upi--2020-07-06--Ennio Morricone, Oscar-winning film composer, dead at 91

July 6 ( UPI ) -- Ennio Morricone , an Oscar-winning film composer who scored westerns such as Sergio Leone 's The Good , the Bad and the Ugly and Quentin Tarantino 's The Hateful Eight , has died at age 91 .
Morricone died Monday in Rome following complications from a fall that broke his leg , his lawyer Giorgio Assumma confirmed to CNN .
Morricone is best known for scoring Leone 's spaghetti Westerns which also included A Fistful of Dollars , For a Few Dollars More , Once Upon a Time in the West and Duck , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leone 's Once Upon a Time in America .
The Italian composer earned an Oscar for lifetime achievement in 2007 , which was presented by Clint Eastwood , the actor who starred in A Fistful of Dollars , For a Few Dollars More and The Good , the Bad and the Ugly .
Morricone won the Oscar for Best Original Score in 2016 for The Hateful Eight .
He was also nominated for his work on Days of Heaven , The Mission , The Untouchables , Bugsy and Malena .
Morricone has scored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame .
`` We will always remember with infinite gratitude , the artistic genius of the Maestro # EnnioMorricone , '' Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Twitter .
`` It made us dream , move , reflect , writing memorable notes that will remain unforgettable in the history of music and cinema , '' he continued .

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Ennio Morricone, a composer who scored films such as "The Hateful Eight," has died at age 91. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
July 6 (UPI) -- Ennio Morricone, an Oscar-winning film composer who scored westerns such as Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight, has died at age 91. Morricone died Monday in Rome following complications from a fall that broke his leg, his lawyer Giorgio Assumma confirmed to CNN. Advertisement
The Hollywood Reporter also confirmed Morricone's death.
Morricone is best known for scoring Leone's spaghetti Westerns which also included A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, Once Upon a Time in the West and Duck, You Sucker. He also worked on Leone's Once Upon a Time in America.
The Italian composer earned an Oscar for lifetime achievement in 2007, which was presented by Clint Eastwood, the actor who starred in A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
Morricone won the Oscar for Best Original Score in 2016 for The Hateful Eight. He was also nominated for his work on Days of Heaven, The Mission, The Untouchables, Bugsy and Malena.
Morricone has scored more than 500 films and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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"We will always remember with infinite gratitude, the artistic genius of the Maestro #EnnioMorricone," Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Twitter.
"It made us dream, move, reflect, writing memorable notes that will remain unforgettable in the history of music and cinema," he continued.
Notable deaths of 2020


upi--2020-07-06--China issues warning following U.S. aircraft carrier drills

July 6 ( UPI ) -- China condemned U.S. aircraft carrier drills in the South China Sea , as state media claimed the exercises were a showy display of `` paper tigers '' in waters China has claimed as its own .
Beijing 's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian suggested Monday at a regular press briefing the U.S. military 's deployment of aircraft carriers may have an underlying motive that threatens regional security .
The U.S. exercises `` interfere with the relations among countries in the South China Sea , and undermine peace and stability in the region , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Adm. George Wikoff , the strike group commander , said the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz carriers sailed into an area of the South China Sea for training purposes .
The drills came after Beijing conducted its own exercises near the China-claimed Paracel Islands from Wednesday to Sunday .
China has also conducted `` missile training '' in the Bohai Bay , the northwestern and innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea , according to state tabloid Global Times .
`` Because the People 's Liberation Army has thoroughly secured new weapons to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' carriers are just paper tigers , '' the Global Times stated Monday in an editorial .
Chinese state media also quoted local military experts , who suggested the United States was stepping up drills in response to the imposition of a new national security law in Hong Kong .
Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie told the Chinese news service that the `` United States seeks to display that its military strength is at its most powerful , amid challenges posed by COVID-19 . ''
`` The loss of the 'Hong Kong card @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kong Security Law is another reason the United States is turning its focus to the South China Sea and Taiwan , '' Li added .
On Monday morning , U.S. President Donald Trump condemned China on Twitter .
`` China has caused great damage to the United States and the rest of the World ! ''
Trump tweeted , likely referring to the global coronavirus pandemic .

U.S. exercises involving the USS Nimitz carrier in the South China Sea drew condemnations from Beijing on Monday. File Photo courtesy of Anthony Collier/U.S. Navy
July 6 (UPI) -- China condemned U.S. aircraft carrier drills in the South China Sea, as state media claimed the exercises were a showy display of "paper tigers" in waters China has claimed as its own. Beijing's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian suggested Monday at a regular press briefing the U.S. military's deployment of aircraft carriers may have an underlying motive that threatens regional security. Advertisement
The U.S. exercises "interfere with the relations among countries in the South China Sea, and undermine peace and stability in the region," Zhao said.
On Saturday, Rear Adm. George Wikoff, the strike group commander, said the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz carriers sailed into an area of the South China Sea for training purposes.
The drills came after Beijing conducted its own exercises near the China-claimed Paracel Islands from Wednesday to Sunday.
China has also conducted "missile training" in the Bohai Bay, the northwestern and innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea, according to state tabloid Global Times.
"Because the People's Liberation Army has thoroughly secured new weapons to destroy aircraft carriers, the United States' carriers are just paper tigers," the Global Times stated Monday in an editorial.
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Chinese state media also quoted local military experts, who suggested the United States was stepping up drills in response to the imposition of a new national security law in Hong Kong.
Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie told the Chinese news service that the "United States seeks to display that its military strength is at its most powerful, amid challenges posed by COVID-19."
"The loss of the 'Hong Kong card' through the passage of the Hong Kong Security Law is another reason the United States is turning its focus to the South China Sea and Taiwan," Li added.
On Monday morning, U.S. President Donald Trump condemned China on Twitter.
"China has caused great damage to the United States and the rest of the World!" Trump tweeted, likely referring to the global coronavirus pandemic.


upi--2020-07-06--Look: Jessica Simpson celebrates 6th wedding anniversary with Eric Johnson

July 6 ( UPI ) -- Jessica Simpson and her husband , Eric Johnson , are celebrating six years of marriage .
The 39-year-old singer and fashion designer reflected on her `` unity '' with Johnson , a former professional football player , while celebrating their wedding anniversary Sunday .
Simpson shared a photo of herself and Johnson holding up her gift .
Johnson gave Simpson a large geode crystal in the shape of a butterfly .
`` Eric Johnson , my Husband , I love you , '' Simpson captioned the post .
`` 6yrs ago today I married @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written in God 's sky of colliding stars . ''
`` Together we manifest dreams , nurture desire , and hold space .
Destined , it always has been and always will be , forevermore , '' she said .
`` Also , anyone who knows me at all knows that this crystal butterfly is my dream gift . ''
Simpson and Johnson married in 2014 and have three children , son Ace , 7 and daughters Maxwell , 8 , and Birdie , 15 months .
Simpson shared a new photo of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Day in June .
`` My husband 's most beautiful quality is being the most thoughtful father in the universe , '' the star wrote .
`` He gives complete attention to what they do and what they need .
He is present in EVERY moment keeping them safe , nurtured , and loved . ''
`` There is no greater gift to this family than Eric Johnson , '' she said .
`` You are all our best friend , and we are yours .
We are blessed , so very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day to the GREATEST there is . ''
In May , Simpson celebrated her 10th anniversary as a couple with Johnson .
She previously said she considers the day she met Johnson as the anniversary of when they started dating .
`` I fell head over slippers in love with this perfect man 10 YEARS ago today !
By chance he knocked on my dreamy cottage door ( sigh ) , I let him in and never let him leave , '' Simpson said May 21 on Instagram .
`` He is mine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MAY212010 . ''
Simpson was previously married to Nick Lachey , while Johnson was wed to Keri D'Angelo .

July 6 (UPI) -- Jessica Simpson and her husband, Eric Johnson, are celebrating six years of marriage.
The 39-year-old singer and fashion designer reflected on her "unity" with Johnson, a former professional football player, while celebrating their wedding anniversary Sunday.
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Simpson shared a photo of herself and Johnson holding up her gift. Johnson gave Simpson a large geode crystal in the shape of a butterfly.
"Eric Johnson, my Husband, I love you," Simpson captioned the post. "6yrs ago today I married my perfect soulmate. Our unity was written in God's sky of colliding stars."
"Together we manifest dreams, nurture desire, and hold space. Destined, it always has been and always will be, forevermore," she said. "Also, anyone who knows me at all knows that this crystal butterfly is my dream gift."
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Simpson and Johnson married in 2014 and have three children, son Ace, 7 and daughters Maxwell, 8, and Birdie, 15 months. Simpson shared a new photo of Johnson and their kids while celebrating Father's Day in June.
"My husband's most beautiful quality is being the most thoughtful father in the universe," the star wrote. "He gives complete attention to what they do and what they need. He is present in EVERY moment keeping them safe, nurtured, and loved."
"There is no greater gift to this family than Eric Johnson," she said. "You are all our best friend, and we are yours. We are blessed, so very blessed my love. Happy Father's Day to the GREATEST there is."
In May, Simpson celebrated her 10th anniversary as a couple with Johnson. She previously said she considers the day she met Johnson as the anniversary of when they started dating.
"I fell head over slippers in love with this perfect man 10 YEARS ago today! By chance he knocked on my dreamy cottage door (sigh), I let him in and never let him leave," Simpson said May 21 on Instagram. "He is mine, I am his... forever #MAY212010."
Simpson was previously married to Nick Lachey, while Johnson was wed to Keri D'Angelo.
Longest celebrity relationships


