rune Jakobsen of the Norwegian Air Force said of the mission. "Our fighter jets can now take care of both Iceland and home. This shows that we have taken major and important steps towards getting operational benefit from the F-35."
Norway has seven operational F-35As, with nine more currently undergoing testing and integration, of a planned fleet of 52. The F-35As used in Saturday's intercept incident were deployed three weeks ago to Iceland.
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Submarines and ships of NATO partners are currently involved in bringing supplies to Cold Response, a multinational exercise underway in Norway, which ends on March 18.


upi--2020-03-10--U.S. begins withdrawing some troops from Afghanistan

March 10 ( UPI ) -- The United States has begun withdrawing troops from Afghanistan under the terms of a peace deal signed with the Taliban as the Afghan government remains mired in a leadership struggle .
Under the terms of the historic agreement signed late last month , the United States committed to reducing its forces from 13,000 troops to 8,600 within 135 days .
That process began Monday , U.S .
Forces Afghanistan spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett said in a statement , adding that even with the draw-down , the United States will maintain `` all the military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- including conducting counterterrorism operations against al-Qaeda and [ Islamic State ] and providing support to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces . ''
In exchange for the U.S. troop reductions , the Taliban agreed to participate in intra-Afghan talks with the Kabul government to reach a power-sharing arrangement .
Those talks were scheduled to start Tuesday in Norway but have been delayed as the Afghan government was preoccupied by a political dispute and the reluctance of President Ashraf Ghani to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners as called for in the U.S.-Taliban peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Executive Abdullah Abdullah held dueling inaugurations Monday -- both have claimed victory in the presidential election last year .
Ghani , however , was declared the winner by the country 's electoral commission and is recognized by the international community as Afghanistan 's legitimate leader .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Ghani and Abdullah to form a unity government and said Washington `` opposes any effort to establish a parallel government or any use of force to resolve political differences , '' while U.S. peace envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad promised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in finding a solution .
Ghani 's swearing-in ceremony in Kabul Monday was marred when at least three rockets were fired nearby , with one landing inside the grounds of the presidential palace , damaging a vehicle .
The Islamic State claimed responsibility .
Ghani said in his inaugural address he will announce the composition of his intra-Afghan negotiating team on Tuesday , as well as an official position on the release of Taliban prisoners .
The Taliban have demanded the prisoner exchange be completed before the start of any negotiations .

U.S. soldiers attend a training session for the Afghan Army in Herat, Afghanistan, on May 2, 2019. File Photo by Jalil Rezayee/EPA-EFE
March 10 (UPI) -- The United States has begun withdrawing troops from Afghanistan under the terms of a peace deal signed with the Taliban as the Afghan government remains mired in a leadership struggle. Under the terms of the historic agreement signed late last month, the United States committed to reducing its forces from 13,000 troops to 8,600 within 135 days. Advertisement
That process began Monday, U.S. Forces Afghanistan spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett said in a statement, adding that even with the draw-down, the United States will maintain "all the military means and authorities to accomplish our objectives -- including conducting counterterrorism operations against al-Qaeda and [Islamic State] and providing support to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces."
In exchange for the U.S. troop reductions, the Taliban agreed to participate in intra-Afghan talks with the Kabul government to reach a power-sharing arrangement.
Those talks were scheduled to start Tuesday in Norway but have been delayed as the Afghan government was preoccupied by a political dispute and the reluctance of President Ashraf Ghani to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners as called for in the U.S.-Taliban peace deal.
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Ghani and rival Afghanistan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah held dueling inaugurations Monday -- both have claimed victory in the presidential election last year. Ghani, however, was declared the winner by the country's electoral commission and is recognized by the international community as Afghanistan's legitimate leader.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Ghani and Abdullah to form a unity government and said Washington "opposes any effort to establish a parallel government or any use of force to resolve political differences," while U.S. peace envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad promised to "continue to assist" them in finding a solution.
Ghani's swearing-in ceremony in Kabul Monday was marred when at least three rockets were fired nearby, with one landing inside the grounds of the presidential palace, damaging a vehicle. The Islamic State claimed responsibility.
Ghani said in his inaugural address he will announce the composition of his intra-Afghan negotiating team on Tuesday, as well as an official position on the release of Taliban prisoners.
The Taliban have demanded the prisoner exchange be completed before the start of any negotiations.


upi--2020-03-10--Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders vie for 352 delegates in Michigan, Washington, 4 other states

March 10 ( UPI ) -- Six states will vote Tuesday in Democratic presidential primaries , as former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders fight for the delegate lead ahead of the national convention .
A combined 352 delegates are up for grabs Tuesday after voting in Idaho , Michigan , Mississippi , Missouri , North Dakota and Washington .
A week ago , Biden took over as the party front-runner after a dominating performance on Super Tuesday a week ago , when he won 10 states to Sanders ' four -- including Texas , a state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Both candidates campaigned hard in Michigan on Monday , which is the top prize among Tuesday 's contests .
The state will award 125 delegates Tuesday .
Whoever wins Tuesday , Michigan is also a state that will be critical for them to win in November .
The state voted for then-Republican candidate Donald Trump four years ago and was considered one of the key surprise victories that helped him win the presidency over Democrat Hillary Clinton .
`` I put my faith in Michigan in the depths of the Great Recession @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do , that our greatest days still lie ahead , I hope that you 'll put your faith in Team Joe , '' Biden tweeted late Monday .
`` In moments of crisis , presidential leadership is even more important .
But time and time again , Donald Trump has proven just how incapable he is of rising to the occasion .
He is dangerously unfit to lead our country through a global health challenge . ''
Biden comes into the state fresh off receiving multiple new endorsements , including California Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a possible running mate , and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker .
The former vice president has also received endorsements from more than 40 governors and members of Congress , not to mention former candidates Amy Klobuchar , Pete Buttigieg , Beto O'Rourke and Michael Bloomberg .
Sanders attended a roundtable event in Detroit with health officials and discussed the coronavirus outbreak , and how is the best way to address the spread .
`` With the spread of coronavirus , we have already seen people hit with massive medical bills , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting tested .
Others may face massive bills for hospitalization , treatment and quarantine if they need it .
This must end .
We need Medicare for All , '' he said .
Michigan and Missouri , which has 68 delegates up for grabs , both will hold a form of open primary on Tuesday , in which voters can request a ballot for any party on election day .
Michigan 's , however , requires voters to identify in writing which party they wish to vote for when they arrive at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to award holds a firehouse caucus , which are run by the party and allow anyone to participate .
Idaho will award 20 delegates .
Many voters in Washington -- which holds the second-highest delegate total Tuesday , at 89 -- cast their ballots by mail , which must be postmarked no later than Tuesday .

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Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks in front of the Gateway Arch during a campaign stop in St. Louis, Mo., on Saturday. He won most of the vote in Tuesday's Missouri primary. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
March 10 (UPI) -- Former Vice President Joe Biden won at least four of the six Democratic primaries held Tuesday night -- in Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi and Missouri -- while Bernie Sanders won North Dakota, and the race in Washington state is a close contest. Biden won the top prize in Michigan, which awards 125 delegates, defeating the Vermont senator by about 250,000 votes. The former vice president won 53 delegates. Advertisement
Biden also won convincing victories in Mississippi, with more than 80 percent of the vote, and Missouri. Those states awarded him nearly 70 delegates. His margin of victory was about 7,000 votes in Idaho.
Sanders picked up a handful of delegates in North Dakota, where he beat Biden with more than 53 percent of the vote. He holds a slim lead in Washington.
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Following the votes Tuesday, Biden now holds a delegate count of 823 to Sanders' 663. A total of 1,991 is needed to secure the Democratic nomination at the party's convention in Milwaukee in July.
Tuesday's results continue Biden's sweeping momentum in the Democratic race. A week ago, he took over as the party front-runner after a dominating performance on Super Tuesday, when he won 10 states to Sanders' four -- including Texas.
Both candidates campaigned in Michigan on Monday, a state that will be crucial for the Democratic nominee to win in November. The state voted for Republican Donald Trump four years ago and was considered one of the key surprise victories that helped him win the presidency over Democrat Hillary Clinton.
"It's been a great night -- thank you for all of your support!" Biden said early Wednesday. "We're bringing this party together and it's going to take all of us to keep it going.
"Tonight made one thing clear: We're building the campaign that will win this nomination and defeat Donald Trump."
Former Democratic candidate Andrew Yang endorsed Biden on Tuesday night, saying "the math says Joe is our prohibitive nominee."
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"I believe that Joe Biden will be the Democratic nominee and I've always said I'm going to support whoever the nominee is," added Yang, who's been working as a CNN analyst since dropping out of the race. "So I hereby am endorsing Joe Biden to be not just the nominee for the Democratic party but the next president of the United States."
Biden entered Tuesday with new endorsements, including California Sen. Kamala Harris, who's been floated as a possible running mate, and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. The former vice president has also received endorsements from more than 40 governors and members of Congress, plus former candidates Sen. Amy Klobuchar, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Rep. Beto O'Rourke and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Sanders attended a roundtable event in Detroit with health officials and discussed how to best address the coronavirus outbreak.
"With the spread of coronavirus, we have already seen people hit with massive medical bills, simply for doing the right thing by getting tested. Others may face massive bills for hospitalization, treatment and quarantine if they need it. This must end. We need Medicare for all," he said.
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Both Sanders and Biden canceled rallies in Cleveland on Tuesday night to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. Ohio will stage its primary next Tuesday, along with delegate-heavy states Illinois and Florida.
Nothing can top this endorsement. pic.twitter.com/sfJpFQ8ig8— Joe Biden (Text Join to 30330) (@JoeBiden) March 10, 2020
Michigan and Missouri held an open form of primary on Tuesday, in which voters could request a ballot for any party. The state, however, required voters to identify in writing which party they were voting for when they arrived at the polls.
Kansas City, Mo., Mayor Quinton Lucas tweeted that he was turned away from his polling place when he attempted to vote Tuesday.
"I made a video this morning about the importance of voting and then got turned away because I wasn't in the system even though I've voted there for 11 years, including for myself four times!" Lucas wrote. "Go figure, but that's okay. We'll be back later today!"
I made a video this morning about the importance of voting and then got turned away because I wasn't in the system even though I've voted there for 11 years, including for myself four times! Go figure, but that's okay. We'll be back later today! #Vote #KCMO pic.twitter.com/3mYNrO6jmC— Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) March 10, 2020 Advertisement
North Dakota, with 18 delegates, held a firehouse caucus, which is run by the party and allowed anyone to participate. Many voters in Washington cast their ballots by mail, which must have been postmarked no later than Tuesday.


