upi--2020-06-19--Watchdog: CBP struggled to handle migrant surge at U.S.-Mexico border

June 19 ( UPI ) -- Migrants detained at the U.S.-Mexico border during a surge of new arrivals last year were subjected to overcrowded conditions and substandard conditions , a government watchdog said in a report .
The 36-page analysis by the Homeland Security Department Inspector General said it performed unannounced inspections at more than a dozen Border Patrol stations and seven ports of entry in Arizona , New Mexico and Texas between April and June 2019 and found `` serious overcrowding , prolonged detention and conditions falling short of [ U.S. Customs and Border Protection ] standards '' at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frame corresponded with the peak of an abrupt surge of Central American migrants , mainly families and children , seeking asylum in the United States .
More than 132,000 immigrants were processed in May 2019 alone , the highest single-month total since 2005 .
The inspector general 's report said officials found overcrowding at all 14 CBP facilities it visited .
At all but two , as many as 40 percent of migrants were held for longer than the 72 hours generally allowed under federal law and some had been held for longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report acknowledged that CBP was hampered in meeting the 72-hour requirement by similar overcrowding and backlogs at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Health and Human Services , which are supposed to take custody of the migrants .
Overcrowding also made it difficult for CBP to control contagious illnesses such as the flu and gastrointestinal viruses , the report said .
The study also acknowledged `` dangerous '' overcrowding at the El Paso and Rio Grande Valley ports of entry in Texas , which saw particularly intense waves of asylum-seekers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing adequate medical care for migrants , the watchdog noted , and praised the agency for taking `` extraordinary measures '' to deploy health professionals and conduct medical screenings of all detainees .

Authorities lead a group of migrants to a Border Patrol processing center after they crossed the Rio Grande into the United States in El Paso, Texas, on March 27, 2019. File Photo by Justin Hamel/UPI | License Photo
June 19 (UPI) -- Migrants detained at the U.S.-Mexico border during a surge of new arrivals last year were subjected to overcrowded conditions and substandard conditions, a government watchdog said in a report. The 36-page analysis by the Homeland Security Department Inspector General said it performed unannounced inspections at more than a dozen Border Patrol stations and seven ports of entry in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas between April and June 2019 and found "serious overcrowding, prolonged detention and conditions falling short of [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] standards" at facilities that housed migrants. Advertisement
The time frame corresponded with the peak of an abrupt surge of Central American migrants, mainly families and children, seeking asylum in the United States. More than 132,000 immigrants were processed in May 2019 alone, the highest single-month total since 2005.
The inspector general's report said officials found overcrowding at all 14 CBP facilities it visited. At all but two, as many as 40 percent of migrants were held for longer than the 72 hours generally allowed under federal law and some had been held for longer than a month.
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However, the report acknowledged that CBP was hampered in meeting the 72-hour requirement by similar overcrowding and backlogs at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Health and Human Services, which are supposed to take custody of the migrants.
Overcrowding also made it difficult for CBP to control contagious illnesses such as the flu and gastrointestinal viruses, the report said.
The study also acknowledged "dangerous" overcrowding at the El Paso and Rio Grande Valley ports of entry in Texas, which saw particularly intense waves of asylum-seekers last year.
CBP did better at providing adequate medical care for migrants, the watchdog noted, and praised the agency for taking "extraordinary measures" to deploy health professionals and conduct medical screenings of all detainees.
Children of the Central American migrant caravan


upi--2020-06-19--Comedy Central to air 'Jodie,' a 'Daria' spin-off starring Tracee Ellis Ross

June 19 ( UPI ) -- Jodie , a new animated comedy with a voice cast led by Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross , has gotten a new home .
The Daria spin-off was previously announced as a project for MTV , but its sister station Comedy Central announced Thursday it will air it instead .
The MTV Studios production is being penned by Daria creator Grace Edwards whose other credits include Insecure , Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Inside Amy Schumer .
Jodie follows Daria 's friend as she graduates college and starts working .
`` What Daria did for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gen X , Jodie will do for exploring the trials and tribulations of a first job for a new generation , '' a press release from the network said Thursday .
`` The show will satirize workplace culture , Gen Z struggles , the artifice of social media and more .
With themes of empowerment along gender and racial lines , explorations of privilege , and a wicked sense of humor , Jodie will shine a light on the personal and professional issues young black women face today . ''
Daria -- featuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jackson as Jodie -- was itself a spin-off of Beavis and Butthead .
It ran for five seasons from 1997 to 2002 .