upi--2020-07-06--Ryan Blaney crew member hit during NASCAR pileup

July 6 ( UPI ) -- A member of Ryan Blaney 's pit crew was hit by a car in a pileup on pit lane during the Cup Series Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway .
Tire changer Zach Price ran out with the rest of Blaney 's crew on lap No .
16 in the 160-lap race Sunday in Indianapolis .
Price crouched down to work on the rear right tire of the No .
12 Ford before he was hit from behind by Brennan Poole 's No .
15 Chevrolet .
Price was taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thumbs-up and smiled for NBC cameras as he was tended to by medical personnel .
He was taken to an Indianapolis hospital but was released Sunday night .
`` Glad Zach Price is feeling alright , '' Blaney tweeted Sunday night .
`` That 's a scary scene for sure , even worse when I saw the replay .
Them guys are warriors .
All of them . ''
Price fell to the ground before he crawled to safety -- with a noticeable limp in his left leg -- behind Blaney 's car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jumped over Blaney 's car to avoid being hit by several cars that were involved in the pileup .
Multiple cars slid sideways through the narrow pit road during the dustup .
`` Zach Price , rear tire changer for the No .
12 Menards/Atlas Ford Mustang , was treated and released from Methodist Hospital , '' Team Penske said in a statement .
`` He will travel back to North Carolina with the team for further evaluation . ''
The 24 foot-wide pit lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the most narrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were involved in the pileup .
Martin Truex Jr. , Ryan Preece , Corey LaJoie , Ricky Stenhouse Jr. , Justin Allgaier and Poole missed the remainder of the race after they were involved in the wreck .
`` The No .
15 actually got in the back of me , '' Allgaier told NBC .
`` I did n't know if I got the gentleman on the No .
12 [ Price ] or not .
Once the wreck started happening in front of us and we all got bottled-up there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into .
`` Just a shame .
I hate it for these guys on this Ally No .
48 .
They 've done such a great job .
They 've prepared so well for the circumstances . ''
Allgaier sat in Jimmie Johnson 's No .
48 for the race after Johnson tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday and missed the event .
Kevin Harvick won the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 .
Matt Kenseth , Aric Almirola , Brad Keselowski and Cole Custer also finished in the top five .
Blaney came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues with the Quaker State 400 at 2:30 p.m. EDT Sunday at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta , Ky .

July 6 (UPI) -- A member of Ryan Blaney's pit crew was hit by a car in a pileup on pit lane during the Cup Series Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Tire changer Zach Price ran out with the rest of Blaney's crew on lap No. 16 in the 160-lap race Sunday in Indianapolis. Price crouched down to work on the rear right tire of the No. 12 Ford before he was hit from behind by Brennan Poole's No. 15 Chevrolet.
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Price was taken away on a stretcher but gave a thumbs-up and smiled for NBC cameras as he was tended to by medical personnel. He was taken to an Indianapolis hospital but was released Sunday night.
"Glad Zach Price is feeling alright," Blaney tweeted Sunday night. "That's a scary scene for sure, even worse when I saw the replay. Them guys are warriors. All of them."
Price fell to the ground before he crawled to safety -- with a noticeable limp in his left leg -- behind Blaney's car. Another member of Blaney's crew jumped over Blaney's car to avoid being hit by several cars that were involved in the pileup. Multiple cars slid sideways through the narrow pit road during the dustup.
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"Zach Price, rear tire changer for the No. 12 Menards/Atlas Ford Mustang, was treated and released from Methodist Hospital," Team Penske said in a statement. "He will travel back to North Carolina with the team for further evaluation."
The 24 foot-wide pit lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the most narrow on the NASCAR circuit. Ten cars were involved in the pileup. Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Preece, Corey LaJoie, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Justin Allgaier and Poole missed the remainder of the race after they were involved in the wreck.
"The No. 15 actually got in the back of me," Allgaier told NBC. "I didn't know if I got the gentleman on the No. 12 [Price] or not. Once the wreck started happening in front of us and we all got bottled-up there, one car after another were getting run into.
"Just a shame. I hate it for these guys on this Ally No. 48. They've done such a great job. They've prepared so well for the circumstances."
Allgaier sat in Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 for the race after Johnson tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday and missed the event.
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Kevin Harvick won the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400. Matt Kenseth, Aric Almirola, Brad Keselowski and Cole Custer also finished in the top five. Blaney came in 32nd.
The Cup Series schedule continues with the Quaker State 400 at 2:30 p.m. EDT Sunday at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ky.


upi--2020-07-06--Israel launches Ofek 16 spy satellite into space

July 6 ( UPI ) -- Israel launched a new spy satellite into orbit on Monday , saying it will bring enhanced surveillance capabilities .
A rocket launched carrying the Ofek 16 reconnaissance satellite before dawn at the Palmachim airbase , Israel Aerospace Industries tweeted .
Officials said it 's an `` electro-optical reconnaissance satellite with advanced capabilities . ''
`` During the initial period of operation , the satellite will undergo a series of tests to determine its propriety and performance level , '' defense officials tweeted .
Israel Defense Forces were involved with the development of the satellite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rafael Advanced Systems and Tomer , a government-owned defense company , built the launch engines .
`` [ The launch is ] yet another extraordinary achievement for the defense establishment , '' said Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz .
`` Technological superiority and intelligence capabilities are essential to the security of the State of Israel . ''
Gantz said Israel is one of 13 nations that have satellite launching capabilities `` made possible by the people who have been investing in these systems and advancing breakthrough capabilities over the years . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ States , Britain , Italy , France , Japan , India , Ukraine , China , Russia and Iran , North and South Korea .
Monday 's was the first launch of an Israeli satellite since the Amos-17 was sent into orbit from the United States last August .

Monday's was the first launch of an Israeli satellite since the Amos-17 was sent into orbit from the United States last August. Photo courtesy Israel Ministry of Defense/Twitter
July 6 (UPI) -- Israel launched a new spy satellite into orbit on Monday, saying it will bring enhanced surveillance capabilities. A rocket launched carrying the Ofek 16 reconnaissance satellite before dawn at the Palmachim airbase, Israel Aerospace Industries tweeted. Advertisement
Officials said it's an "electro-optical reconnaissance satellite with advanced capabilities."
"During the initial period of operation, the satellite will undergo a series of tests to determine its propriety and performance level," defense officials tweeted.
Israel Defense Forces were involved with the development of the satellite, which was designed by Elbit Systems. Rafael Advanced Systems and Tomer, a government-owned defense company, built the launch engines.
"[The launch is] yet another extraordinary achievement for the defense establishment," said Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz. "Technological superiority and intelligence capabilities are essential to the security of the State of Israel."
Gantz said Israel is one of 13 nations that have satellite launching capabilities "made possible by the people who have been investing in these systems and advancing breakthrough capabilities over the years."
The other satellite-capable nations are the United States, Britain, Italy, France, Japan, India, Ukraine, China, Russia and Iran, North and South Korea.
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Monday's was the first launch of an Israeli satellite since the Amos-17 was sent into orbit from the United States last August.


upi--2020-07-06--Explosive situation in Iran hints at cover-up

July 6 ( UPI ) -- There are strange goings-on in Iran .
On June 25 , there was a massive explosion near the Parchin military weapons development complex , east of Tehran .
The blast sent a fireball spiraling into the air , turning the skyline bright orange for several seconds .
The fire could be seen from Tehran , where the force of the explosion shook residential buildings and led to many exchanges on social media , with people asking each other if they had seen the fireball and heard the two consecutive booms .
The Iranian regime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claiming the huge blast was caused by a leaking gas tank and that there had been no injuries .
Brig .
Gen. Davoud Abdi stated that the ensuing fire had been brought under control and added : `` Our colleagues are present on the ground and investigating the incident carefully . ''
Hours after the explosion , the state television station showed a video clip of charred buildings with twisted metal structures and what appeared to be ruptured holding tanks , claiming that this was the scene of the explosion .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Iranian position , questioning whether in fact the explosion had been the result of sabotage , given the importance of the Parchin complex and its close association with the regime 's secret nuclear program .
According to Fabian Hinz , a senior researcher at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey , Calif. : `` Parchin is basically the largest military explosive manufacturing site in Iran .
They produce artillery rockets there and had tests related to nuclear weapons designs before 2003 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Tehran briefed reporters that there had been no immediate requests for ambulances to the scene of the explosion .
He added that medical aid was , nevertheless , on standby .
The theocratic regime 's strident denials of a major incident have certainly fueled speculation that the true nature of the disaster at Parchin has been obscured .
Afghon Ostovar , a scholar at the Naval Postgraduate School , said that given Iran 's sensitivity about the base , `` it 's easy to smell a possible cover-up . ''
He added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an accident at a military site , possibly involving fuel for ballistic missiles .
A third possibility , of course , is that it was n't an accident but rather a form of sabotage . ''
Now there has been a second major incident at a nuclear site .
Behruz Kamalvandi , a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran , acknowledged that there had been an incident in `` one of the industrial sheds under construction '' at the Natanz uranium enrichment plant in Isfahan Province .
Once again , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been no fatalities and no radiation contamination , stating that there had been a fire that was quickly extinguished .
However , U.S.-based analysts again identified the burned building as a centrifuge assembly workshop , where the mullah 's regime controversially produces enriched uranium , which can be used for reactor fuel and for nuclear weapons .
Under the terms of U.S. President Barack Obama 's flawed nuclear deal signed in 2015 , regular inspections by the IAEA were limited to the Natanz site .
Access to other sites , and in particular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Revolutionary Guards Corps , were prohibited under the terms of the deal .
Natanz , Iran 's main underground nuclear facility with over 19,000 operational centrifuges , was first revealed to Western intelligence agencies by the People 's Mojahedin Organization of Iran ( PMOI/MEK ) , the main democratic opposition group , in 2002 .
Until that point , it had been a closely guarded secret by the Iranian regime .
In February 2015 , the MEK revealed another secret site called Lavizan-3 in a military base in northeast Tehran 's suburbs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Western inspectors .
Following U.S. President Donald Trump 's unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear deal and his reimposition of tough sanctions on the regime , the mullahs have begun the enrichment of weapons-grade uranium in open defiance of the nuclear deal , the remnants of which are still being adhered to by China , Russia , the United Kingdom and the European Union .
After a previous massive explosion at Parchin in 2014 , international observers from the International Atomic Energy Agency requested permission to visit the site , but this was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was finally allowed back onto the site a year later , when inspectors discovered empty buildings and clear signs that machinery had been removed .
The most recent explosion is a clear indication that the site is back in full production .
The lies and denials about the two huge explosions in the past 10 days point to the sinister conclusion that advanced missile and nuclear weapons development is underway at Parchin and Natanz .
The Iranian people no longer trust announcements from the theocratic , fascist regime .
The ludicrous denials for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Ukrainian airliner exposed the mendacity and deceptions of the mullahs .
Their claim that only 10,500 have died from the coronavirus pandemic while the true figure is known to be in excess of 65,000 , has further enraged the Iranian population , who are sick of their lying , thieving and murdering government .
Of course , rumors of the involvement of U.S. or Israeli intelligence services behind the explosions are rife .
An email received by the BBC 's Persian service claimed that dissidents in an organization called the `` Homeland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explosions , stating that they had staged the attacks above ground so that they could not be denied .
Whatever the truth is , it will never be revealed by the mullahs .
They fear the dire consequences of either admitting a major breach of security that enabled foreign agents or dissidents to infiltrate key nuclear sites , or admitting the incompetence of their military experts who allowed two huge blasts to take place in the space of 10 days .
This is a regime in turmoil .
Struan Stevenson is the Coordinator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He was a member of the European Parliament representing Scotland ( 1999-2014 ) , president of the Parliament 's Delegation for Relations with Iraq ( 2009-14 ) and chairman of the Friends of a Free Iran Intergroup ( 2004-14 ) .
He is an international lecturer on the Middle East and is also president of the European Iraqi Freedom Association .