upi--2020-03-10--Xi Jinping visits Wuhan amid drop in COVID-19 cases in China; WHO says virus threatens to become pan

Xi Jinping visits Wuhan amid drop in COVID-19 cases in China; WHO says virus threatens to become pandemic

March 10 ( UPI ) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping made a surprise visit on Tuesday to Wuhan , ground zero of the ongoing coronavirus epidemic , as the number of COVID-19 infections nationwide continues to drop .
China 's official media The People 's Daily reported that Xi arrived Tuesday morning in Wuhan , a city of some 11 million people that has been under lockdown for over a month due to the COVID-19 outbreak , to inspect work being done to contain the virus ' spread .
Wuhan , the capital of China 's central Hubei province , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the World Health Organization said is where the coronavirus emerged in early December before infecting the Asian nation and then spreading to every continent but Antarctica .
Xi was also scheduled to visit medical workers , military commanders , soldiers , patients and residents of Wuhan during his visit , the paper said .
His trip to the city coincided with Chinese health officials reporting 19 new cases of COVID-19 in the country in the past 24 hours , continuing a steady drop in its number of new coronavirus infections .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were reported in Wuhan with the other two entering the country from abroad , making Monday the third consecutive day no new cases were reported to have emerged from outside of Hubei province in China .
In total , China has recorded 80,754 cases of COVID-19 since the outbreak began .
China also registered 17 deaths to the virus in the past 24 hours , all in Hubei , increasing the country 's death toll to 3,136 .
China 's steady decline came as cases worldwide continued to climb .
During a briefing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus remarked not only has the virus infected more than 100 countries and crossed the 100,000 cases mark , but it had done so rapidly .
`` Now that the virus has a foothold in so many countries , the threat of a pandemic has become very real , '' he said .
`` But it would be the first pandemic in history that could be controlled . ''
He said of the more than 110,000 confirmed cases , 93 percent reside in four countries -- China , Italy , South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` an uneven epidemic at the global level . ''
Both China and South Korea were experiencing recent declines , he said .
`` The bottom line is : We are not at the mercy of this virus , '' Ghebreyesus said .
In the past 24 hours , WHO reported Bangladesh , Albania and Paraguay added their names to the growing list of countries that have recorded at least one infection of the virus .
Since WHO 's daily report was published Monday , Panama and Mongolia confirmed first infections .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University , at least 115 countries have been infected .
Mongolia on Tuesday reported its first COVID-19 case and in response locked down its city centers through prohibiting all traffic between them .
The government of Mongolia said in a statement that its first COVID-19 patient was a French national working at the Badrakh Energy company who had arrived in the capital Ulaanbaatar via plane from Moscow earlier in the month .
In response to the infection , the State Emergency Commission ordered the suspension of all transportation , including road , air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to official state-operated news agency Montsame .
The government also isolated 28 people who had traveled on the same train as the French national and 59 Badrakh Energy employees .
In total , 120 people who have come into close contact with the French national have been taken into quarantine , the government said .
Meanwhile , India 's northeastern state of Manipur indefinitely closed its border with Myanmar on Tuesday .
Myanmar has yet to report infection of the virus while India has 47 though none in Manipur , according to India @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Singh , chief minister of Manipur , said the action was taken `` as a precautionary measure . ''
Nearby Arunachal Pradesh , also in the northeast , prohibited foreigners from entering India via its borders on Saturday `` in view of the reported cases of virus being detected in our country through people coming from abroad , '' Pema Khandu , chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh , said via Twitter .
India earlier Tuesday also repatriated 58 pilgrims via military aircraft from Iran , which has the fourth-highest number of cases at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harsh Vardhan said the evacuees consisted of 31 women , 25 men and two children .
The India Air Force C-17 plane departed from the capital Tehran early Tuesday and landed at Hindon outside New Delhi , Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar announced on Twitter .
`` Mission completed , '' he said , adding they are working on returning more Indians stranded in the Middle Eastern country .
Vardhan said the passengers will undergo a 14-day quarantine .
South Korea on Tuesday also reported 131 new cases of the virus over the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of infections to 7,513 , making it the world 's third-largest epidemic after China and Italy .
It also reported three more deaths from the day prior , increasing its death toll to 54 .

President Xi Jinping visits patients who are being treated for coronavirus by video calls at the Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, on Tuesday. Photo by Ju Peng/EPA-EFE/XINHUA
March 10 (UPI) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping made a surprise visit on Tuesday to Wuhan, ground zero of the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, as the number of COVID-19 infections nationwide continues to drop. China's official media The People's Daily reported that Xi arrived Tuesday morning in Wuhan, a city of some 11 million people that has been under lockdown for over a month due to the COVID-19 outbreak, to inspect work being done to contain the virus' spread. Advertisement
Wuhan, the capital of China's central Hubei province, is home to a now-shuttered seafood market that the World Health Organization said is where the coronavirus emerged in early December before infecting the Asian nation and then spreading to every continent but Antarctica.
Xi was also scheduled to visit medical workers, military commanders, soldiers, patients and residents of Wuhan during his visit, the paper said.
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His trip to the city coincided with Chinese health officials reporting 19 new cases of COVID-19 in the country in the past 24 hours, continuing a steady drop in its number of new coronavirus infections.
The health officials said 17 of the cases were reported in Wuhan with the other two entering the country from abroad, making Monday the third consecutive day no new cases were reported to have emerged from outside of Hubei province in China.
In total, China has recorded 80,754 cases of COVID-19 since the outbreak began.
China also registered 17 deaths to the virus in the past 24 hours, all in Hubei, increasing the country's death toll to 3,136.
China's steady decline came as cases worldwide continued to climb.
During a briefing with reporters on Monday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus remarked not only has the virus infected more than 100 countries and crossed the 100,000 cases mark, but it had done so rapidly.
"Now that the virus has a foothold in so many countries, the threat of a pandemic has become very real," he said. "But it would be the first pandemic in history that could be controlled."
He said of the more than 110,000 confirmed cases, 93 percent reside in four countries -- China, Italy, South Korea and Iran -- calling the outbreak "an uneven epidemic at the global level."
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Both China and South Korea were experiencing recent declines, he said.
"The bottom line is: We are not at the mercy of this virus," Ghebreyesus said.
In the past 24 hours, WHO reported Bangladesh, Albania and Paraguay added their names to the growing list of countries that have recorded at least one infection of the virus. Since WHO's daily report was published Monday, Panama and Mongolia confirmed first infections. According to a live tally by Johns Hopkins University, at least 115 countries have been infected.
Asia
Mongolia on Tuesday reported its first COVID-19 case and in response locked down its city centers through prohibiting all traffic between them.
The government of Mongolia said in a statement that its first COVID-19 patient was a French national working at the Badrakh Energy company who had arrived in the capital Ulaanbaatar via plane from Moscow earlier in the month.
In response to the infection, the State Emergency Commission ordered the suspension of all transportation, including road, air and rail, until Monday, according to official state-operated news agency Montsame.
The government also isolated 28 people who had traveled on the same train as the French national and 59 Badrakh Energy employees. In total, 120 people who have come into close contact with the French national have been taken into quarantine, the government said.
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Meanwhile, India's northeastern state of Manipur indefinitely closed its border with Myanmar on Tuesday.
Myanmar has yet to report infection of the virus while India has 47 though none in Manipur, according to India's Ministry of Health.
N. Biren Singh, chief minister of Manipur, said the action was taken "as a precautionary measure."
Nearby Arunachal Pradesh, also in the northeast, prohibited foreigners from entering India via its borders on Saturday "in view of the reported cases of virus being detected in our country through people coming from abroad," Pema Khandu, chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, said via Twitter.
India earlier Tuesday also repatriated 58 pilgrims via military aircraft from Iran, which has the fourth-highest number of cases at 7,161. Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan said the evacuees consisted of 31 women, 25 men and two children.
The India Air Force C-17 plane departed from the capital Tehran early Tuesday and landed at Hindon outside New Delhi, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar announced on Twitter.
"Mission completed," he said, adding they are working on returning more Indians stranded in the Middle Eastern country.
Vardhan said the passengers will undergo a 14-day quarantine.
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South Korea on Tuesday also reported 131 new cases of the virus over the previous 24 hours, increasing its total number of infections to 7,513, making it the world's third-largest epidemic after China and Italy.
It also reported three more deaths from the day prior, increasing its death toll to 54.