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Tracee Ellis Ross' "Daria" spin-off, "Jodie," will air on Comedy Central. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
June 19 (UPI) -- Jodie, a new animated comedy with a voice cast led by Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross, has gotten a new home. The Daria spin-off was previously announced as a project for MTV, but its sister station Comedy Central announced Thursday it will air it instead. Advertisement
The MTV Studios production is being penned by Daria creator Grace Edwards whose other credits include Insecure, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Inside Amy Schumer.
Jodie follows Daria's friend as she graduates college and starts working.
"What Daria did for showing how inane high school was for Gen X, Jodie will do for exploring the trials and tribulations of a first job for a new generation," a press release from the network said Thursday.
"The show will satirize workplace culture, Gen Z struggles, the artifice of social media and more. With themes of empowerment along gender and racial lines, explorations of privilege, and a wicked sense of humor, Jodie will shine a light on the personal and professional issues young black women face today."
Daria -- featuring Tracy Grandstaff as Daria and Jessica Cydnee Jackson as Jodie -- was itself a spin-off of Beavis and Butthead.
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It ran for five seasons from 1997 to 2002.


upi--2020-06-19--Jimmy Kimmel taking summer off before hosting Emmys

June 19 ( UPI ) -- Jimmy Kimmel , who has been taping his ABC talk show from his home during the coronavirus pandemic , said he is taking the summer off .
`` Tonight is my last new show for the summer .
I 'm taking the summer off to spend even more time with my family , '' the comedian announced on Thursday .
`` I 've been doing this job for almost 18 years .
I 've done 3,130 shows and there 's nothing wrong .
My family is healthy .
I 'm healthy .
I just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So , while I am gone , a cavalcade of kind and capable people will be filling in for me .
I think you are going to be very happy with them .
They are going to be guest hosting the show . ''
Kimmel 's announcement also featured a cameo by actor Matt Damon , with whom Kimmel has had a long and comical faux feud .
Damon appeared behind Kimmel , wearing a bathrobe and pulling down a face mask to sip a drink .
The Ford v Ferrari and Jason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in another part of the house for the past three months , waiting to be a guest on Kimmel 's show .
`` You 've been in that bedroom for three months ? ''
Kimmel asked .
`` Why ? ''
`` Because we had to leave the studio , '' Damon replied .
`` I know WE had to leave the studio .
Why did you have to leave the studio ? ''
Kimmel wanted to know .
`` Maybe you 've heard of something called the coronavirus ? ''
Damon said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... ?
You know what ?
Never mind .
You 're not smart enough to understand , '' Kimmel said .
`` I 'm not smart enough to understand ?
Why is the only book on your shelf Tori Spelling 's Stori Telling ? ''
Damon inquired .
`` I read it three times .
I got less every time I read it , '' Damon said .
Kimmel 's wife Molly then snuck out of Damon 's bedroom .
`` That 's my wife !
Why was my wife in that room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do you think she 's in the room ? ''
Damon said .
Walking away , he added : `` Molly , get your mask on .
I 'm on my way . ''
The names of the guest hosts lined up for the summer episodes of Jimmy Kimmel Live have not been disclosed yet .
Earlier this week , Kimmel confirmed he has signed on to host the 72nd Emmy Awards ceremony on Sept. 20 .
He previously hosted the 64th and 68th Emmy Awards galas , which honor excellence in television @