A photo made available by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran shows a building that is part of the Natanz uranium enrichment facilities after it was reportedly damaged by a fire, in Natanz, Iran on Thursday. Photo courtesy of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran/EPA-EFE
July 6 (UPI) -- There are strange goings-on in Iran. On June 25, there was a massive explosion near the Parchin military weapons development complex, east of Tehran. The blast sent a fireball spiraling into the air, turning the skyline bright orange for several seconds. The fire could be seen from Tehran, where the force of the explosion shook residential buildings and led to many exchanges on social media, with people asking each other if they had seen the fireball and heard the two consecutive booms. Advertisement
The Iranian regime's defense ministry quickly issued a statement claiming the huge blast was caused by a leaking gas tank and that there had been no injuries. Brig. Gen. Davoud Abdi stated that the ensuing fire had been brought under control and added: "Our colleagues are present on the ground and investigating the incident carefully."
Hours after the explosion, the state television station showed a video clip of charred buildings with twisted metal structures and what appeared to be ruptured holding tanks, claiming that this was the scene of the explosion. However, military analysts in the West swiftly countered the Iranian position, questioning whether in fact the explosion had been the result of sabotage, given the importance of the Parchin complex and its close association with the regime's secret nuclear program.
Advertisement
According to Fabian Hinz, a senior researcher at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, Calif.: "Parchin is basically the largest military explosive manufacturing site in Iran. They produce artillery rockets there and had tests related to nuclear weapons designs before 2003."
But the head of emergency services in Tehran briefed reporters that there had been no immediate requests for ambulances to the scene of the explosion. He added that medical aid was, nevertheless, on standby. The theocratic regime's strident denials of a major incident have certainly fueled speculation that the true nature of the disaster at Parchin has been obscured.
Afghon Ostovar, a scholar at the Naval Postgraduate School, said that given Iran's sensitivity about the base, "it's easy to smell a possible cover-up." He added: "It could have also been an accident at a military site, possibly involving fuel for ballistic missiles. A third possibility, of course, is that it wasn't an accident but rather a form of sabotage."
Now there has been a second major incident at a nuclear site. Behruz Kamalvandi, a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, acknowledged that there had been an incident in "one of the industrial sheds under construction" at the Natanz uranium enrichment plant in Isfahan Province.
Advertisement
Once again, the regime's spokesman claimed that there had been no fatalities and no radiation contamination, stating that there had been a fire that was quickly extinguished. However, U.S.-based analysts again identified the burned building as a centrifuge assembly workshop, where the mullah's regime controversially produces enriched uranium, which can be used for reactor fuel and for nuclear weapons.
Under the terms of U.S. President Barack Obama's flawed nuclear deal signed in 2015, regular inspections by the IAEA were limited to the Natanz site. Access to other sites, and in particular to military sites controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, were prohibited under the terms of the deal.
Natanz, Iran's main underground nuclear facility with over 19,000 operational centrifuges, was first revealed to Western intelligence agencies by the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), the main democratic opposition group, in 2002. Until that point, it had been a closely guarded secret by the Iranian regime. In February 2015, the MEK revealed another secret site called Lavizan-3 in a military base in northeast Tehran's suburbs. Again, this had been entirely hidden from Western inspectors.
Following U.S. President Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear deal and his reimposition of tough sanctions on the regime, the mullahs have begun the enrichment of weapons-grade uranium in open defiance of the nuclear deal, the remnants of which are still being adhered to by China, Russia, the United Kingdom and the European Union.
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After a previous massive explosion at Parchin in 2014, international observers from the International Atomic Energy Agency requested permission to visit the site, but this was denied by the regime. The IAEA was finally allowed back onto the site a year later, when inspectors discovered empty buildings and clear signs that machinery had been removed. The most recent explosion is a clear indication that the site is back in full production.
The lies and denials about the two huge explosions in the past 10 days point to the sinister conclusion that advanced missile and nuclear weapons development is underway at Parchin and Natanz. The Iranian people no longer trust announcements from the theocratic, fascist regime. The ludicrous denials for several days following the shooting down of the Ukrainian airliner exposed the mendacity and deceptions of the mullahs. Their claim that only 10,500 have died from the coronavirus pandemic while the true figure is known to be in excess of 65,000, has further enraged the Iranian population, who are sick of their lying, thieving and murdering government.
Of course, rumors of the involvement of U.S. or Israeli intelligence services behind the explosions are rife. An email received by the BBC's Persian service claimed that dissidents in an organization called the "Homeland Cheetahs" had been responsible for both explosions, stating that they had staged the attacks above ground so that they could not be denied.
Advertisement
Whatever the truth is, it will never be revealed by the mullahs. They fear the dire consequences of either admitting a major breach of security that enabled foreign agents or dissidents to infiltrate key nuclear sites, or admitting the incompetence of their military experts who allowed two huge blasts to take place in the space of 10 days. This is a regime in turmoil.
Struan Stevenson is the Coordinator of the Campaign for Iran Change. He was a member of the European Parliament representing Scotland (1999-2014), president of the Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Iraq (2009-14) and chairman of the Friends of a Free Iran Intergroup (2004-14). He is an international lecturer on the Middle East and is also president of the European Iraqi Freedom Association.


upi--2020-07-06--In Photos: 50 Cent turns 45: a look back

Cast member 50 Cent arrives for the premiere of `` Get Rich Or Die Tryin '' in Los Angeles November @ @ @ @ @ following month , he took home Artist of the Year and Album of the Year @ @ @ @ @ at the Billboard Music Awards .
Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

50 Cent promotes his first autobiography, "From Pieces to Weight: Once Upon a Time in Southside Queens" in New York City on August 9, 2005. The next year he was cast as the lead role in "Live Bet." Photo by Ezio Petersen/UPI


upi--2020-07-06--Stars react to Nick Cordero's death: 'Never known a kinder person'

July 6 ( UPI ) -- Hollywood and Broadway stars including Zach Braff and Lin-Manuel Miranda have paid tribute to Nick Cordero following his death due to COVID-19 .
Cordero died Sunday at age 41 after months of fighting the coronavirus disease .
The Broadway star is known for starring in Rock of Ages , Waitress , Bullets Over Broadway and A Bronx Tale the Musical .
He is survived by his wife Amanda Kloots and their 1-year-old son , Elvis .
`` I have honestly never known a kinder person .
But Covid does n't care about the purity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in your heart , '' Braff , who starred with Cordero in Bullets Over Broadway , wrote on Instagram with a photo of Cordero and his wife .
`` The last thing he ever texted me was to look out for his wife and one year old son , Elvis .
I promise the world they will never want for anything .
I feel so incredibly grateful I got to have Nick Cordero enter my life . ''
`` Devastating .
What a loss , what a light .
Whole heart with Amanda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter .
`` RIP Nick Cordero !
My condolences to you Amanda who fought and loved so hard ... so sorry for his little one .
My heart is with you .
May flights of angels , '' actress Viola Davis added in a tweet .
`` He was light .
Kind and gentle .
Talented and humble .
Funny and friendly .
The best laugh .
Sending so much love to warrior @ amandakloots and little Elvis , and an immense hug to any one who is feeling the loss of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dear Nick .
We love you , '' singer Sara Bareilles , who penned the music and lyrics for Waitress , wrote on Instagram .
`` My heart is broken .
I feel ill .
Along with the entire Broadway community and the entire world , I mourn the loss of the incredible Nick Cordero and send my sincerest love and prayers to @ amandakloots , Elvis & the entire family .
RIP Nick , '' actor Josh Gad added in a tweet .
`` I will miss you .
You were a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The happiest dad I knew .
A good friend to me .
My love & prayers go out to your family , '' Broadway star James M. Iglehart tweeted .