upi--2020-03-10--'Universal' flu vaccine shows promise in clinical trials

Work is proceeding apace on a `` universal '' flu vaccine capable of protecting humans from all forms of influenza , researchers report .
A single dose of a synthetic universal flu vaccine called FLU-v appears capable of providing safe long-term protection across a broad spectrum of influenza viruses , a new clinical trial has shown .
FLU-v outperformed a placebo in elevating people 's immune response , as measured by a number of different biomarkers related to the immune system , researchers found .
The experimental vaccine now awaits a phase 3 trial that will test how well it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said lead researcher Olga Pleguezuelos , chief scientific officer at SEEKacure , a London-based pharmaceutical development firm .
FLU-v works by targeting parts of the influenza virus that have been shown to evolve the least over time , Pleguezuelos said .
Influenza has sickened as many as 49 million Americans this season and caused up to 620,000 hospitalizations and 52,000 deaths , according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Current annual vaccines trigger the production of antibodies that target proteins found on the surface of the flu virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regions targeted by those vaccine-produced antibodies tend to mutate frequently , requiring the development of new vaccines to keep up with the ever-changing flu bug .
FLU-v targets proteins that do n't vary widely between different strains , reducing the ability of influenza to mask itself from the immune system by evolving into a different form , Pleguezuelos explained .
Researchers used computer algorithms to detect which protein regions in flu were likely to induce a strong immune response , and then analyzed how frequently those regions mutate .
To strengthen that protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to target multiple flu proteins that typically are n't under evolutionary pressure to mutate , researchers added .
`` FLU-v contains four different components against four different regions of the flu virus , so if one changed , three will still provide efficacy , '' Pleguezuelos said .
In the latest clinical trial , the researchers found the vaccine promoted antibody responses and immune system changes in 175 healthy adults assigned to receive either the flu shot or a placebo .
Side effects were limited mainly to injection site reactions , the researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the journal Annals of Internal Medicine .
`` In order for the vaccine to reach the market , a phase 3 trial must be carried out to test efficacy and safety in large number of people , '' Pleguezuelos said .
`` This type of study is complex and very costly and we are currently in discussions with regulatory bodies to determine the requirements of such study , and searching for investment and funding . ''
The results from the latest clinical trial are `` very encouraging , '' said Dr. Amesh Adalja @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore .
`` It illustrates that a candidate universal flu vaccine may be possible and sufficiently immunogenic .
It will be important to follow this study up with a phase 3 study that looks at efficacy of preventing influenza versus just looking at immunogenicity , '' said Adalja , who was not part of the study .
`` A universal flu vaccine would be a major advance and would change the dynamics between humans and the influenza virus in a very positive way , '' Adalja concluded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also are being utilized to develop potential vaccines against HIV , mosquito-borne pathogens , hepatitis B and C , and rotavirus , Pleguezuelos said .
The same sort of platform also could be used to develop a coronavirus vaccine , she added .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have more about the flu .

Work is proceeding apace on a "universal" flu vaccine capable of protecting humans from all forms of influenza, researchers report.
A single dose of a synthetic universal flu vaccine called FLU-v appears capable of providing safe long-term protection across a broad spectrum of influenza viruses, a new clinical trial has shown.
Advertisement
FLU-v outperformed a placebo in elevating people's immune response, as measured by a number of different biomarkers related to the immune system, researchers found.
The experimental vaccine now awaits a phase 3 trial that will test how well it actually protects against the seasonal flu, said lead researcher Olga Pleguezuelos, chief scientific officer at SEEKacure, a London-based pharmaceutical development firm.
FLU-v works by targeting parts of the influenza virus that have been shown to evolve the least over time, Pleguezuelos said.
Influenza has sickened as many as 49 million Americans this season and caused up to 620,000 hospitalizations and 52,000 deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Advertisement
Current annual vaccines trigger the production of antibodies that target proteins found on the surface of the flu virus, Pleguezuelos said.
Unfortunately, the virus regions targeted by those vaccine-produced antibodies tend to mutate frequently, requiring the development of new vaccines to keep up with the ever-changing flu bug.
FLU-v targets proteins that don't vary widely between different strains, reducing the ability of influenza to mask itself from the immune system by evolving into a different form, Pleguezuelos explained.
Researchers used computer algorithms to detect which protein regions in flu were likely to induce a strong immune response, and then analyzed how frequently those regions mutate.
To strengthen that protection, FLU-v also trains the immune system to target multiple flu proteins that typically aren't under evolutionary pressure to mutate, researchers added.
"FLU-v contains four different components against four different regions of the flu virus, so if one changed, three will still provide efficacy," Pleguezuelos said.
In the latest clinical trial, the researchers found the vaccine promoted antibody responses and immune system changes in 175 healthy adults assigned to receive either the flu shot or a placebo.
Side effects were limited mainly to injection site reactions, the researchers reported in the March 9 issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
Advertisement
"In order for the vaccine to reach the market, a phase 3 trial must be carried out to test efficacy and safety in large number of people," Pleguezuelos said. "This type of study is complex and very costly and we are currently in discussions with regulatory bodies to determine the requirements of such study, and searching for investment and funding."
The results from the latest clinical trial are "very encouraging," said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore.
"It illustrates that a candidate universal flu vaccine may be possible and sufficiently immunogenic. It will be important to follow this study up with a phase 3 study that looks at efficacy of preventing influenza versus just looking at immunogenicity," said Adalja, who was not part of the study.
"A universal flu vaccine would be a major advance and would change the dynamics between humans and the influenza virus in a very positive way," Adalja concluded.
The methods used to develop FLU-v also are being utilized to develop potential vaccines against HIV, mosquito-borne pathogens, hepatitis B and C, and rotavirus, Pleguezuelos said.
The same sort of platform also could be used to develop a coronavirus vaccine, she added.
Advertisement
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have more about the flu.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-03-10--Famous birthdays for March 10: Paget Brewster, Chuck Norris

March 10 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Pisces .
-- Kim @ @ @ @ @ prime minister of Canada , in 1947 ( age 73 )

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Chuck Norris campaigns with Mike Huckabee at the American Legion in Rochester, N.H., on January 7, 2008. The actor turns 80 on March 10. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
March 10 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Pisces. They include: Advertisement
-- Actor Barry Fitzgerald in 1888
-- Poet Margaret Fishback in 1900
-- James Earl Ray, convicted assassin of Martin Luther King Jr., in 1928
-- Playwright David Rabe in 1940 (age 80)
-- Actor Chuck Norris in 1940 (age 80)
-- College basketball Coach Jim Valvano in 1946
-- Kim Campbell, the first female prime minister of Canada, in 1947 (age 73)
File Photo by Patrick D. McDermott/UPI
-- Journalist Bob Greene in 1947 (age 73)
-- Al-Qaida founder Osama bin Laden in 1957
-- Actor Sharon Stone in 1958 (age 62)
-- Olympic gold medal gymnast Mitch Gaylord in 1961 (age 59)
-- Actor Jasmine Guy in 1962 (age 58)
-- Britain's Prince Edward in 1964 (age 56)
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-- Singer Edie Brickell in 1966 (age 54)
-- Actor Paget Brewster in 1969 (age 51)
-- Actor Jon Hamm in 1971 (age 49)
File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
-- Rapper Timbaland, born Timothy Zachery Mosley, in 1972 (age 48)
-- Singer Robin Thicke in 1977 (age 43)
-- Olympic gold medal gymnast Shannon Miller in 1977 (age 43)
-- Singer Carrie Underwood in 1983 (age 37)
-- Actor Olivia Wilde in 1984 (age 36)
-- Singer Emeli Sande in 1987 (age 33)
-- Actor Emily Osment in 1992 (age 28)
File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI


upi--2020-03-10--On This Day, March 10: Lee Boyd Malvo sentenced to life for D.C. sniper shootings

March 10 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1862 , the U.S. Treasury issued `` legal tender notes '' in denominations from $ 5 to $ 1,000 , the first U.S. paper money .
In 1876 , Alexander Graham Bell transmitted the first telephone message to his assistant in the next room : `` Mr. Watson , come here .
I want you . ''
In 1880 , the Salvation Army of the United States was founded in New York City .
In 1933 , Harry W. Frantz , a correspondent for United Press , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation , arguing that the history of the United States `` strongly suggests the possibility of a prompt recuperation from the present banking and money crisis . ''
In 1959 , more than 300,000 Tibetans , fearing the Chinese were plotting to abduct the Dalai Lama , surround his home in Lhasa , the Potala Palace , marking the beginning of the Tibetan uprising .
In 1969 , James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King , Jr. and was sentenced to 99 years in prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In 1977 , astronomers discovered rings around the planet Uranus .
In 1987 , the Vatican condemned human artificial fertilization or generation of human life outside the womb and said all reproduction must result from the `` act of conjugal love . ''
In 1993 , an anti-abortion demonstrator shot and killed Dr. David Gunn at the Pensacola Women 's Medical Services clinic in Florida .
In 2004 , Lee Boyd Malvo , 19 , was sentenced to life in prison without parole for his role in 10 Washington-area sniper killings in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muhammad , considered the mastermind , was executed in 2009 .
In 2019 , an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after taking off from Addis Ababa 's airport , killing all 157 aboard .
Investigators blamed the crash on flaws in the planes ' automated flight software , leading to the grounding of all 737 Max aircraft .