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Jimmy Kimmel announced Thursday that he is taking the summer off from hosting his ABC talk show, "Jimmy Kimmel Live." File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
June 19 (UPI) -- Jimmy Kimmel, who has been taping his ABC talk show from his home during the coronavirus pandemic, said he is taking the summer off. "Tonight is my last new show for the summer. I'm taking the summer off to spend even more time with my family," the comedian announced on Thursday. Advertisement
"I've been doing this job for almost 18 years. I've done 3,130 shows and there's nothing wrong. My family is healthy. I'm healthy. I just need a couple of months off. So, while I am gone, a cavalcade of kind and capable people will be filling in for me. I think you are going to be very happy with them. They are going to be guest hosting the show."
Kimmel's announcement also featured a cameo by actor Matt Damon, with whom Kimmel has had a long and comical faux feud.
Damon appeared behind Kimmel, wearing a bathrobe and pulling down a face mask to sip a drink.
The Ford v Ferrari and Jason Bourne star then complained he had been in another part of the house for the past three months, waiting to be a guest on Kimmel's show.
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"You've been in that bedroom for three months?" Kimmel asked. "Why?"
"Because we had to leave the studio," Damon replied.
"I know WE had to leave the studio. Why did you have to leave the studio?" Kimmel wanted to know.
"Maybe you've heard of something called the coronavirus?" Damon said sarcastically.
"I mean, why...? You know what? Never mind. You're not smart enough to understand," Kimmel said.
"I'm not smart enough to understand? Why is the only book on your shelf Tori Spelling's Stori Telling?" Damon inquired.
"What's wrong? That's a very good book," Kimmel insisted.
"I read it three times. I got less every time I read it," Damon said.
Kimmel's wife Molly then snuck out of Damon's bedroom.
"That's my wife! Why was my wife in that room?" Kimmel said.
"Why do you think she's in the room?" Damon said. Walking away, he added: "Molly, get your mask on. I'm on my way."
The names of the guest hosts lined up for the summer episodes of Jimmy Kimmel Live have not been disclosed yet.
Earlier this week, Kimmel confirmed he has signed on to host the 72nd Emmy Awards ceremony on Sept. 20. He previously hosted the 64th and 68th Emmy Awards galas, which honor excellence in television.


upi--2020-06-19--Officer killed in New Zealand shooting; manhunt underway

June 19 ( UPI ) -- Police in New Zealand said a manhunt is underway for a suspect who fatally shot a police officer and seriously injured another in a shooting that erupted while they were attempting to perform a routine traffic stop on Friday morning .
`` This is devastating news and absolutely the worst thing for us to have to deal with , '' Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said during a press briefing .
`` We have lost a colleague and friend . ''
Coster said the deceased officer 's name will be withheld as they notify his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be killed in the line of duty since 2009 .
The officers were attempting to pull over a vehicle at around 10:30 a.m. when it drove off .
They lost sight of the vehicle but soon located it after it crashed into a second vehicle , Coster said in a statement later Friday .
A man then emerged from the crashed car with a long-barreled gun and opened fire on the approaching officers , striking both of them before jumping into a different vehicle , a silver Mazda sedan , and fleeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injured when his vehicle was struck by the first car , Coster said .
Both the injured officer , who was shot in the leg , and the bystander have been hospitalized , Coster said .
Coster told reporters that there was nothing about the traffic stop to have suggested violence would erupt , stating it was `` the type of work that our officers undertake every day to keep the public safe . ''
`` The incident points to the real risks officers face as they go about their job every day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole organization is in a state of shock because of this event . ''
Two people were in the suspect 's vehicle , he told reporters , declining to say whether it was the passenger or the driver who produced the gun that was used on the officers .
Officers in pursuit of the suspect will be armed , he said .
Police have located the silver sedan abandoned near the crime scene , recovered a firearm and were speaking with two people of interest , he said .
Waitemata District Commander Naila @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police presence is searching for the suspect and cordons have been put in place and schools have been advised to lock down .
Massey High School confirmed it has followed lockdown procedures and said all staff and students are within school buildings .
`` Please be aware that the incident IS NOT in close proximity to the school and this is a precautionary measure only , '' the school said in a statement on its website .
`` To lose a police officer is to lose someone working for all of us , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's loved one and friend , '' she said in a statement .
Police Minister Stuart Nash said he 's spoken with the commissioner to ensure that he has all the resources needed .
`` Massey has a strong community spirit and this will be frightening for the locals caught up in this , '' Nash said .
`` I urge members of the public to follow instructions from police and to keep themselves safe . ''
Paula Bennett , a local politician , tweeted she could hear police helicopters from her home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no one else to be hurt .
`` Our local West Auckland police are the best I 've ever known .
A love for their community , a real desire to protect and serve , '' she said .
`` There are no words to express my sincere sadness as they and their families deal with the worst possible event . ''
Gun violence is relatively low in New Zealand compared to other countries but it has been on the rise .
In 2019 , there were 3,540 instances where a suspect was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was the highest tally since 2009 , according to public broadcaster Radio New Zealand .
Last summer , New Zealand initiated a gun buy-back program after a gunman killed 51 people at two mosques during a shooting in Christchurch in March 2019 .
Since 1890 , 22 officers have been fatally shot while on duty in New Zealand with 15 officers injured by gunfire since 2002 , according to a statement from the New Zealand government .