Actors Zach Braff (L) and Nick Cordero perform a song from the Broadway show "Bullets Over Broadway" at 106.7 LITE FM's Broadway in Bryant Park in New York City on July 24, 2014. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
July 6 (UPI) -- Hollywood and Broadway stars including Zach Braff and Lin-Manuel Miranda have paid tribute to Nick Cordero following his death due to COVID-19. Cordero died Sunday at age 41 after months of fighting the coronavirus disease. The Broadway star is known for starring in Rock of Ages, Waitress, Bullets Over Broadway and A Bronx Tale the Musical. He is survived by his wife Amanda Kloots and their 1-year-old son, Elvis. Advertisement
"I have honestly never known a kinder person. But Covid doesn't care about the purity of your soul, or the goodness in your heart," Braff, who starred with Cordero in Bullets Over Broadway, wrote on Instagram with a photo of Cordero and his wife.
"The last thing he ever texted me was to look out for his wife and one year old son, Elvis. I promise the world they will never want for anything. I feel so incredibly grateful I got to have Nick Cordero enter my life."
"Devastating. What a loss, what a light. Whole heart with Amanda and his family," Miranda wrote on Twitter.
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"RIP Nick Cordero! My condolences to you Amanda who fought and loved so hard...so sorry for his little one. My heart is with you. May flights of angels," actress Viola Davis added in a tweet.
"He was light. Kind and gentle. Talented and humble. Funny and friendly. The best laugh. Sending so much love to warrior @amandakloots and little Elvis, and an immense hug to any one who is feeling the loss of this giant heart. Rest in Peace dear Nick. We love you," singer Sara Bareilles, who penned the music and lyrics for Waitress, wrote on Instagram.
"My heart is broken. I feel ill. Along with the entire Broadway community and the entire world, I mourn the loss of the incredible Nick Cordero and send my sincerest love and prayers to @amandakloots, Elvis & the entire family. RIP Nick," actor Josh Gad added in a tweet.
"I will miss you. You were a wonderful man. A wonderful husband. The happiest dad I knew. A good friend to me. My love & prayers go out to your family," Broadway star James M. Iglehart tweeted.


upi--2020-07-06--New York begins 3rd stage of reopening plan; U.S. reports another 49K cases

Residents in Miami, Fla., drive into a COVID-19 testing area at Hard Rock Stadium on July 2. Florida reported a surge of 10,000 cases on Sunday and is one of the states with the fastest growing number of coronavirus cases. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI | License Photo
July 6 (UPI) -- New COVID-19 cases have declined in New York since the state first launched its economic reopening plan, which entered the third stage Monday, marking a sharp contrast to many other areas. At a news conference, Gov. Andrew Cuomo hailed the success of New York's phased approach, noting that the number of new cases is "actually down from where we were when we started reopening." Advertisement
"The question was, when you start reopening, activity will go up, number of cases will go up, can you control the increase?" he said to reporters.
"We haven't needed to control the increase, we've actually had a slight decline, and now we're basically running flat. And that is great news. That is really great news."
New York reported just nine deaths Sunday and 817 were hospitalized -- the lowest level of seriously ill patients since early in the outbreak, Cuomo said.
New York's third stage began Monday and allowed personal care services like nail salons, tanning, tattooing, piercing and waxing businesses to reopen, with distancing. Outdoor recreational areas including basketball, tennis and volleyball courts were also allowed.
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New York's declining numbers, however, are a stark contrast with the United States, which saw a daily increase of almost 50,000 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday.
New U.S. cases totaled 49,200, according to Johns Hopkins University -- the fourth of the last five days to see at least 45,000 new infections. The single-day record, about 54,000, came last Thursday.
By mid-day Monday, the U.S. death toll was at 130,000 and the total caseload almost 2.9 million, according to the university figures.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced on Monday that she has tested positive for COVID-19.
"COVID-19 has literally hit home," she wrote on Twitter. "I have had NO symptoms and have tested positive."
Bottoms described the diagnosis as "a shock" in an interview with MSNBC.
"It leaves me at a loss for words," she said.
Bottoms added that the diagnosis is an example of how contagious the virus is. Fulton County, where Atlanta is located has reported nearly 9,000 coronavirus cases and Georgia has reported a total of 97,064 confirmed cases and 2,878 deaths.
Several states reported record daily increases over the holiday weekend, including California, which logged almost 12,000 on Sunday -- the most ever for a single day.
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In Florida, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez on Monday ordered many local businesses to reclose as health officials reported more than 6,300 additional cases. The closures are effective Wednesday and include ballrooms, banquet facilities, party venues, gyms, fitness centers and short-term rentals.
Indoor dining at restaurants is not allowed, but takeout is permitted.
"We want to ensure that our hospitals continue to have the staffing necessary to save lives," Gimenez said in a statement.
"We can tamp down the spread if everyone follows the rules, wears masks and stays at least six feet apart from others. I am counting on you, our 2.8 million residents, to stop the spread so that we can get back to opening our economy."
COVID-19 pandemic alters life in New York City


upi--2020-07-06--Yankees' Tanaka returns after taking 112-mph line drive to head

July 6 ( UPI ) -- New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said pitcher Masahiro Tanaka was in `` good spirits '' when he returned to Yankee Stadium a day after he was hit in the head by a 112-mph line drive off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton .
`` He came in around noon [ Sunday ] and was in really good spirits , '' Boone told reporters .
`` He got a good night 's sleep ; no loss of appetite .
`` All the signs are pointing that he really dodged the bullet there .
We 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'll take it day by day .
Hopefully it 's not something that 's too long . ''
The sequence occurred when the Yankees took part in their first formal workout of Summer Camp on Saturday at Yankee Stadium .
Tanaka took the mound and faced several hitters in a simulated game .
Stanton stepped to the plate and hit a rocket in a split-second sequence .
The ball drilled Tanaka on the right side of his head and flew through the air before it landed behind home plate .
Tanaka fell to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also crouched down after he realized what had happened to his teammate .
Trainers tended to Tanaka before he was helped off the field .
Tanaka was then sent to New York-Presbyterian Hospital and was released hours later .
`` I appreciate all the support , '' Tanaka wrote Saturday on social media .
`` I feel it a bit right now , but I 'm all good .
Going to try to get back on the mound ASAP !
Thanks again for all the encouraging words ! ''
The Yankees on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the pitcher and hitters to protect pitchers from similar sequences .
The MLB season has been suspended since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Owners and players plan to return to the field for games July 23 or 24 .
Tanaka , 31 , posted a 4.45 ERA and an 11-9 record in 32 appearances last season for the Yankees .
The two-time All-Star was scheduled to make $ 23 million this season before the players agreed to accept reduced salaries as part of the season resumption .
Tanaka will hit @ @ @ @ @

New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka was hit in the head with a line drive and sustained a concussion Saturday at Yankee Stadium but returned to the team on Sunday. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
July 6 (UPI) -- New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said pitcher Masahiro Tanaka was in "good spirits" when he returned to Yankee Stadium a day after he was hit in the head by a 112-mph line drive off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton. Boone said Sunday Tanaka sustained a "mild concussion." Advertisement
"He came in around noon [Sunday] and was in really good spirits," Boone told reporters. "He got a good night's sleep; no loss of appetite.
"All the signs are pointing that he really dodged the bullet there. We're encouraged where he is, but we'll take it day by day. Hopefully it's not something that's too long."
The sequence occurred when the Yankees took part in their first formal workout of Summer Camp on Saturday at Yankee Stadium. Tanaka took the mound and faced several hitters in a simulated game. Stanton stepped to the plate and hit a rocket in a split-second sequence. The ball drilled Tanaka on the right side of his head and flew through the air before it landed behind home plate.
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Tanaka fell to the ground after the collision. Stanton also crouched down after he realized what had happened to his teammate. Trainers tended to Tanaka before he was helped off the field.
Tanaka was then sent to New York-Presbyterian Hospital and was released hours later.
Masahiro Tanaka was hit in the head with a line drive from the bat of Giancarlo Stanton during a simulated game.pic.twitter.com/biProHbgeK— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) July 4, 2020
"I appreciate all the support," Tanaka wrote Saturday on social media. "I feel it a bit right now, but I'm all good. Going to try to get back on the mound ASAP! Thanks again for all the encouraging words!"
The Yankees on Sunday put a protective screen on the field between the pitcher and hitters to protect pitchers from similar sequences. The MLB season has been suspended since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Owners and players plan to return to the field for games July 23 or 24.
Tanaka, 31, posted a 4.45 ERA and an 11-9 record in 32 appearances last season for the Yankees. The two-time All-Star was scheduled to make $23 million this season before the players agreed to accept reduced salaries as part of the season resumption. Tanaka will hit free agency next off-season.


upi--2020-07-06--Machine Gun Kelly mourns father's death: 'Never felt a pain this deep'

July 6 ( UPI ) -- Machine Gun Kelly is mourning the death of his father on Instagram .
The @ @ @ @ @ Baker , announced his father 's death on Sunday .
Kelly said that he was @ @ @ @ @ one-year anniversary of his fourth studio album , Hotel Diablo .
`` That album was @ @ @ @ @ and I know it 's close to my fans ... but my father took his @ @ @ @ @ '' Kelly said .
`` I 've never felt a pain this deep in my @ @ @ @ @ my phone down .
Love you .
Thank you guys for everything . ''
Kelly @ @ @ @ @ of death .
Travis Barker of Blink-182 and actress and singer Hailee Steinfeld added their @ @ @ @ @ the love in the world to you right now brother , '' Barker replied to @ @ @ @ @ you all the love in the world , '' Steinfeld added .

The rapper, real name Colson Baker, did not specify the cause of his father's death. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
July 6 (UPI) -- Machine Gun Kelly is mourning the death of his father on Instagram. The rapper, real name Colson Baker, announced his father's death on Sunday. Kelly said that he was originally set to celebrate the one-year anniversary of his fourth studio album, Hotel Diablo. Advertisement
"That album was everything I wanted to say and I know it's close to my fans...but my father took his last breath this morning," Kelly said.
"I've never felt a pain this deep in my life. I'm setting my phone down. Love you. Thank you guys for everything."
Kelly did not specify a cause of death.
Travis Barker of Blink-182 and actress and singer Hailee Steinfeld added their condolences.
"Send all the love in the world to you right now brother," Barker replied to the post.
"Sending you all the love in the world," Steinfeld added.


upi--2020-07-06--Gallup poll shows concern about lack of coronavirus distancing in U.S.