1/4
People visit a memorial dedicated to the victims of the 2002 D.C. sniper shootings at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Md., on November 10, 2009. On March 10, 2004, Lee Boyd Malvo, 19, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for his role in 10 Washington-area sniper killings in 2002. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
March 10 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1862, the U.S. Treasury issued "legal tender notes" in denominations from $5 to $1,000, the first U.S. paper money. Advertisement
In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell transmitted the first telephone message to his assistant in the next room: "Mr. Watson, come here. I want you."
In 1880, the Salvation Army of the United States was founded in New York City.
File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
In 1933, Harry W. Frantz, a correspondent for United Press, penned an editorial on the current financial situation, arguing that the history of the United States "strongly suggests the possibility of a prompt recuperation from the present banking and money crisis."
In 1959, more than 300,000 Tibetans, fearing the Chinese were plotting to abduct the Dalai Lama, surround his home in Lhasa, the Potala Palace, marking the beginning of the Tibetan uprising.
In 1969, James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. Ray died in prison in 1998.
Advertisement
In 1977, astronomers discovered rings around the planet Uranus.
In 1987, the Vatican condemned human artificial fertilization or generation of human life outside the womb and said all reproduction must result from the "act of conjugal love."
File Photo by Stefano Spaziani/UPI
In 1993, an anti-abortion demonstrator shot and killed Dr. David Gunn at the Pensacola Women's Medical Services clinic in Florida.
In 2004, Lee Boyd Malvo, 19, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for his role in 10 Washington-area sniper killings in 2002. His partner, John Allen Muhammad, considered the mastermind, was executed in 2009.
In 2019, an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after taking off from Addis Ababa's airport, killing all 157 aboard. Investigators blamed the crash on flaws in the planes' automated flight software, leading to the grounding of all 737 Max aircraft.


upi--2020-03-10--Coronavirus: More than 600 cases in U.S.; Washington, D.C., clergyman infected

March 9 ( UPI ) -- A Washington , D.C. , church identified the leading member of its clergy as one of the first positive COVID-19 cases in the area on Monday , as the United States documents more cases nationwide .
Christ Church Georgetown said the Rev .
Timothy Cole tested positive for the coronavirus Saturday , and Washington , D.C. , officials confirmed he was the man in his 50s with no international travel identified as the city 's first presumptive case .
The church canceled services Sunday , and has been reaching out to parishioners as health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to identify exposure at the church .
Church spokesman Rob Volmer said Cole became ill shortly after attending a conference in Louisville on Feb. 22 , and his health improved before a March 1 service attended by 550 people in which he handed out Communion to parishioners .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its update Monday that 75,000 COVID-19 tests are available to states .
The CDC said there are 423 cases nationwide and 19 deaths as of Monday afternoon .
The Johns Hopkins University of Medicine , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. case total at 607 and deaths at 22 .
As the number of cases continued to climb on Monday , Rhode Island , Ohio , New Jersey and Illinois joined California , Florida , New York , Oregon , Washington and several others in declaring a state of emergency .
Rhode Island Gov .
Gina Raimondo said she made her declaration to make available `` more tools in our toolbox . ''
`` It will enable us to better tap into resources of the National Guard , if necessary , it 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line for any federal resources and it 'll just give us more degree of freedom to address the virus if and as the need arises , '' she announced during a press conference .
Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine also declared a state of emergency on Monday after announcing Ohio 's first three COVID-19 patients , all from Cuyahoga County .
`` It 's important for us to take aggressive action to protect Ohioans , and therefore , I have declared a state of emergency in Ohio , '' he said on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and agencies to better coordinate their response , the Ohio Department of Health said in a statement .
New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency as the state records five more confirmed cases of COVID-19 , increasing its total to 11 .
And Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker announced during a press conference on Monday before issuing a disaster proclamation , Illinois ' version of a state of emergency , that the state had recorded four new COVID-19 cases , increasing its tally to 11 .
`` This declaration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- so that moving forward , we will have all the tools in play and rapidly available to assist cities and counties across Illinois , '' he said .
Thirteen states have declared states of emergency amid the coronavirus crisis , he said .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said Monday the head of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is one of the patients with the coronavirus disease .
Cuomo and the Port Authority said chief Rick Cotton tested positive for the virus and has been placed under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be on quarantine , '' Cuomo said .
`` He 'll be working from home . ''
As Port Authority chief , Cotton 's duties include overseeing international transit hubs in the New York City metro area , including John F. Kennedy International Airport , LaGuardia Airport , Newark-Liberty International Airport and the Port Authority Bus Terminal .
`` He 's been at the airports , obviously , when many people were coming back with the virus , '' the governor said .
During his briefing , the governor said 142 confirmed cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hot spot is New Rochelle in suburban Westchester County .
Cuomo also said schools in the area could remain closed for weeks .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency after two people died in the state over the weekend and 18 Floridians have tested positive for the coronavirus .
`` That allows us to create a unified command structure , it also allows , if need be , out-of-state medical personnel to operate in Florida , '' he said .
`` It allows us to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks and materials and equipment necessary to set up field hospitals .
It allows pharmacists to dispense up to 30-day emergency prescription refill of maintenance medication . ''
The Grand Princess cruise ship , which was carrying 21 people who tested positive for the virus , docked in Oakland on Monday with about half of its 2,421 passengers expected to be disembarked today .
Earlier Monday , trading was halted for 15 minutes on Wall Street after stocks plummeted and an emergency circuit breaker cut power to market infrastructure .
The emergency safeguard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis in 2008 .
President Donald Trump said that he will hold a press conference on Tuesday to discuss efforts to lessen the economic impact of the virus and that he and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force met with Congress to discuss a payroll tax cut relief and relief for hourly workers .
`` We are going to be asking tomorrow , we 're seeing the Senate .
We 're going to be meeting with House Republicans , Mitch McConnell , everybody discussing a possible payroll tax cut or relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 're also going to be talking about hourly wage earners getting help so that they can be in a position where they 're not going to ever miss a paycheck . ''
Princeton University announced plans Monday to begin `` mandatory '' virtual classes on March 23 , and urged students to remain home following spring break .
Other colleges around the county are switching in-person classes to online instruction .
`` Medical advisers tell us that we should proceed on the assumption that the virus will spread more broadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Princeton President Chris Eisgruber said in an open letter Monday .
Dr. Nancy Messonnier , director of the CDC 's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , said the 75,000 tests have been made available by the CDC to 78 state and local public health labs in all 50 states .
She also said research indicates that the elderly over age 80 face the greatest risk from COVID-19 , as well as those with serious underlying medical conditions .
Messonnier said it 's likely `` many '' U.S. residents will be exposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and years -- but , she added , `` based on what we know about this virus , we do not expect most people to develop serious illness . ''
Eighty percent of Chinese cases , she said , saw only mild symptoms and just 2 percent involved patients under 19 .
The virus originated in China in December .
Also Monday , the U.S. Navy barred families from attending boot camp and other candidate school graduation events and canceled `` Liberty '' for grads .
`` This action is being taken out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both ensure the welfare of sailors and that [ Recruit Training Command ] can continue its essential mission of producing basically trained sailors , '' the Navy Recruitment Training Command said .
`` RTC recruits impacted by this change are being authorized to call home to directly inform their loved ones .