June 19 (UPI) -- Police in New Zealand said a manhunt is underway for a suspect who fatally shot a police officer and seriously injured another in a shooting that erupted while they were attempting to perform a routine traffic stop on Friday morning.
"This is devastating news and absolutely the worst thing for us to have to deal with," Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said during a press briefing. "We have lost a colleague and friend."
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Coster said the deceased officer's name will be withheld as they notify his family. He is the first officer to be killed in the line of duty since 2009.
The officers were attempting to pull over a vehicle at around 10:30 a.m. when it drove off. They lost sight of the vehicle but soon located it after it crashed into a second vehicle, Coster said in a statement later Friday.
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A man then emerged from the crashed car with a long-barreled gun and opened fire on the approaching officers, striking both of them before jumping into a different vehicle, a silver Mazda sedan, and fleeing the scene.
A bystander was also injured when his vehicle was struck by the first car, Coster said.
Both the injured officer, who was shot in the leg, and the bystander have been hospitalized, Coster said.
Coster told reporters that there was nothing about the traffic stop to have suggested violence would erupt, stating it was "the type of work that our officers undertake every day to keep the public safe."
"The incident points to the real risks officers face as they go about their job every day," he said. "Our whole organization is in a state of shock because of this event."
Two people were in the suspect's vehicle, he told reporters, declining to say whether it was the passenger or the driver who produced the gun that was used on the officers.
Officers in pursuit of the suspect will be armed, he said.
Police have located the silver sedan abandoned near the crime scene, recovered a firearm and were speaking with two people of interest, he said.
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Waitemata District Commander Naila Hassan said in a statement a large police presence is searching for the suspect and cordons have been put in place and schools have been advised to lock down.
Massey High School confirmed it has followed lockdown procedures and said all staff and students are within school buildings.
"Please be aware that the incident IS NOT in close proximity to the school and this is a precautionary measure only," the school said in a statement on its website.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called news of the shooting "devastating."
"To lose a police officer is to lose someone working for all of us, but also a family member, someone's loved one and friend," she said in a statement.
Police Minister Stuart Nash said he's spoken with the commissioner to ensure that he has all the resources needed.
"Massey has a strong community spirit and this will be frightening for the locals caught up in this," Nash said. "I urge members of the public to follow instructions from police and to keep themselves safe."
Paula Bennett, a local politician, tweeted she could hear police helicopters from her home, and that she was praying for no one else to be hurt.
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"Our local West Auckland police are the best I've ever known. A love for their community, a real desire to protect and serve," she said. "There are no words to express my sincere sadness as they and their families deal with the worst possible event."
Gun violence is relatively low in New Zealand compared to other countries but it has been on the rise. In 2019, there were 3,540 instances where a suspect was found in possession of a weapon, which was the highest tally since 2009, according to public broadcaster Radio New Zealand.
Last summer, New Zealand initiated a gun buy-back program after a gunman killed 51 people at two mosques during a shooting in Christchurch in March 2019.
Since 1890, 22 officers have been fatally shot while on duty in New Zealand with 15 officers injured by gunfire since 2002, according to a statement from the New Zealand government.


upi--2020-06-19--South Korea’s unification minister resigns amid tensions with North

SEOUL , June 19 ( UPI ) -- South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul has resigned amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula , the presidential Blue House announced on Friday .
Kim , the point man on relations with Pyongyang , offered his resignation on Wednesday , one day after North Korea blew up the inter-Korean liaison office in its border town of Kaesong , saying he would take responsibility for the deteriorating relationship .
President Moon Jae-in accepted Kim 's resignation on Friday morning , presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok said during a press briefing .
He added that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] position '' while having dinner with him on Thursday .
No succession plan was announced , but Vice Minister Suh Ho is expected to serve as acting head for the time being .
Kim said on Friday that he hoped his resignation would offer a `` pause '' in the escalating tensions on the peninsula .
`` I hope my resignation brings a new positive mood to the relations and provide us with the opportunity to reflect back on the status and role of the unification ministry , '' he said during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency Yonhap .
Kim was appointed to the job in April of last year but was not able to hold any meetings with his North Korean counterparts .
Inter-Korean affairs have grown increasingly troubled over the past two weeks , as Pyongyang has issued a steady stream of threats and provocations triggered by the longstanding practice of North Korean defectors sending information leaflets across the border via balloons .
North Korea severed communications lines with the South last week and demolished the inter-Korean liaison office on Tuesday .
North Korea also said this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas on the border with South Korea and restart military drills .
The liaison office was established in September 2018 to facilitate cooperation and communication between the two Koreas during a period of rapprochement marked by summits between Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un .
Relations turned frosty after a nuclear summit between U.S. President Trump and Kim Jong Un last year in Hanoi , Vietnam , failed to produce an agreement .
North Korea began testing weapons in the latter part of 2019 after a 17-month hiatus , and its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Korea and the United States .
The growing crisis with North Korea appears to have taken a toll on Moon 's approval ratings , which dipped to 55 percent in a Gallup poll released Friday , his lowest number in roughly three months .
The president 's approval climbed to 71 percent at the beginning of May on the government 's handling of the coronavirus pandemic but has tumbled in recent weeks .

Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul speaks during his farewell ceremony at the government complex in Seoul on Friday. Kim's resignation over heightened inter-Korean tensions was accepted by President Moon Jae-in earlier in the morning. Photo by Yonhap
SEOUL, June 19 (UPI) -- South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul has resigned amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the presidential Blue House announced Friday. Kim, the point man on relations with Pyongyang, offered his resignation on Wednesday, one day after North Korea blew up the inter-Korean liaison office in its border town of Kaesong, saying he would take responsibility for the deteriorating relationship. Advertisement
President Moon Jae-in accepted Kim's resignation on Friday morning, presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok said during a press briefing.
He added that Moon "listened to [Kim's] position" while having dinner with him on Thursday.
No succession plan was announced, but Vice Minister Suh Ho is expected to serve as acting head for the time being.
Kim said Friday he hoped his resignation would offer a "pause" in the escalating tensions on the peninsula.
"I hope my resignation brings a new positive mood to the relations and provide us with the opportunity to reflect back on the status and role of the unification ministry," he said during a farewell address, according to news agency Yonhap.
Kim was appointed to the job in April of last year but was not able to hold any meetings with his North Korean counterparts.
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Inter-Korean affairs have grown increasingly troubled over the past two weeks, as Pyongyang has issued a steady stream of threats and provocations triggered by the longstanding practice of North Korean defectors sending information leaflets across the border via balloons.
North Korea severed communications lines with the South last week and demolished the inter-Korean liaison office on Tuesday. North Korea also said this week it would deploy troops to demilitarized areas on the border with South Korea and restart military drills.
The liaison office was established in September 2018 to facilitate cooperation and communication between the two Koreas during a period of rapprochement marked by summits between Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Relations turned frosty after a nuclear summit between U.S. President Trump and Kim Jong Un last year in Hanoi, Vietnam, failed to produce an agreement. North Korea began testing weapons in the latter part of 2019 after a 17-month hiatus, and its rhetoric has grown increasingly hostile toward South Korea and the United States.
The growing crisis with North Korea appears to have taken a toll on Moon's approval ratings, which dipped to 55 percent in a Gallup poll released Friday, his lowest number in roughly three months. The president's approval climbed to 71 percent at the beginning of May on the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic but has tumbled in recent weeks.


upi--2020-06-19--Klobuchar withdraws from vice president consideration

June 19 ( UPI ) -- Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced she has removed herself from contention to become former Vice President Joe Biden 's running mate in the November general election , stating the position should be filled by a woman of color .
Klobuchar , who dropped out of the presidential race early March and put her support behind Biden to secure the Democratic nomination , told MSNBC 's Lawrence O'Donnell Thursday night in an interview that she had informed the former vice president of her decision .
`` America must seize on this moment and I truly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ VP last night when I called him , that I think this is a moment to put a woman of color on that ticket , '' she said .
`` And there are so many incredible , qualified women but if you want to heal this nation right now -- my party , yes , but our nation -- this is sure a hell of a way to do it . ''
Klobuchar 's name has been one of many women in the Democratic party that has come up as a possibility to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general election since he pledged during a presidential debate in mid-March to choose a woman to campaign with against President Donald Trump .
Klobuchar said she had n't yet commented on the prospect of being Biden 's pick for vice president , but that based on what she 's seen in her state and throughout the nation as protests continue against police brutality and inequality , the job should go to a woman of color .
`` This is a historic moment , '' she said .
Klobuchar 's state of Minnesota has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a white Minneapolis police officer killed a black unarmed man in late May , spurring people to take to the streets nationwide .
Following the interview , Biden tweeted words of encouragement to Klobuchar , saying that with her help `` we 're going to beat Donald Trump . ''
`` From the moment you announced you were running for president in a snowstorm , it was n't hard to see you had the grit and determination to do anything you set your mind to , '' Biden said .
`` You know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden has said he hopes to choose a running mate around the beginning of August .