A distancing sticker on the floor greets visitors to St. Louis-Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Mo., on June 18. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
July 6 (UPI) -- Record numbers of Americans are wearing masks in public and expressing concern that there's a critical lack of distancing in their communities, a survey showed Monday. Gallup said the survey, taken during the last week of June, showed 54 percent of U.S. adults say there's a lack of distancing, the first time the pollster has found a majority share on the issue. Advertisement
The results of the poll follow weeks of rising COVID-19 cases in states nationwide, which some experts have attributed to loosening restrictions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends about 6 feet of distance to avoid spreading the coronavirus disease.
"Although the most recent COVID-19 hotspots are located in the southern and western United States, there is no significant difference in the levels of worry about social distancing in the four regions of the country," Gallup wrote.
Politically, 77 percent of Democrats and 24 percent of Republicans said they're worried about distancing.
The survey also showed 86 percent of Americans, a record share, said they have worn a mask in public, an increase of 51 percent since April.
"As Americans are seeing numerous instances of a lack of social distancing in crowded venues, they are becoming increasingly concerned," Gallup added. "As a result, the public is recalibrating attitudes and behaviors after moving toward a more lax approach in the prior month or so."
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Gallup polled more than 3,400 respondents for the survey, which has a margin of error of 3 points.
COVID-19 pandemic alters life in New York City


upi--2020-07-06--Pittsburgh Steelers RB James Conner surprises mom with house

July 6 ( UPI ) -- Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner celebrated the Fourth of July weekend by surprising his mother with a new home .
Conner gifted the Erie , Pa. , home to his mother , Kelly Bibbs , on Saturday .
He posted a video and photos of the big reveal to his social media accounts .
The video begins with Conner and three brothers welcoming their mother inside the home before she breaks down into tears .
Conner then embraces his mom and the brothers say `` welcome home '' in unison .
`` Welcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much and we ca n't thank you enough , '' Conner wrote on Twitter and Instagram .
`` You 're the reason I go to work day in and day out , to finally give you a place you can call home .
I love you . ''
The Steelers star gifted his father a new truck a month ago .
Conner , 25 , was a third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of the University of Pittsburgh .
The 2018 Pro Bowl selection will play on the final year of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had 715 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns in 10 games last season .

Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner (30) runs against the Buffalo Bills defense during a game at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa., on December 15, 2019. File Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo
July 6 (UPI) -- Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner celebrated the Fourth of July weekend by surprising his mother with a new home. Conner gifted the Erie, Pa., home to his mother, Kelly Bibbs, on Saturday. He posted a video and photos of the big reveal to his social media accounts. Advertisement
The video begins with Conner and three brothers welcoming their mother inside the home before she breaks down into tears. Conner then embraces his mom and the brothers say "welcome home" in unison.
"Welcome home Ma! You've sacrificed so much and we can't thank you enough," Conner wrote on Twitter and Instagram.
"You're the reason I go to work day in and day out, to finally give you a place you can call home. I love you."
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The Steelers star gifted his father a new truck a month ago.
Conner, 25, was a third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of the University of Pittsburgh. The 2018 Pro Bowl selection will play on the final year of his rookie contract in 2020.
Conner had 715 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns in 10 games last season.


upi--2020-07-06--South Korea pursuing path toward next U.S.-North Korea summit, Seoul says

July 6 ( UPI ) -- South Korea says it is making efforts to establish a path toward U.S.-North Korea dialogue despite tensions with Pyongyang .
Seoul 's unification ministry said Monday diplomacy remains the objective despite a recent statement from North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui .
Choe had said North Korea does not seek talks with the United States , according to North Korean state media on Saturday .
`` We do not feel any need to sit face to face with the United States , as it does not consider [ U.S.-North Korea ] dialogue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grappling its political crisis , '' Choe had said .
Last week during a videoconference summit with leaders of the European Union , South Korean President Moon Jae-in had proposed a third official summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea 's Kim Jong Un .
`` South Korea hopes the United States pushes forward with U.S.-North Korea dialogue before the [ U.S. ] presidential election , '' Moon had said .
On Monday Seoul 's unification ministry spokesman said South Korea 's goal of supporting U.S.-North Korea dialogue is aligned with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no change in the government 's position on pursuing the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and a permanent peace settlement '' when seeking U.S.-North Korea dialogue , Yoh Sang-key said .
Last week former White House national security adviser John Bolton had said Trump might meet with Kim before the election , as part of an `` October Surprise . ''
In Seoul Moon is reportedly shuffling key figures in top government posts on North Korea policy , local paper Hankook Ilbo reported Monday .
The South Korean leader has appointed three officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lim Jong-seok as special advisers on diplomatic security .
Lim , a former student activist in the 1980s , was Moon 's presidential secretary and helped coordinate the visit of top North Korean officials to the South during the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics .
He is expected to be in charge of diplomatic efforts with Pyongyang , according to the report .

South Korea has played an active role in encouraging dialogue between North Korea's Kim Jong Un (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump since 2018. White House Photo by Shealah Craighead/UPI | License Photo
July 6 (UPI) -- South Korea says it is making efforts to establish a path toward U.S.-North Korea dialogue despite tensions with Pyongyang. Seoul's unification ministry said Monday diplomacy remains the objective despite a recent statement from North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui. Advertisement
Choe had said North Korea does not seek talks with the United States, according to North Korean state media on Saturday.
"We do not feel any need to sit face to face with the United States, as it does not consider [U.S.-North Korea] dialogue as nothing more than a tool for grappling its political crisis," Choe had said.
Last week during a videoconference summit with leaders of the European Union, South Korean President Moon Jae-in had proposed a third official summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un.
"South Korea hopes the United States pushes forward with U.S.-North Korea dialogue before the [U.S.] presidential election," Moon had said.
On Monday Seoul's unification ministry spokesman said South Korea's goal of supporting U.S.-North Korea dialogue is aligned with current policy.
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"There has been no change in the government's position on pursuing the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and a permanent peace settlement" when seeking U.S.-North Korea dialogue, Yoh Sang-key said.
Last week former White House national security adviser John Bolton had said Trump might meet with Kim before the election, as part of an "October Surprise."
In Seoul Moon is reportedly shuffling key figures in top government posts on North Korea policy, local paper Hankook Ilbo reported Monday.
The South Korean leader has appointed three officials, Moon Chung-in, Chung Eui-yong and Lim Jong-seok as special advisers on diplomatic security.
Lim, a former student activist in the 1980s, was Moon's presidential secretary and helped coordinate the visit of top North Korean officials to the South during the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. He is expected to be in charge of diplomatic efforts with Pyongyang, according to the report.


upi--2020-07-06--Seoul says floating leaflets into North Korea threatens lives in South

SEOUL , July 6 ( UPI ) -- A standoff over information leaflets being sent by defectors into North Korea flared again Monday , as the South Korean government condemned the action and heads of activist groups vowed to continue the practice , which has been at the center of rising inter-Korean tensions .
Seoul 's Ministry of Unification said in a statement that sending the leaflets raises tensions and `` poses a threat to the lives and safety of border area residents of the South . ''
The ministry added that the actions violate the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaflets is unconditionally allowed under freedom of expression protections .
`` [ F ] reedom of expression is not unlimited but can be restricted for national security and public welfare , '' the statement said .
`` The government intends to regulate unlawful acts without severely restricting basic rights . ''
The Ministry of Unification last month filed criminal complaints against the leaders of two defector organizations responsible for sending leaflets and plastic bottles filled with rice to the North , Park Sang-hak and his brother Park Jung-o .
Last week , police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days after they raided the offices of their groups .
However , at a press conference in Seoul on Monday , the brothers vowed to continue their activities and to fight any legal charges brought against them .
`` As long as [ North Korean leader ] Kim Jong Un continues to threaten South Korea with nuclear missiles and nuclear armaments , we will continue to send leaflets to North Korea , '' said Park Sang-hak , who leads the group Fighters for a Free North Korea .
`` And as long as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fellow North Korean residents at detention camps , we will continue to send leaflets . ''
The group last sent 500,000 leaflets on 20 balloons to the North on June 22 .
South Korean officials claimed that most of the balloons did n't make it across , but Park claimed Monday that up to 18 of the balloons completed their journey .
The activist has been sending the leaflets and other items such as USB drives containing South Korean media and dollar bills on balloons since 2004 , but in early June , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily denunciations of the practice in official state media .
Pyongyang went on to sever all communications with Seoul and blow up the inter-Korean liaison office in the border city of Kaesong over what it called South Korea 's failure to rein in the defectors .
A recent report suggested that North Korea had responded so strongly to the leaflets because the defectors included pornographic altered images of Kim Jong Un 's wife , Ri Sol Ju , but Park said on Monday his group was not responsible for the images .
South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past , citing safety concerns for those living in the border areas with North Korea .
In 2015 , the National Human Rights Commission of Korea argued that the leaflets should not be stopped and that doing so would infringe on freedom of expression .
However , a Supreme Court ruling in 2016 found that the government could restrict the sending of leaflets if they posed `` an urgent and serious danger to the lives of the people living in or near the area where the leaflets pass across the border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it 's planning to introduce new legislation to stop the practice .
Lee Hun , an attorney representing the defector brothers , said Monday the government does n't have a compelling case against his clients .
`` [ The government ] is trying to enact a law first and then make the regulations that make it punishable by law , '' Lee said .
`` It 's because with the existing law and the legal systems there is no way that it could be punishable .
`` I believe that we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in common sense , that we can fight for our rights . ''
Park Sang-hak said he wo n't stop sending leaflets and that attention the government has placed on his group has increased donations from the public .
`` In the past , I thought it was regrettable that a lot of the public was not quite attentive to our activities , but with the current activities from the government trying to pressure us and trying to stop our activities , our donations have increased by three times , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were sent to jail , the leaflet practice would continue .
`` I believe that even if I am in jail , a second or third Park Sang-hak will continue to send the leaflets to North Korea , telling the truth and dispersing the truth over Kim Jong Un 's head . ''