1/3
Christ Church Georgetown said the Rev. Timothy Cole was the first person diagnosed with COVID-19 in the Washington, D.C. area., Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI | License Photo
March 9 (UPI) -- A Washington, D.C., church identified the leading member of its clergy as one of the first positive COVID-19 cases in the area on Monday, as the United States documents more cases nationwide. Christ Church Georgetown said the Rev. Timothy Cole tested positive for the coronavirus Saturday, and Washington, D.C., officials confirmed he was the man in his 50s with no international travel identified as the city's first presumptive case. Advertisement
The church canceled services Sunday, and has been reaching out to parishioners as health officials said they launched an intensive investigation to identify exposure at the church.
Church spokesman Rob Volmer said Cole became ill shortly after attending a conference in Louisville on Feb. 22, and his health improved before a March 1 service attended by 550 people in which he handed out Communion to parishioners.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its update Monday that 75,000 COVID-19 tests are available to states. The CDC said there are 423 cases nationwide and 19 deaths as of Monday afternoon. The Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, which also tracks the disease, lists the U.S. case total at 607 and deaths at 22.
As the number of cases continued to climb on Monday, Rhode Island, Ohio, New Jersey and Illinois joined California, Florida, New York, Oregon, Washington and several others in declaring a state of emergency.
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo said she made her declaration to make available "more tools in our toolbox."
"It will enable us to better tap into resources of the National Guard, if necessary, it'll make sure that we are first in line for any federal resources and it'll just give us more degree of freedom to address the virus if and as the need arises," she announced during a press conference.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine also declared a state of emergency on Monday after announcing Ohio's first three COVID-19 patients, all from Cuyahoga County.
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"It's important for us to take aggressive action to protect Ohioans, and therefore, I have declared a state of emergency in Ohio," he said on Twitter.
The declaration allows for state departments and agencies to better coordinate their response, the Ohio Department of Health said in a statement.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency as the state records five more confirmed cases of COVID-19, increasing its total to 11.
And Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced during a press conference on Monday before issuing a disaster proclamation, Illinois' version of a state of emergency, that the state had recorded four new COVID-19 cases, increasing its tally to 11.
"This declaration also reduces red tape across state government -- so that moving forward, we will have all the tools in play and rapidly available to assist cities and counties across Illinois," he said.
Thirteen states have declared states of emergency amid the coronavirus crisis, he said.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday the head of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is one of the patients with the coronavirus disease.
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Cuomo and the Port Authority said chief Rick Cotton tested positive for the virus and has been placed under quarantine.
"He is going to be on quarantine," Cuomo said. "He'll be working from home."
As Port Authority chief, Cotton's duties include overseeing international transit hubs in the New York City metro area, including John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Newark-Liberty International Airport and the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
"He's been at the airports, obviously, when many people were coming back with the virus," the governor said.
During his briefing, the governor said 142 confirmed cases exist in New York. The largest hot spot is New Rochelle in suburban Westchester County.
Cuomo also said schools in the area could remain closed for weeks.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency after two people died in the state over the weekend and 18 Floridians have tested positive for the coronavirus.
"That allows us to create a unified command structure, it also allows, if need be, out-of-state medical personnel to operate in Florida," he said. "It allows us to more swiftly purchase any necessary supplies including masks and materials and equipment necessary to set up field hospitals. It allows pharmacists to dispense up to 30-day emergency prescription refill of maintenance medication."
Advertisement
The Grand Princess cruise ship, which was carrying 21 people who tested positive for the virus, docked in Oakland on Monday with about half of its 2,421 passengers expected to be disembarked today.
Earlier Monday, trading was halted for 15 minutes on Wall Street after stocks plummeted and an emergency circuit breaker cut power to market infrastructure. The emergency safeguard hadn't been activated since the financial crisis in 2008.
President Donald Trump said that he will hold a press conference on Tuesday to discuss efforts to lessen the economic impact of the virus and that he and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force met with Congress to discuss a payroll tax cut relief and relief for hourly workers.
"We are going to be asking tomorrow, we're seeing the Senate. We're going to be meeting with House Republicans, Mitch McConnell, everybody discussing a possible payroll tax cut or relief, substantial relief," he said. "We're also going to be talking about hourly wage earners getting help so that they can be in a position where they're not going to ever miss a paycheck."
Princeton University announced plans Monday to begin "mandatory" virtual classes on March 23, and urged students to remain home following spring break. Other colleges around the county are switching in-person classes to online instruction.
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"Medical advisers tell us that we should proceed on the assumption that the virus will spread more broadly and eventually reach our campus," Princeton President Chris Eisgruber said in an open letter Monday.
Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said the 75,000 tests have been made available by the CDC to 78 state and local public health labs in all 50 states. She also said research indicates that the elderly over age 80 face the greatest risk from COVID-19, as well as those with serious underlying medical conditions.
Messonnier said it's likely "many" U.S. residents will be exposed to the virus in the coming months and years -- but, she added, "based on what we know about this virus, we do not expect most people to develop serious illness."
Eighty percent of Chinese cases, she said, saw only mild symptoms and just 2 percent involved patients under 19. The virus originated in China in December.
Also Monday, the U.S. Navy barred families from attending boot camp and other candidate school graduation events and canceled "Liberty" for grads.
"This action is being taken out of an abundance of caution, to both ensure the welfare of sailors and that [Recruit Training Command] can continue its essential mission of producing basically trained sailors," the Navy Recruitment Training Command said. "RTC recruits impacted by this change are being authorized to call home to directly inform their loved ones.


upi--2020-03-10--Clinical trial participants face hard time getting results

Most clinical trial participants are not told the results of their study -- even though most people want to know , and researchers want to tell them .
The reason : Communication is a big barrier , a new study says .
Simply put , researchers and subjects may not speak the same language .
Teaching researchers to make their findings understandable to the lay person could make trial participants feel like respected research partners -- and increase the number who are looking to join in , according to a study from Medical University of South Carolina researchers .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results into meaningful messages for members of the community .
`` So part of translation is not only translating from bench to bedside but also translating your findings back to the participants who made it work , '' said senior author Teresa Kelechi , associate dean for research in the MUSC College of Nursing .
`` At the end of the day , it 's because of them that we 're doing science . ''
For the study , Kelechi and lead author Cathy Melvin , a professor of public health , led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of 48 participants interviewed , nearly 70 percent said they never received results of their trial , although 75 percent would have liked to .
About 95 percent of researchers surveyed considered it important to share results with participants .
Nevertheless , the researchers said they had little training or communication on how to release the information to participants .
Funding for such communication might also be a factor , since grant money for studies is usually for recruiting participants and conducting the study , with little left over for reaching the participants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an eye-opening experience , '' Kelechi said in a university news release .
`` I 've been doing research for 20 years but was unaware how much the research community feels unequipped to report their findings to study participants .
They want to give back , but that is not a skill set that they have , but it is one they want to develop . ''
Trial participants also expressed a willingness to share findings with friends , health care providers and others with the same condition .
Most said emailing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ older adults preferred mailed letters , postcards or calls .
Kelechi and Melvin are optimistic that the communication gap can be bridged .
`` We have two groups of people who want the same thing , which is to share information with each other , '' Melvin said .
`` So , given the good will on both sides , I 'm very optimistic and feel that there is a real opportunity for us to make a difference in this area . ''
The article was published March 2 in the Journal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To learn about clinical trials and how they work , visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine .

Most clinical trial participants are not told the results of their study -- even though most people want to know, and researchers want to tell them.
The reason: Communication is a big barrier, a new study says. Simply put, researchers and subjects may not speak the same language.
Advertisement
Teaching researchers to make their findings understandable to the lay person could make trial participants feel like respected research partners -- and increase the number who are looking to join in, according to a study from Medical University of South Carolina researchers.
The emphasis in translational research is to communicate results into meaningful messages for members of the community.
"So part of translation is not only translating from bench to bedside but also translating your findings back to the participants who made it work," said senior author Teresa Kelechi, associate dean for research in the MUSC College of Nursing. "At the end of the day, it's because of them that we're doing science."
For the study, Kelechi and lead author Cathy Melvin, a professor of public health, led focus groups for past trial participants.
Of 48 participants interviewed, nearly 70 percent said they never received results of their trial, although 75 percent would have liked to. About 95 percent of researchers surveyed considered it important to share results with participants.
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Nevertheless, the researchers said they had little training or communication on how to release the information to participants. Funding for such communication might also be a factor, since grant money for studies is usually for recruiting participants and conducting the study, with little left over for reaching the participants.
"For me, this was an eye-opening experience," Kelechi said in a university news release. "I've been doing research for 20 years but was unaware how much the research community feels unequipped to report their findings to study participants. They want to give back, but that is not a skill set that they have, but it is one they want to develop."
Trial participants also expressed a willingness to share findings with friends, health care providers and others with the same condition. Most said emailing the results would be their preference, though older adults preferred mailed letters, postcards or calls.
Kelechi and Melvin are optimistic that the communication gap can be bridged.
"We have two groups of people who want the same thing, which is to share information with each other," Melvin said. "So, given the good will on both sides, I'm very optimistic and feel that there is a real opportunity for us to make a difference in this area."
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The article was published March 2 in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science.
More information To learn about clinical trials and how they work, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-03-09--Italy suspends all sporting events until April 3 due to coronavirus