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said late Thursday she supports former Vice President Joe Biden picking a woman of color as his running mate. Pool Photo by Tom Williams/UPI | License Photo
June 19 (UPI) -- Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced she has removed herself from contention to become former Vice President Joe Biden's running mate in the November general election, stating the position should be filled by a woman of color. Klobuchar, who dropped out of the presidential race early March and put her support behind Biden to secure the Democratic nomination, told MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell Thursday night in an interview that she had informed the former vice president of her decision. Advertisement
"America must seize on this moment and I truly believe, as I actually told the VP last night when I called him, that I think this is a moment to put a woman of color on that ticket," she said. "And there are so many incredible, qualified women but if you want to heal this nation right now -- my party, yes, but our nation -- this is sure a hell of a way to do it."
Klobuchar's name has been one of many women in the Democratic party that has come up as a possibility to be Biden's running mate for the general election since he pledged during a presidential debate in mid-March to choose a woman to campaign with against President Donald Trump.
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Klobuchar said she hadn't yet commented on the prospect of being Biden's pick for vice president, but that based on what she's seen in her state and throughout the nation as protests continue against police brutality and inequality, the job should go to a woman of color.
"This is a historic moment," she said.
Klobuchar's state of Minnesota has been at the center of protests after a white Minneapolis police officer killed a black unarmed man in late May, spurring people to take to the streets nationwide.
Following the interview, Biden tweeted words of encouragement to Klobuchar, saying that with her help "we're going to beat Donald Trump."
"From the moment you announced you were running for president in a snowstorm, it wasn't hard to see you had the grit and determination to do anything you set your mind to," Biden said. "You know how to get things done."
Biden has said he hopes to choose a running mate around the beginning of August.


upi--2020-06-19--Wearable technology could play key role in COVID-19 diagnosis, contact tracing

June 19 ( UPI ) -- University of Arizona officials announced this week they plan to provide a smartphone app to students and staff members who return to campus in the fall , enabling them to notify the school community of potential exposure to COVID-19 .
The app , called Covid Watch , was developed by researchers at Stanford University and the University of Waterloo in Canada , and is designed to be an alternative to digital contact tracing .
Covid Watch is one of several apps available or under development to help limit the spread of COVID-19 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controlling the pandemic , while also protecting the privacy of users -- which has been a principal objection from some people .
Instead of informing a central authority of COVID-19 exposure status , Covid Watch works by notifying others who may have been exposed directly using random numbers exchanged by local Bluetooth signals , University of Arizona officials said .
The system also preserves users ' anonymity and protects their personal data , they said .
`` If the testing phase goes well , we plan to launch the app for the entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the campus community choose to alert each other of their exposure and follow the general guidance , community spread can be stopped , '' Joyce Schroeder , chair of the department of molecular and cellular biology at the University of Arizona , said in a statement .
Approximately 56 percent of university students and staff members would need to opt into the system for it to effectively control community spread on campus , she said .
The Covid Watch app , which is overseen by a non-profit organization established by the developers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implemented or evaluated worldwide for to screen for the new coronavirus , SARS-CoV-2 and for contract tracing to identify people who might have been contact with an infected person .
Use of technology in this way , as the world looks to the future after the ongoing pandemic , may be part of the `` new normal , '' experts say .
`` We 've been working to collect data on infections using mobile devices for a long time , '' Jessilyn Dunn , part of a team of researchers at Duke University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told UPI .
They hope to learn how data collected by smartphones , Apple Watches and other smartwatches can help spot symptoms of COVID-19 in users .
`` The technology is n't new , but COVID-19 is , '' said Dunn , an associate professor of biomedical engineering at Duke .
`` The only question really is whether the devices are sensitive enough to spot the specific symptoms of the virus . ''
Similarly , an international team of researchers is evaluating a device called the Oura ring -- which is worn like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 symptom checker .
The device is designed to monitor wearers ' body temperature , heart rate , respiratory rate and activity level , among other parameters .
`` The best analogy [ to describe the potential benefits of wearable technology ] is the difference between a video recording and a snapshot , '' Janet Robishaw , senior associate dean for research at Florida Atlantic University 's Schmidt College of Medicine , one of the sites of the Oura study , told UPI .
`` The former provides so much more information about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , body language , dynamics of activities , etc .
-- and that can be turned into knowledge , '' she said .
Worldwide , governments are taking similar approaches with the public at large .
Countries such as France , Germany , Italy and South Korea have launched contract tracing apps for smartphones , mirroring one used in China .
Ireland and Japan are reportedly also beta testing similar apps .
To date , the main objection to using these technologies has centered on privacy .
Critics have expressed concern that users @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mention their social activities -- can be accessed and potentially exploited .
`` That 's probably the number-one conversation we have , '' Dunn said , adding that these concerns are part of the reason CovIdentify does n't include contact tracing .
However , while there is `` always a risk for a security breach , '' she said , she and her colleagues have taken steps to protect user privacy .
Their counterparts elsewhere have offered similar assurances .
Either way , the potential benefits associated with the role of wearable technologies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downsides , Dunn said .
`` One of the questions a lot of us have been asking ourselves is why , with all the technology we have at our disposal , our response to the COVID-19 pandemic has n't been all that different from how the world dealt with the flu in 1918 , '' she said .
`` We have all this great technology that can provide us with accurate data , '' Dunn said .
`` Why should n't it be part of our public health response not only for COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? ''