From left to right, defectors Park Jung-o and Park Sang-hak and attorney Lee Hun defend sending leaflets to North Korea at a press conference on Monday. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI
SEOUL, July 6 (UPI) -- A standoff over information leaflets being sent by defectors into North Korea flared again Monday, as the South Korean government condemned the action and heads of activist groups vowed to continue the practice, which has been at the center of rising inter-Korean tensions. Seoul's Ministry of Unification said in a statement that sending the leaflets raises tensions and "poses a threat to the lives and safety of border area residents of the South." Advertisement
The ministry added that the actions violate the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act and challenged the argument that sending leaflets is unconditionally allowed under freedom of expression protections.
"[F]reedom of expression is not unlimited but can be restricted for national security and public welfare," the statement said. "The government intends to regulate unlawful acts without severely restricting basic rights."
The Ministry of Unification last month filed criminal complaints against the leaders of two defector organizations responsible for sending leaflets and plastic bottles filled with rice to the North, Park Sang-hak and his brother Park Jung-o. Last week, police brought the brothers in for questioning, days after they raided the offices of their groups.
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However, at a press conference in Seoul on Monday, the brothers vowed to continue their activities and to fight any legal charges brought against them.
"As long as [North Korean leader] Kim Jong Un continues to threaten South Korea with nuclear missiles and nuclear armaments, we will continue to send leaflets to North Korea," said Park Sang-hak, who leads the group Fighters for a Free North Korea. "And as long as he continues to pressure millions of our fellow North Korean residents at detention camps, we will continue to send leaflets."
The group last sent 500,000 leaflets on 20 balloons to the North on June 22. South Korean officials claimed that most of the balloons didn't make it across, but Park Sang-hak said Monday that up to 18 of the balloons completed their journey.
The activist has been sending the leaflets and other items such as USB drives containing South Korean media and dollar bills on balloons since 2004, but in early June, North Korea started a campaign of near daily denunciations of the practice in official state media.
Pyongyang went on to sever all communications with Seoul and blow up the inter-Korean liaison office in the border city of Kaesong over what it called South Korea's failure to rein in the defectors.
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A recent report suggested that North Korea had responded so strongly to the leaflets because the defectors included pornographic altered images of Kim Jong Un's wife, Ri Sol Ju, but Park Sang-hak said Monday his group was not responsible for the images.
South Korean authorities have prevented defectors sending leaflets in the past, citing safety concerns for those living in the border areas with North Korea. In 2015, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea argued that the leaflets should not be stopped and that doing so would infringe on freedom of expression.
However, a Supreme Court ruling in 2016 found that the government could restrict the sending of leaflets if they posed "an urgent and serious danger to the lives of the people living in or near the area where the leaflets pass across the border."
The South Korean government has said it's planning to introduce new legislation to stop the practice.
Lee Hun, an attorney representing the defector brothers, said Monday the government doesn't have a compelling case against his clients.
"[The government] is trying to enact a law first and then make the regulations that make it punishable by law," Lee said. "It's because with the existing law and the legal systems there is no way that it could be punishable.
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"I believe that we have a case, legally as well as in common sense, that we can fight for our rights."
Park Sang-hak said he won't stop sending leaflets and that attention the government has placed on his group has increased donations from the public.
"In the past, I thought it was regrettable that a lot of the public was not quite attentive to our activities, but with the current activities from the government trying to pressure us and trying to stop our activities, our donations have increased by three times," he said.
He added that even if he were sent to jail, the leaflet practice would continue.
"I believe that even if I am in jail, a second or third Park Sang-hak will continue to send the leaflets to North Korea, telling the truth and dispersing the truth over Kim Jong Un's head."


upi--2020-07-06--Atlanta mayor appeals for end of violence after girl shot dead

July 6 ( UPI ) -- Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms pleaded with the public to end violence in the city after an eight-year-old girl was shot and killed over the weekend .
Secoriea Turner , 8 , was shot Saturday night near a Wendy 's restaurant that 's become a focal point of anti-police brutality protests that followed the death of Rayshard Brooks on June 12 .
`` Enough is enough , '' Bottoms said during a press conference on Sunday .
`` Enough is enough . ''
Police said in a statement that Turner , her mother and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that was attempting to enter a parking lot where demonstrators had illegally barricaded .
They were confronted by armed individuals and gunfire began , authorities said .
Bottoms said at least two people in the group shot at the car , and appealed for anyone with information about the shooting to come forward .
`` If you know who did this , please turn them in , '' she said .
`` These people are a danger to all of us . ''
There have been more than 75 shootings in the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shootings from Saturday night .
Bottoms warned the violence may harm the protesters ' movement demanding police reforms and racial equality .
`` This random , wild , wild west shot 'em up because you can has got to stop .
It has to stop .
You ca n't blame this on the police officer , you ca n't say this is about criminal justice reform -- this is about some people carrying some weapons who shot up a car with an eight-year-old baby in the car .
For what ? ''
she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We got to stop this .
We 're doing each other more harm than any police officer on this force . ''
Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp also urged anyone with information to contact police .
`` Our hearts absolutely break for this precious life senselessly taken , '' he posted to Facebook .
Police have offered a $ 10,000 reward , and said one of the shooters was dressed in black and the other wore a white T-shirt .

July 6 (UPI) -- Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency and deployed the National Guard on Monday in response to violence in Atlanta, including the shooting death of an 8-year-old girl over the weekend.
Kemp announced that 1,000 Georgia National Guard troops will be deployed to three areas in Atlanta including the Georgia State Capitol, the Georgia Department of Public Safety Headquarters and the Governor's Mansion.
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"Peaceful protests were hijacked by criminals with a dangerous, destructive agenda. Now innocent Georgians are being targeted, shot and left for dead," said Kemp. "This lawlessness must be stopped and order restored in our capital city."
The announcement came as Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms pleaded with the public to end violence in the city after 8-year-old Secoriea Turner was shot and killed over the weekend.
Secoriea was shot Saturday night near a Wendy's restaurant that's become a focal point of anti-police brutality protests that followed the death of Rayshard Brooks on June 12.
"Enough is enough," Bottoms said during a press conference on Sunday. "Enough is enough."
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Police said in a statement that Secoriea, her mother and an adult friend were in a vehicle that was attempting to enter a parking lot that demonstrators had illegally barricaded. They were confronted by armed people and gunfire erupted, authorities said.
Secoriea later died at a hospital.
Bottoms said at least two people in the group shot at the car and appealed for anyone with information about the shooting to come forward.
"If you know who did this, please turn them in," she said. "These people are a danger to all of us."
There have been more than 75 shootings in the last few weeks, including two other fatal ones Saturday night. Bottoms warned the violence may harm the protesters' movement demanding police reforms and racial equality.
"This random, wild, wild west shot 'em up because you can has got to stop. It has to stop. You can't blame this on the police officer, you can't say this is about criminal justice reform -- this is about some people carrying some weapons who shot up a car with an 8-year-old baby in the car. For what?" she said. "It's simple: We got to stop this. We're doing each other more harm than any police officer on this force."
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Kemp also urged anyone with information to contact police.
"Our hearts absolutely break for this precious life senselessly taken," he posted to Facebook.
Police have offered a $10,000 reward.


upi--2020-07-06--Eight feared dead after two planes collide over Idaho lake

July 6 ( UPI ) -- Authorities said eight people are feared dead after two planes collided over Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho .
The Kootenai County Sheriff 's Office said in a statement it received calls the two planes had collided mid-air before crashing into the lake at around 2:20 p.m. on Sunday .
Two deceased passengers have been pulled from the water but authorities said that based on initial reports they believe eight passengers and crew were involved in the crash .
`` At this time it is believed there are no survivors , '' the sheriff 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims will be released once their identities have been confirmed and their families have been notified , it said .
The planes were located by a sonar team at a depth of 127 feet underwater , which Lt. Ryan Higgins with the sheriff 's office said was too deep for their dive team , meaning a commercial diving operation may need to be contracted to investigate the wreckages at the bottom of the lake .
Multiple Marine , U.S. Coast Guard and fire department units responded to the crash .
The sheriff 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the crash , though the National Transportation Board identified the aircraft late Sunday as a Cessna TU206G and a de Havilland DHC-2 and said it was investigating the incident .

July 6 (UPI) -- Authorities said eight people are feared dead after two planes collided over Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho.
The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office said in a statement it received calls the two planes had collided mid-air before crashing into the lake at around 2:20 p.m. on Sunday.
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Two deceased passengers have been pulled from the water but authorities said that based on initial reports they believe eight passengers and crew were involved in the crash.
"At this time it is believed there are no survivors," the sheriff's office said.
The names of the victims will be released once their identities have been confirmed and their families have been notified, it said.
The planes were located by a sonar team at a depth of 127 feet underwater, which Lt. Ryan Higgins with the sheriff's office said was too deep for their dive team, meaning a commercial diving operation may need to be contracted to investigate the wreckages at the bottom of the lake.
Multiple Marine, U.S. Coast Guard and fire department units responded to the crash.
The sheriff's office could not confirm the planes involved in the crash, though the National Transportation Board identified the aircraft late Sunday as a Cessna TU206G and a de Havilland DHC-2 and said it was investigating the incident.


upi--2020-07-06--Famous birthdays for July 6: Kevin Hart, Geoffrey Rush

July 6 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Cancer .
-- John @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Navy , in 1747 -- Singer LaVerne Andrews of the Andrews Sisters in @ @ @ @ @ lady Nancy Reagan in 1921 -- Former U.S. President George W. Bush in 1946 ( @ @ @