March 9 ( UPI ) -- All sporting events in Italy have been suspended until next month because of the coronavirus outbreak , Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte confirmed Monday .
Conte said the suspension , which is part of a countrywide lockdown due to the disease , will go into effect Tuesday .
`` We 're having an important growth in infection ... and of deaths , '' Conte said in his address .
`` We all must give something up for the good of Italy .
We have to do it now , and we 'll only be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to these more stringent measures .
`` This is why I decided to adopt even more strong and severe measures to contain the advance ... and protect the health of all citizens . ''
Earlier Monday , the Italian Olympic Committee , which oversees all sports in the country , said in a statement that all sports activities will be postponed until April 3 , and that it would request a government decree to impose the decision .
The committee 's ruling is expected to impact everything from the country 's top soccer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events for the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo .
The committee , also known as CONI , said its decision does n't include international competition for clubs or national teams since it does n't oversee those .
Juventus , Napoli and Atalanta are competing in the Champions League , while Inter Milan and Roma are playing in the Europa League .
Italy previously ordered that sporting events in the country be carried out without fans in attendance .
Serie A , which has n't been canceled since World War II , resumed Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including the rivalry match between Inter Milan and Juventus .
More than 5,800 confirmed cases of COVID-19 exist in Italy , according to statistics released Sunday from the World Health Organization .
The virus has killed at least 234 people in the country and more than 3,500 around the world .
The coronavirus outbreak has impacted sporting events around the world , including Champions League soccer matches and Japan 's Nippon Professional Baseball .
The Champions League has instituted postponements and ordered matches played behind closed doors , while Nippon Professional Baseball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the virus .
`` We ca n't play games in the current situation , where for every one person in a large crowd , two to three more will likely become infected , '' Nippon Professional Baseball commissioner Atsushi Saito told reporters Monday .
`` If you have games , you have to make a maximum effort .
`` If you do n't have the ability to measure body temperatures , disinfect the stadium and equipment , then you ca n't be said to be doing your best . ''

March 9 (UPI) -- All sporting events in Italy have been suspended until next month because of the coronavirus outbreak, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte confirmed Monday.
Conte said the suspension, which is part of a countrywide lockdown due to the disease, will go into effect Tuesday.
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"We're having an important growth in infection... and of deaths," Conte said in his address. "We all must give something up for the good of Italy. We have to do it now, and we'll only be able if we all collaborate and adapt to these more stringent measures.
"This is why I decided to adopt even more strong and severe measures to contain the advance... and protect the health of all citizens."
Earlier Monday, the Italian Olympic Committee, which oversees all sports in the country, said in a statement that all sports activities will be postponed until April 3, and that it would request a government decree to impose the decision.
The committee's ruling is expected to impact everything from the country's top soccer league, Serie A, to preparatory events for the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Advertisement
The committee, also known as CONI, said its decision doesn't include international competition for clubs or national teams since it doesn't oversee those. Juventus, Napoli and Atalanta are competing in the Champions League, while Inter Milan and Roma are playing in the Europa League.
Italy previously ordered that sporting events in the country be carried out without fans in attendance. Serie A, which hasn't been canceled since World War II, resumed Sunday with five games played in empty stadiums, including the rivalry match between Inter Milan and Juventus.
More than 5,800 confirmed cases of COVID-19 exist in Italy, according to statistics released Sunday from the World Health Organization. The virus has killed at least 234 people in the country and more than 3,500 around the world.
The coronavirus outbreak has impacted sporting events around the world, including Champions League soccer matches and Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.
The Champions League has instituted postponements and ordered matches played behind closed doors, while Nippon Professional Baseball delayed the start of its regular season because of the virus.
"We can't play games in the current situation, where for every one person in a large crowd, two to three more will likely become infected," Nippon Professional Baseball commissioner Atsushi Saito told reporters Monday. "If you have games, you have to make a maximum effort.
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"If you don't have the ability to measure body temperatures, disinfect the stadium and equipment, then you can't be said to be doing your best."


upi--2020-03-09--NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS closing locker rooms over coronavirus concerns

March 9 ( UPI ) -- The NBA , MLB , NHL and MLS are restricting access to team locker rooms and clubhouses to all non-essential personnel in response to the coronavirus outbreak , the leagues announced in a joint statement Monday night .
The North American sports leagues said they made the decision `` after consultation with infectious disease and public health experts . ''
`` Given the issues that can be associated with close contact in pre- and post-game settings , all team locker rooms and clubhouses will be open only to players and essential employees of teams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the statement said .
`` Media access will be maintained in designated locations outside of the locker room and clubhouse setting .
`` These temporary changes will be effective beginning with tomorrow 's games and practices .
We will continue to closely monitor this situation and take any further steps necessary to maintain a safe and welcoming environment . ''
The changes , which the leagues labeled as temporary , will start Tuesday , although some NHL teams began closing their locker rooms to media members over the weekend .
The NBA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepare for the possibility of playing games without fans in attendance , said interviews with players will continue in areas other than the locker room , requesting a gap of six-to-eight feet between reporters and interviewees .
MLB officials , like the NBA , held a conference call with all 30 franchises Monday to discuss the new policies .
`` We are regularly conveying the guidance from these experts to clubs , players , and staff regarding prevention , good hygiene practices and the latest recommendations related to travel , '' MLB said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuing to monitor developments and will adjust as necessary .
`` While MLB recognizes the fluidity of this rapidly evolving situation , our current intention is to play spring training and regular-season games as scheduled . ''
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its update Monday that there are 423 cases in the U.S. and 19 deaths .
The Johns Hopkins University of Medicine , which also tracks the disease , lists the U.S. case total at 709 and deaths at 22 .

The NBA sent out a memo to teams Friday and asked players to prepare to play games without fans in attendance. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
March 9 (UPI) -- The NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS are restricting access to team locker rooms and clubhouses to all non-essential personnel in response to the coronavirus outbreak, the leagues announced in a joint statement Monday night. The North American sports leagues said they made the decision "after consultation with infectious disease and public health experts." Advertisement
"Given the issues that can be associated with close contact in pre- and post-game settings, all team locker rooms and clubhouses will be open only to players and essential employees of teams and team facilities until further notice," the statement said. "Media access will be maintained in designated locations outside of the locker room and clubhouse setting.
"These temporary changes will be effective beginning with tomorrow's games and practices. We will continue to closely monitor this situation and take any further steps necessary to maintain a safe and welcoming environment."
The changes, which the leagues labeled as temporary, will start Tuesday, although some NHL teams began closing their locker rooms to media members over the weekend.
The NBA, which told teams last week to prepare for the possibility of playing games without fans in attendance, said interviews with players will continue in areas other than the locker room, requesting a gap of six-to-eight feet between reporters and interviewees.
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MLB officials, like the NBA, held a conference call with all 30 franchises Monday to discuss the new policies.
"We are regularly conveying the guidance from these experts to clubs, players, and staff regarding prevention, good hygiene practices and the latest recommendations related to travel," MLB said in its statement. "We are continuing to monitor developments and will adjust as necessary.
"While MLB recognizes the fluidity of this rapidly evolving situation, our current intention is to play spring training and regular-season games as scheduled."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its update Monday that there are 423 cases in the U.S. and 19 deaths. The Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, which also tracks the disease, lists the U.S. case total at 709 and deaths at 22.


upi--2020-03-09--Coronavirus: Italy extends quarantine nationwide; Iran furloughs 70,000 inmates

March 9 ( UPI ) -- Italy extended its COVID-19 lockdown nationwide on Monday as the number of cases in the country continued to surge .
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced he was extending restrictions put in place for the entire Lombardy region and 14 other provinces as the country has reported 463 deaths and 9,172 cases of the coronavirus .
At least 112 countries and territories have reported a confirmed case of the virus , totaling 113,603 worldwide and 3,996 deaths , according to a live tally of government data by Johns Hopkins University .
Conte also announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying the move was taken in order to protect the country 's population .
`` All the measure of the red zones are now extended to all of the national territory , '' Conte said .
Britain 's caseload rose to 321 and three people died , health officials reported .
A government spokesman said Prime Minister Boris Johnson chaired an emergency cabinet meeting at which it was accepted that the spread in Britain will be `` significant , '' but the country is still in a `` contain phase . ''
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told reporters more than 1,100 cases are confirmed and urged citizens to reduce travel , work from home if possible and avoid public transport .
The country also reported its first two deaths from the virus Monday , according to local officials .
Both deaths occurred in North Rhine-Westphalia , the state 's ministry of health said .
`` The deaths show that we have to take the situation very seriously said Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann .
In France , cases nearly doubled since Friday and 19 people have died .
Switzerland has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases to nearly 300 .
Albania saw its first two cases .
Ireland canceled several St. Patrick 's Day parades due to fear regarding the spread of coronavirus , Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said .
`` Due to the unique nature and scale of the St. Patrick 's Day festivities in terms of size , the mass gathering of local and international travelers and the continued progression of community transmission in some European countries , along with the emergence of a small number of cases of local transmission in Ireland , the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parades , including the Dublin parade , will not proceed , '' the government said .
Cases in Belgium also rose by 39 on Monday to 239 , and Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes decided to maintain the country 's risk management plan in Phase 2 with plans to discuss applying additional social distancing measures Tuesday at the National Security Council .
NATO also confirmed a staffer at its Brussels ' headquarters has tested positive for the virus .
The number of COVID-19 cases continued to decline in China on Monday , as Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections of the virus and 22 deaths in the last 24-hour period .
Based on its daily updates , China has not reported a new case outside of Hubei in the last two days and has only reported five since last Wednesday .
Iranian state television said Monday almost 600 new cases have arisen , along with 43 deaths .
About 2,400 patients have recovered there .
Iranian officials furloughed around 70,000 prisoners Monday to prevent further spread .
Iran said there are criminal cases that involve people hoarding hygiene products and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new infections on Monday , but said the spread is `` coming under control . ''
Saudi Arabia announced four new cases Monday , including a U.S. resident who was returning to the Middle Eastern nation following a multi-country trip .
The new cases increased the Saudi number to 15 , the Ministry of Health said in a statement .
Officials said the U.S. resident returned to Saudi Arabia after traveling through the Philippines and Italy .
Two of the new cases involved Bahrain nationals who 'd arrived in Saudia Arabia via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close schools nationwide beginning Tuesday .
The government in Doha said Sunday it is also barring all flights from 14 nations linked to the outbreak .

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Italy extended its COVID-19 quarantine nationwide as it reported more than 460 deaths due to the virus. Photo by Filippo Venezia/EPA-EFE
March 9 (UPI) -- Italy extended its COVID-19 lockdown nationwide on Monday as the number of cases in the country continued to surge. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced he was extending restrictions put in place for the entire Lombardy region and 14 other provinces as the country has reported 463 deaths and 9,172 cases of the coronavirus. Advertisement
At least 112 countries and territories have reported a confirmed case of the virus, totaling 113,603 worldwide and 3,996 deaths, according to a live tally of government data by Johns Hopkins University.
Conte also announced a ban on all public events, saying the move was taken in order to protect the country's population.
"All the measure of the red zones are now extended to all of the national territory," Conte said.
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Europe
Britain's caseload rose to 321 and three people died, health officials reported. A government spokesman said Prime Minister Boris Johnson chaired an emergency cabinet meeting at which it was accepted that the spread in Britain will be "significant," but the country is still in a "contain phase."
In Berlin, German Health Minister Jens Spahn told reporters more than 1,100 cases are confirmed and urged citizens to reduce travel, work from home if possible and avoid public transport.
The country also reported its first two deaths from the virus Monday, according to local officials.
Both deaths occurred in North Rhine-Westphalia, the state's ministry of health said.
"The deaths show that we have to take the situation very seriously said Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann.
In France, cases nearly doubled since Friday and 19 people have died. Switzerland has recorded its second death and increased the cases to nearly 300. Albania saw its first two cases.
Ireland canceled several St. Patrick's Day parades due to fear regarding the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said.
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"Due to the unique nature and scale of the St. Patrick's Day festivities in terms of size, the mass gathering of local and international travelers and the continued progression of community transmission in some European countries, along with the emergence of a small number of cases of local transmission in Ireland, the government has decided that St. Patrick's Day parades, including the Dublin parade, will not proceed," the government said.
Cases in Belgium also rose by 39 on Monday to 239, and Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes decided to maintain the country's risk management plan in Phase 2 with plans to discuss applying additional social distancing measures Tuesday at the National Security Council.
NATO also confirmed a staffer at its Brussels' headquarters has tested positive for the virus.
Asia and Middle East
The number of COVID-19 cases continued to decline in China on Monday, as Chinese health officials on Monday reported 40 new infections of the virus and 22 deaths in the last 24-hour period.
Based on its daily updates, China has not reported a new case outside of Hubei in the last two days and has only reported five since last Wednesday.
Iranian state television said Monday almost 600 new cases have arisen, along with 43 deaths. About 2,400 patients have recovered there.
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Iranian officials furloughed around 70,000 prisoners Monday to prevent further spread. Iran said there are criminal cases that involve people hoarding hygiene products and other medical supplies.
South Korea reported dozens of new infections on Monday, but said the spread is "coming under control."
Saudi Arabia announced four new cases Monday, including a U.S. resident who was returning to the Middle Eastern nation following a multi-country trip. The new cases increased the Saudi number to 15, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
Officials said the U.S. resident returned to Saudi Arabia after traveling through the Philippines and Italy. Two of the new cases involved Bahrain nationals who'd arrived in Saudia Arabia via Iraq.
Qatar said Monday it will close schools nationwide beginning Tuesday. The government in Doha said Sunday it is also barring all flights from 14 nations linked to the outbreak.


upi--2020-03-09--Ex-Giants great Barry Bonds: MLB gave me 'death sentence'

March 9 ( UPI ) -- Former San Francisco Giants star Barry Bonds believes Major League Baseball has exiled him since his retirement in 2007 .
In a wide-ranging interview published Sunday by The Athletic , Bonds said his heart has been `` really broken '' by MLB and feels the league has essentially banished him over allegations of steroid use .
`` A death sentence .
That 's what they 've given me , '' Bonds said .
`` ...
I feel like a ghost .
A ghost in a big empty house , just rattling around . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ months after the seven-time National League MVP received only 60.7 percent of votes for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame .
He needs to be included on 75 percent of the ballots to be enshrined in Cooperstown .
`` If they do n't want me , just say you do n't want me and be done with it , '' Bonds said .
`` Just be done with it . ''
Bonds never publicly admitted to using steroids , but he told a grand jury that he used a substance that prosecutors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal prosecutors dropped what was left of their criminal case against him .
`` I know what I did out there , '' Bonds said .
`` I know what I accomplished between those lines .
It 's outside those lines that I would have done some things different . ''
Bonds ended his 22-year career with 762 home runs , the most in league history .
He also set baseball 's single-season record for homers with 73 in the 2001 season .
Bonds , 55 , has two more chances to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His final year on the ballot is 2022 .

Former San Francisco Giants player Barry Bonds finished his 22-year MLB career with 762 home runs, the most in league history. File Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/UPI | License Photo
March 9 (UPI) -- Former San Francisco Giants star Barry Bonds believes Major League Baseball has exiled him since his retirement in 2007. In a wide-ranging interview published Sunday by The Athletic, Bonds said his heart has been "really broken" by MLB and feels the league has essentially banished him over allegations of steroid use. Advertisement
"A death sentence. That's what they've given me," Bonds said. "... I feel like a ghost. A ghost in a big empty house, just rattling around."
Bonds' comments came less than two months after the seven-time National League MVP received only 60.7 percent of votes for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He needs to be included on 75 percent of the ballots to be enshrined in Cooperstown.
"If they don't want me, just say you don't want me and be done with it," Bonds said. "Just be done with it."
Bonds never publicly admitted to using steroids, but he told a grand jury that he used a substance that prosecutors say contains steroids. In 2015, federal prosecutors dropped what was left of their criminal case against him.
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"I know what I did out there," Bonds said. "I know what I accomplished between those lines. It's outside those lines that I would have done some things different."
Bonds ended his 22-year career with 762 home runs, the most in league history. He also set baseball's single-season record for homers with 73 in the 2001 season.
Bonds, 55, has two more chances to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. His final year on the ballot is 2022.


upi--2020-03-09--NATO staff member tests positive for COVID-19

March 9 ( UPI ) -- A NATO staff member in Belgium has tested positive for COVID-19 , the intergovernmental military alliance said Monday .
The unnamed staff member had recently returned from holiday to Brussels where NATO headquarters is located from northern Italy , which is one of the world 's largest and still growing clusters of COVID-19 , and felt unwell at the end of last week , NATO said in a press release .
`` Within minutes of receiving the result , all immediate work colleagues were informed , '' the statement read .
`` They had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of last week and continue to do so . ''
The staff member is at home in isolation , it said .
NATO said all staff at its headquarters have been notified of the confirmed case and it will monitor the situation .
It said it has taken preventative measures based on the guidance of the World Health Organization , including the temporary suspension of certain staff travel as well as group visits to the headquarters .
Staff have also been encouraged to telecommute , it sad .
`` We remain in close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it said .
Belgium 's Ministry of Health confirmed 39 new cases of COVID-19 in a statement , increasing its number of infections to 239

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Photo by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/UPI | License Photo
March 9 (UPI) -- A NATO staff member in Belgium has tested positive for COVID-19, the intergovernmental military alliance said Monday. The unnamed staff member had recently returned from holiday to Brussels where NATO headquarters is located from northern Italy, which is one of the world's largest and still growing clusters of COVID-19, and felt unwell at the end of last week, NATO said in a press release. Advertisement
"Within minutes of receiving the result, all immediate work colleagues were informed," the statement read. "They had been working from home at the end of last week and continue to do so."
The staff member is at home in isolation, it said.
NATO said all staff at its headquarters have been notified of the confirmed case and it will monitor the situation. It said it has taken preventative measures based on the guidance of the World Health Organization, including the temporary suspension of certain staff travel as well as group visits to the headquarters. Staff have also been encouraged to telecommute, it sad.
"We remain in close contact with the Belgian authorities," it said.
Belgium's Ministry of Health confirmed 39 new cases of COVID-19 in a statement, increasing its number of infections to 239


upi--2020-03-09--Former Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa cleared for light football-related drills

March 9 ( UPI ) -- Former Alabama Crimson Tide star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa , who suffered a season-ending hip injury in November , was medically cleared for football activities .
League sources told ESPN and NFL Media on Monday that Tagovailoa cleared his four-month medical check last week and has resumed light football-related drills in preparation for the upcoming NFL Draft .
Alabama team physician Dr. Lyle Cain told ESPN that he was overjoyed with the positive results of the scan .
Despite the left-handed quarterback 's progress , Tagovailoa still has multiple weeks left before he is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to NFL Media .
`` If you had told me four months ago that the scan would look this good , I would have been ecstatic , '' Cain said .
Tagovailoa , the 2018 Heisman Trophy runner-up , sustained a posterior wall fracture and dislocated hip , which caused him to miss the remainder of his junior season at Alabama .
He declared for the upcoming draft on Jan. 6 , saying that he was optimistic he could return to the field in time for the start of the 2020 season .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ day on April 9 , where he will throw for multiple NFL teams .
According to ESPN , he will take a conservative approach to the event but will drop back and throw .
Tagovailoa attended the NFL Scouting Combine last week , where he underwent medical exams and interviews .
He has one remaining medical exam scheduled for April 10 .