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Eva Green attends the premiere of "Dumbo" at the Ray Dolby Ballroom, Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles on March 11, 2019. The actor turns 40 on July 6. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
July 6 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Cancer. They include: Advertisement
-- John Paul Jones, founder of the U.S. Navy, in 1747
-- Mexican painter Frida Kahlo in 1907
-- Singer LaVerne Andrews of the Andrews Sisters in 1911
-- Former U.S. first lady Nancy Reagan in 1921
-- TV entertainer/producer Merv Griffin in 1925
-- Rock 'n' roll pioneer Bill Haley in 1925
-- Actor Janet Leigh in 1927
-- Singer/actor Della Reese in 1931
-- The Dalai Lama, spiritual leader/Nobel Peace Prize laureate, in 1935 (age 85)
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyasto, speaks during a special lecture for member of the Diet in Tokyo, Japan on November 16, 2016. Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI
-- Actor Ned Beatty in 1937 (age 83)
-- Actor Burt Ward in 1945 (age 75)
-- Actor Sylvester Stallone in 1946 (age 74)
-- Former U.S. President George W. Bush in 1946 (age 74)
-- Actor Shelley Hack in 1947 (age 73)
-- Actor Geoffrey Rush in 1951 (age 69)
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File Photo by David Silpa/UPI
-- Singer Nanci Griffith in 1953 (age 67)
-- Actor Allyce Beasley in 1954 (age 66)
-- Actor Jennifer Saunders in 1958 (age 62)
-- Rapper 50 Cent, born Curtis James Jackson III, in 1975, (age 45)
-- Actor Tamara Mowry in 1978 (age 42)
-- Actor Tia Mowry in 1978 (age 42)
-- Comedian/actor Kevin Hart in 1979 (age 41)
-- Actor Eva Green in 1980 (age 40)
-- Actor Cody Fern in 1988 (age 32)


upi--2020-07-06--U.S. Olympians improvise training during pandemic as Games postponed

July 6 ( UPI ) -- Though COVID-19 has denied the world 's premier athletes a chance to compete in the postponed Olympics in Japan , Team USA 's stars are adopting unorthodox ways to stay in shape while on the sidelines .
Working on her rhythmic gymnastics routine , Evita Griskenas ' hands sometimes smack her basement ceiling .
Her acrobatic arm and leg swings have broken light fixtures in her Orland Park , Ill. , home .
That 's because gyms were shuttered , the weather did n't always cooperate for training and Griskenas wanted to keep in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a toilet paper roll to practice her world-class movements , juggling and tossing it around her body as she performed her basement routine .
The creative training exercises , she said , pushed her to her limits , even without state-of-the-art facilities and personal coaching .
Griskenas called the postponement of the Olympics an `` annoyance , '' but said she is optimistic she will compete in the Summer Games in 2021 .
`` It 's for the best for our safety and the safety of others '' to have gyms and training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` It led me to be more innovative with the way I work out , which I think worked well in my favor . ''
Griskenas was the most decorated athlete at 2019 Pan American Games in Peru , with four gold medals and a bronze medal .
The 2020 Olympic Games , which were suspended March 24 , have been rescheduled for July 23 to Aug. 8 , 2021 -- 16 months beyond what had been planned .
Some of the 15,000 athletes who hoped to compete might not do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Games are held .
Griskenas , 19 , found out about the postponement while at a tournament in Lisbon , Portugal .
She raced to the airport after the tournament was canceled and returned to the United States amid global lockdowns .
In addition to practicing at home , she utilizes a nearby field , where she said she received odd looks from neighbors who were n't used to seeing outdoor acrobatics performed by an Olympic-caliber athlete .
`` I definitely got quite a few stares while I was out there , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not everyone gets to see a [ gymnast ] with a hoop . ''
The long layoff also gave the incoming Columbia University freshman time to focus on other interests like reading , watercolor painting and Spanish instruction .
Skateboarding was to make its Olympic debut this summer , along with surfing , sport climbing and karate .
The pandemic prompted skate park closures around the country , which forced Olympic hopefuls to scramble for places to practice .
Team USA park skating hopeful Brighton Zeuner , 15 , jumped on an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County , Calif. '' The closest thing [ being able to simulate skateboarding ] was on the bike , '' said Brighton , who at 13 became the youngest X Games gold medalist in history in 2017 .
`` If I 'm on the bike , I can work up stamina to keep my breath during runs .
When on runs for a minute , you run out of breath . ''
Brighton stepped up her weightlifting routine and rode for miles in place instead of launching herself high above a bowled course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her home garage .
Still , other competitions lie ahead before the postponed Games .
`` When the Olympics have qualifiers , there are a lot more contests you would be doing throughout the summer , '' Brighton said .
She said she has started to working out a lot more , `` trying to be an athlete . ''
`` It 's a lot of work , and you have to keep up and I 'm taking that more seriously , skating as much as I can and still having fun , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was `` bummed '' she could n't skate this summer in Tokyo , but hopes a roaring crowd next summer helps fuel her to a spot on the podium .
`` It 's something that all the females and everyone have been working hard for , '' Brighton said .
`` Contest skating is all about putting on a show for people .
...
The energy is really important to me . ''
Brighton , who skated daily for four months before the hiatus , has resumed practicing her routine at parks that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Katie Zaferes , 31 , could practice more easily during the country 's lockdown because their sports do n't require open facilities or group practices .
`` The biggest change for me was the fact that I would normally be at training camp with my group , '' said Zaferes , whose scheduled camp was canceled due to coronavirus travel restrictions .
Zaferes had been viewed as a potential gold medal winner this summer .
She normally swims five days per week , but pool closures kept her out of the water for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ husband , Tommy , live in California , but traveled to Florida for training camp before the pandemic disrupted preparation .
They then drove a van for 15 hours to Maryland , where they could run and bike .
The Zafereses got in swim time with 45-minute road trips to Gettysburg , Pa. , where they had access to a friend 's lake .
They also did their running on the historic battlefield there .
`` It was challenging .
It was nice when we found out [ the Olympics ] were postponed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] rush how to figure out how to train under really challenging circumstances , '' Zaferes said .
Zaferes finished 18th at the 2016 Summer Games .
She broke her nose in a bike accident in August during a test event in Tokyo , but then won gold at the 2019 World Triathlon Grand Final two weeks later .
She also won Super League Triathlon Malta in October .
Triathletes from other countries had varying degrees of access to training facilities before the postponement .
That made it difficult for Zaferes to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to preparation still exists because some countries have tighter pandemic-related restrictions than others , and that could be a factor for 2021 Olympic plans .
Olympic officials from Japan and the United States say economic , logistical and political challenges , and the lack of a COVID-19 vaccine , have the Games in limbo .
A delay until 2024 could end careers for older athletes like Zaferes , who said she likely would n't compete then because of her age .
`` I was n't really sure what I was going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Summer Games , Zaferes said .
`` It was my wiggle-room year .
Now [ the Olympics ] is what I 'm aiming for . ''

1/2
Team USA's Evita Griskenas has been practicing rhythmic gymnastics at her home in Orland Park, Ill., during the coronavirus pandemic. Photo courtesy of John Cheng/USA Gymnastics
July 6 (UPI) -- Though COVID-19 has denied the world's premier athletes a chance to compete in the postponed Olympics in Japan, Team USA's stars are adopting unorthodox ways to stay in shape while on the sidelines. Working on her rhythmic gymnastics routine, Evita Griskenas' hands sometimes smack her basement ceiling. Her acrobatic arm and leg swings have broken light fixtures in her Orland Park, Ill., home. Advertisement
That's because gyms were shuttered, the weather didn't always cooperate for training and Griskenas wanted to keep in shape for competition. She even used a toilet paper roll to practice her world-class movements, juggling and tossing it around her body as she performed her basement routine.
The creative training exercises, she said, pushed her to her limits, even without state-of-the-art facilities and personal coaching.
Griskenas called the postponement of the Olympics an "annoyance," but said she is optimistic she will compete in the Summer Games in 2021.
Advertisement
"It's for the best for our safety and the safety of others" to have gyms and training centers shuttered by the coronavirus, Griskenas said. "It led me to be more innovative with the way I work out, which I think worked well in my favor."
Griskenas was the most decorated athlete at 2019 Pan American Games in Peru, with four gold medals and a bronze medal.
The 2020 Olympic Games, which were suspended March 24, have been rescheduled for July 23 to Aug. 8, 2021 -- 16 months beyond what had been planned. Some of the 15,000 athletes who hoped to compete might not do so in 2021 -- even if the Games are held.
Griskenas, 19, found out about the postponement while at a tournament in Lisbon, Portugal. She raced to the airport after the tournament was canceled and returned to the United States amid global lockdowns.
In addition to practicing at home, she utilizes a nearby field, where she said she received odd looks from neighbors who weren't used to seeing outdoor acrobatics performed by an Olympic-caliber athlete.
"I definitely got quite a few stares while I was out there," Griskenas said. "It's OK, not everyone gets to see a [gymnast] with a hoop."
Advertisement
The long layoff also gave the incoming Columbia University freshman time to focus on other interests like reading, watercolor painting and Spanish instruction.
Skateboarder bikes for stamina
Skateboarding was to make its Olympic debut this summer, along with surfing, sport climbing and karate. The pandemic prompted skate park closures around the country, which forced Olympic hopefuls to scramble for places to practice.
Team USA park skating hopeful Brighton Zeuner, 15, jumped on an exercise bike in her garage in Orange County, Calif.
"The closest thing [being able to simulate skateboarding] was on the bike," said Brighton, who at 13 became the youngest X Games gold medalist in history in 2017. "If I'm on the bike, I can work up stamina to keep my breath during runs. When on runs for a minute, you run out of breath."
Brighton stepped up her weightlifting routine and rode for miles in place instead of launching herself high above a bowled course in Tokyo, nearly 6,000 miles from her home garage. Still,other competitions lie ahead before the postponed Games.
"When the Olympics have qualifiers, there are a lot more contests you would be doing throughout the summer," Brighton said.
Advertisement
She said she has started to working out a lot more, "trying to be an athlete."
"It's a lot of work, and you have to keep up and I'm taking that more seriously, skating as much as I can and still having fun," she said.
Brighton said she was "bummed" she couldn't skate this summer in Tokyo, but hopes a roaring crowd next summer helps fuel her to a spot on the podium.
"It's something that all the females and everyone have been working hard for," Brighton said. "Contest skating is all about putting on a show for people. ... The energy is really important to me."
Brighton, who skated daily for four months before the hiatus, has resumed practicing her routine at parks that have reopened.
A lake, a battlefield
Others, like triathlete Katie Zaferes, 31, could practice more easily during the country's lockdown because their sports don't require open facilities or group practices.
"The biggest change for me was the fact that I would normally be at training camp with my group," said Zaferes, whose scheduled camp was canceled due to coronavirus travel restrictions.
Zaferes had been viewed as a potential gold medal winner this summer.
Advertisement
She normally swims five days per week, but pool closures kept her out of the water for two months. Zaferes and her triathlete husband, Tommy, live in California, but traveled to Florida for training camp before the pandemic disrupted preparation.
They then drove a van for 15 hours to Maryland, where they could run and bike. The Zafereses got in swim time with 45-minute road trips to Gettysburg, Pa., where they had access to a friend's lake. They also did their running on the historic battlefield there.
"It was challenging. It was nice when we found out [the Olympics] were postponed because [we didn't need to] rush how to figure out how to train under really challenging circumstances," Zaferes said.
Zaferes finished 18th at the 2016 Summer Games. She broke her nose in a bike accident in August during a test event in Tokyo, but then won gold at the 2019 World Triathlon Grand Final two weeks later. She also won Super League Triathlon Malta in October.
Triathletes from other countries had varying degrees of access to training facilities before the postponement. That made it difficult for Zaferes to keep up with the competition.
The uneven access to preparation still exists because some countries have tighter pandemic-related restrictions than others, and that could be a factor for 2021 Olympic plans.
Advertisement
Olympic officials from Japan and the United States say economic, logistical and political challenges, and the lack of a COVID-19 vaccine, have the Games in limbo.
A delay until 2024 could end careers for older athletes like Zaferes, who said she likely wouldn't compete then because of her age.
"I wasn't really sure what I was going to do in 2021" after the 2020 Summer Games, Zaferes said. "It was my wiggle-room year. Now [the Olympics] is what I'm aiming for."