Former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13) suffered a season-ending hip injury in November. File Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI | License Photo
March 9 (UPI) -- Former Alabama Crimson Tide star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who suffered a season-ending hip injury in November, was medically cleared for football activities. League sources told ESPN and NFL Media on Monday that Tagovailoa cleared his four-month medical check last week and has resumed light football-related drills in preparation for the upcoming NFL Draft. Advertisement
Alabama team physician Dr. Lyle Cain told ESPN that he was overjoyed with the positive results of the scan. Despite the left-handed quarterback's progress, Tagovailoa still has multiple weeks left before he is in shape for NFL-level football activity, according to NFL Media.
"If you had told me four months ago that the scan would look this good, I would have been ecstatic," Cain said.
Tagovailoa, the 2018 Heisman Trophy runner-up, sustained a posterior wall fracture and dislocated hip, which caused him to miss the remainder of his junior season at Alabama. He declared for the upcoming draft on Jan. 6, saying that he was optimistic he could return to the field in time for the start of the 2020 season.
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The projected top-five pick has a pro day on April 9, where he will throw for multiple NFL teams. According to ESPN, he will take a conservative approach to the event but will drop back and throw.
Tagovailoa attended the NFL Scouting Combine last week, where he underwent medical exams and interviews. He has one remaining medical exam scheduled for April 10.


upi--2020-03-09--Las Vegas Raiders release starting linebacker Tahir Whitehead

With the release of Whitehead , the Raiders cleared $ 6.25 million in salary cap space , according to Spotrac @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 53.9 million in cap room ahead of the beginning of free agency @ @ @ @ @ who turns 30 in April , started all 32 games for the Raiders over the @ @ @ @ @ signed with the team as a free agent after spending six seasons with the Detroit @ @ @ @ @ in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Temple .
After the @ @ @ @ @ Vontaze Burfict in Week 5 , Whitehead moved from the strong side to the middle @ @ @ @ @ base defense .
He recorded 108 combined tackles and one pass defensed last season .
@ @ @ @ @ campaign , Whitehead was replaced at middle linebacker by Will Compton , who was signed @ @ @ @ @ 125 career NFL games , Whitehead has notched 632 total tackles , three sacks , @ @ @ @ @ fumbles and 24 passes defensed .

The Las Vegas Raiders will save $6.25 million in cap space after releasing starting linebacker Tahir Whitehead. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
March 9 (UPI) -- The Las Vegas Raiders released veteran starting linebacker Tahir Whitehead, the team announced Monday. With the release of Whitehead, the Raiders cleared $6.25 million in salary cap space, according to Spotrac. Las Vegas now has more than $53.9 million in cap room ahead of the beginning of free agency this month. Advertisement
Whitehead, who turns 30 in April, started all 32 games for the Raiders over the last two seasons. He signed with the team as a free agent after spending six seasons with the Detroit Lions, who selected him in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Temple.
After the season-long suspension of middle linebacker Vontaze Burfict in Week 5, Whitehead moved from the strong side to the middle of the Raiders' 4-3 base defense. He recorded 108 combined tackles and one pass defensed last season.
But late in the 2019-20 campaign, Whitehead was replaced at middle linebacker by Will Compton, who was signed off the street.
We have released LB Tahir Whitehead: https://t.co/SUl0bF9eVQ pic.twitter.com/SexlGA6tEd— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) March 9, 2020 Advertisement
In 125 career NFL games, Whitehead has notched 632 total tackles, three sacks, five interceptions, three forced fumbles and 24 passes defensed.


upi--2020-03-10--Judge stays execution of Alfred Bourgeois on intellectual disability claim

March 10 ( UPI ) -- A federal judge in Indiana ordered a temporary stay of execution for a Louisiana man convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter , saying he made a strong case that he 's intellectually disabled .
U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson 's order gives Alfred Bourgeois ' lawyers time to argue their case that his execution would violate the Federal Death Penalty Act and the Eighth Amendment .
Bourgeois , 55 , was convicted in 2004 of capital murder for the 2002 death of his daughter in Corpus Christi , Texas .
Prosecutors said the girl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for turning over her potty training chair in the cab of his 18-wheeler and slammed her head into the vehicle 's window .
Investigators said he regularly physically and sexually abused the toddler before her death .
Bourgeois said he was innocent of the child 's death and blamed her mother .
Bourgeois ' lawyers filed a petition in August to have his death sentence suspended on the grounds that he 's entitled to have his intellectual disability evaluated under the Eighth Amendment .
The amendment says that execution constitutes a cruel and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His lawyers cited two IQ test scores of 68 and 70 , adaptive impairments and deficiencies dating back to when he was a minor as evidence of his intellectual disability .
Magnus-Stinson said she issued the temporary stay because she believes Bourgeois ' argument has grounds but that only the court can determine whether he 's intellectually disabled .
She also criticized the government for failing to address Bourgeois ' claim that his execution violates the FDPA in its response to his petition .
`` Respondent wholly failed to address Mr. Bourgeois ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Mr. Bourgeois ' FDPA claim can not proceed , '' the judge wrote .
`` And Mr. Bourgeois has made a strong showing that he is intellectually disabled and thus the FDPA forbids his execution . ''
Bourgeois ' petition came one month after Attorney General William Barr announced the resumption of federal executions and scheduled them for five inmates , including Bourgeois .
In 2014 , former President Barack Obama ordered then-Attorney General Eric holder to review the use of the death penalty in the United States , effectively implementing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ execution was that of Gulf War veteran Louis Jones Jr. in March 2003 for the rape and murder of a fellow soldier , Pvt .
Tracie McBride in 1995 .
Bourgeois ' execution -- scheduled for Jan. 13 , 2020 -- was stayed once before in another court case .
U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington , D.C. , halted the Justice Department 's plans to resume executions in November in response to another lawsuit naming Bourgeois as a defendant .
In that case , lawyers argued Barr 's plan to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for lethal injections violates the law which says federal officials must use the same method of execution as the state where the inmate was convicted .
Chutkan 's ruling removed execution dates for Bourgeois and the four other death row inmates scheduled for execution by the Justice Department last year .

March 10 (UPI) -- A federal judge in Indiana ordered a temporary stay of execution for a Louisiana man convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter, saying he made a strong case that he's intellectually disabled.
U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson's order gives Alfred Bourgeois' lawyers time to argue their case that his execution would violate the Federal Death Penalty Act and the Eighth Amendment.
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Bourgeois, 55, was convicted in 2004 of capital murder for the 2002 death of his daughter in Corpus Christi, Texas. Prosecutors said the girl died when Bourgeois became angry with her for turning over her potty training chair in the cab of his 18-wheeler and slammed her head into the vehicle's window.
Investigators said he regularly physically and sexually abused the toddler before her death.
Bourgeois said he was innocent of the child's death and blamed her mother.
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Bourgeois' lawyers filed a petition in August to have his death sentence suspended on the grounds that he's entitled to have his intellectual disability evaluated under the Eighth Amendment. The amendment says that execution constitutes a cruel and unusual punishment for someone intellectually incapacitated.
His lawyers cited two IQ test scores of 68 and 70, adaptive impairments and deficiencies dating back to when he was a minor as evidence of his intellectual disability.
Magnus-Stinson said she issued the temporary stay because she believes Bourgeois' argument has grounds but that only the court can determine whether he's intellectually disabled.
She also criticized the government for failing to address Bourgeois' claim that his execution violates the FDPA in its response to his petition.
"Respondent wholly failed to address Mr. Bourgeois' FDPA claim, thereby waiving any argument that Mr. Bourgeois' FDPA claim cannot proceed," the judge wrote. "And Mr. Bourgeois has made a strong showing that he is intellectually disabled and thus the FDPA forbids his execution."
Bourgeois' petition came one month after Attorney General William Barr announced the resumption of federal executions and scheduled them for five inmates, including Bourgeois.
In 2014, former President Barack Obama ordered then-Attorney General Eric holder to review the use of the death penalty in the United States, effectively implementing a moratorium on executions. The last federal execution was that of Gulf War veteran Louis Jones Jr. in March 2003 for the rape and murder of a fellow soldier, Pvt. Tracie McBride in 1995.
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Bourgeois' execution -- scheduled for Jan. 13, 2020 -- was stayed once before in another court case.
U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington, D.C., halted the Justice Department's plans to resume executions in November in response to another lawsuit naming Bourgeois as a defendant. In that case, lawyers argued Barr's plan to use a single drug, pentobarbital, for lethal injections violates the law which says federal officials must use the same method of execution as the state where the inmate was convicted.
Chutkan's ruling removed execution dates for Bourgeois and the four other death row inmates scheduled for execution by the Justice Department last year.