upi--2020-07-06--On This Day, July 6: 'Forrest Gump' opens in U.S. theaters

July 6 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1854 , the Republican Party was formally established at a meeting in New York City .
In 1885 , French bacteriologist Louis Pasteur inoculated a human being for rabies for the first time -- a boy , who had been bitten by a dog .
The youngster did n't develop rabies .
In 1919 , a British dirigible landed at New York 's Roosevelt Field to complete the first airship crossing of the Atlantic .
Six hours into the flight , the R-34 's commander discovered a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Soviet Socialist Republics was formed .
In 1942 , diarist Anne Frank and her family took refuge in a secret section of an Amsterdam warehouse where they hid from the Nazis for two years .
Finally discovered , they were sent to concentration camps .
Anne died in a camp .
In 1944 , a fire in the big top of the Ringling Brothers , Barnum and Bailey Circus in Hartford , Conn. , killed 167 people , two-thirds of them children , and injured 682 others .
In 1957 , Althea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win a Wimbledon championship .
In 1971 , Louis `` Satchmo '' Armstrong , one of the 20th century 's most influential American musicians , died at age 69 .
In 1976 , women were first admitted to the U.S .
Naval Academy .
The other military academies soon followed suit .
In 1984 , U.S. President Ronald Reagan , in a TV interview , said it was a `` probability '' that many young people now paying into Social Security `` will never be able to receive as much as they 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gump opened in U.S. theaters , earning actor Tom Hanks his second Oscar for Best Actor .
In 2006 , Felipe Calderon of Mexico 's ruling National Action Party won a tight race for president over Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador .
In 2009 , U.S. President Barack Obama met in Moscow with his Russian counterpart , Dmitry Medvedev , and announced an agreement to reduce nuclear arsenals .
In 2013 , an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 carrying more than 300 people hit a sea wall in front of a runway on approach at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that resulted in three fatalities and scores of injuries .
In 2018 , historic rain in Japan caused flooding and landslides , killing more than 200 people .

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Tom Hanks attends the 43rd annual People's Choice Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on January 18, 2017. On July 6, 1994, "Forrest Gump" opened in U.S. theaters, earning Hanks his second Oscar for Best Actor. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
July 6 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1854, the Republican Party was formally established at a meeting in New York City. Advertisement
In 1885, French bacteriologist Louis Pasteur inoculated a human being for rabies for the first time -- a boy, who had been bitten by a dog. The youngster didn't develop rabies.
In 1919, a British dirigible landed at New York's Roosevelt Field to complete the first airship crossing of the Atlantic. Six hours into the flight, the R-34's commander discovered a stowaway.
In 1923, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was formed.
In 1942, diarist Anne Frank and her family took refuge in a secret section of an Amsterdam warehouse where they hid from the Nazis for two years. Finally discovered, they were sent to concentration camps. Anne died in a camp.
File Photo by Ronald Wilfred Jansen/Shutterstock
In 1944, a fire in the big top of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus in Hartford, Conn., killed 167 people, two-thirds of them children, and injured 682 others.
Advertisement
In 1957, Althea Gibson became the first African-American competitor to win a Wimbledon championship.
In 1971, Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, one of the 20th century's most influential American musicians, died at age 69.
Music legend Louis Armstrong entertains his wife, Lillian, in front of the Sphinx during a trip to Egypt in 1961. Photo by UPI
In 1976, women were first admitted to the U.S. Naval Academy. The other military academies soon followed suit.
In 1984, U.S. President Ronald Reagan, in a TV interview, said it was a "probability" that many young people now paying into Social Security "will never be able to receive as much as they're paying."
In 1994, Forrest Gump opened in U.S. theaters, earning actor Tom Hanks his second Oscar for Best Actor.
In 2006, Felipe Calderon of Mexico's ruling National Action Party won a tight race for president over Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
In 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama met in Moscow with his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, and announced an agreement to reduce nuclear arsenals.
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In 2013, an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 carrying more than 300 people hit a sea wall in front of a runway on approach at San Francisco International Airport -- a crash that resulted in three fatalities and scores of injuries.
In 2018, historic rain in Japan caused flooding and landslides, killing more than 200 people.


upi--2020-07-06--Trump to host an outdoor rally in New Hampshire on Saturday

July 6 ( UPI ) -- President Donald Trump is scheduled to host an outdoor rally in New Hampshire this weekend , his re-election campaign has announced .
Trump 's campaign announced the rally via Twitter on Sunday , stating it will be held on Saturday at Portsmouth International Airport starting at 8 p.m. , making it one of the president 's first rallies since March when the coronavirus began to spread throughout the country .
`` We look forward to so many freedom-loving patriots coming to the rally and celebrating America , the greatest country in the history of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's 2020 national press secretary , said in a statement .
The rally will be one of Trump 's first official re-election campaign events since early March after the first death to the virus in the country was announced and states placed restrictions on large gatherings to stymie its spread .
His campaign said Sunday that there will be `` ample access '' to hand sanitizer at the New Hampshire rally and all attendees will be provided a face mask `` that they are strongly encouraged to wear . ''
The rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 20 when Trump spoke before a few thousand people indoors at the Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa .
At least two campaign staffers who attended the event tested positive in the following days .
New Hampshire is one of the few states to be experiencing an overall decline in daily cases .
On Sunday , the state 's Department of Health and Human Services announced a two-day total of 46 new cases of COVID-19 , increasing its total to nearly 5,900 , which makes it one of the least infected states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party Chair Ray Buckley accused Trump in a statement Sunday of `` flying in '' to the state to hold a rally that will `` further highlight the chaos he has caused . ''
`` Trump 's response to the COVID-19 crisis has been chaotic and woefully inadequate , resulting in thousands of Granite Staters contracting the virus and hundreds of lives lost , while causing significant damage to our state 's economy , '' he said .
Since the first patient in the United States was diagnosed with COVID-19 mid-January , nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been infected , resulting in more than 129,000 deaths , according to a live tracker of the disease by Johns Hopkins University .

President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa, Okla., on June 20. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI | License Photo
July 6 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump is scheduled to host an outdoor rally in New Hampshire this weekend, his re-election campaign has announced. Trump's campaign announced the rally via Twitter on Sunday, stating it will be held on Saturday at Portsmouth International Airport starting at 8 p.m., making it one of the president's first rallies since March when the coronavirus began to spread throughout the country. Advertisement
"We look forward to so many freedom-loving patriots coming to the rally and celebrating America, the greatest country in the history of the world," Hogan Gidley, Trump's 2020 national press secretary, said in a statement.
The rally will be one of Trump's first official re-election campaign events since early March after the first death to the virus in the country was announced and states placed restrictions on large gatherings to stymie its spread.
His campaign said Sunday that there will be "ample access" to hand sanitizer at the New Hampshire rally and all attendees will be provided a face mask "that they are strongly encouraged to wear."
The rally's announcement follows his first rally held June 20 when Trump spoke before a few thousand people indoors at the Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa.
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At least two campaign staffers who attended the event tested positive in the following days.
New Hampshire is one of the few states to be experiencing an overall decline in daily cases.
On Sunday, the state's Department of Health and Human Services announced a two-day total of 46 new cases of COVID-19, increasing its total to nearly 5,900, which makes it one of the least infected states in the country.
New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley accused Trump in a statement Sunday of "flying in" to the state to hold a rally that will "further highlight the chaos he has caused."
"Trump's response to the COVID-19 crisis has been chaotic and woefully inadequate, resulting in thousands of Granite Staters contracting the virus and hundreds of lives lost, while causing significant damage to our state's economy," he said.
Since the first patient in the United States was diagnosed with COVID-19 mid-January, nearly 3.9 million people in the country have been infected, resulting in more than 129,000 deaths, according to a live tracker of the disease by Johns Hopkins University.