Devices like the Apple Watch may be key in the public health response to COVID-19 and future pandemics, researchers say. Photo by fancycrave1/Pixabay
June 19 (UPI) -- University of Arizona officials announced this week they plan to provide a smartphone app to students and staff members who return to campus in the fall, enabling them to notify the school community of potential exposure to COVID-19. The app, called Covid Watch, was developed by researchers at Stanford University and the University of Waterloo in Canada, and is designed to be an alternative to digital contact tracing. Advertisement
Covid Watch is one of several apps available or under development to help limit the spread of COVID-19. The apps are seen as potentially important to controlling the pandemic, while also protecting the privacy of users -- which has been a principal objection from some people.
Instead of informing a central authority of COVID-19 exposure status, Covid Watch works by notifying others who may have been exposed directly using random numbers exchanged by local Bluetooth signals, University of Arizona officials said.
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The system also preserves users' anonymity and protects their personal data, they said.
"If the testing phase goes well, we plan to launch the app for the entire campus community, and if enough people in the campus community choose to alert each other of their exposure and follow the general guidance, community spread can be stopped," Joyce Schroeder, chair of the department of molecular and cellular biology at the University of Arizona, said in a statement.
Approximately 56 percent of university students and staff members would need to opt into the system for it to effectively control community spread on campus, she said.
The Covid Watch app, which is overseen by a non-profit organization established by the developers, is one of several platforms being implemented or evaluated worldwide for to screen for the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 and for contract tracing to identify people who might have been contact with an infected person.
Use of technology in this way, as the world looks to the future after the ongoing pandemic, may be part of the "new normal," experts say.
"We've been working to collect data on infections using mobile devices for a long time," Jessilyn Dunn, part of a team of researchers at Duke University working on a project called CovIdentify, told UPI.
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They hope to learn how data collected by smartphones, Apple Watches and other smartwatches can help spot symptoms of COVID-19 in users.
"The technology isn't new, but COVID-19 is," said Dunn, an associate professor of biomedical engineering at Duke. "The only question really is whether the devices are sensitive enough to spot the specific symptoms of the virus."
Similarly, an international team of researchers is evaluating a device called the Oura ring -- which is worn like a bracelet or watch -- as a COVID-19 symptom checker. The device is designed to monitor wearers' body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and activity level, among other parameters.
"The best analogy [to describe the potential benefits of wearable technology] is the difference between a video recording and a snapshot," Janet Robishaw, senior associate dean for research at Florida Atlantic University's Schmidt College of Medicine, one of the sites of the Oura study, told UPI.
"The former provides so much more information about the activity -- you can capture mood, body language, dynamics of activities, etc. -- and that can be turned into knowledge," she said.
Worldwide, governments are taking similar approaches with the public at large. Countries such as France, Germany, Italy and South Korea have launched contract tracing apps for smartphones, mirroring one used in China. Ireland and Japan are reportedly also beta testing similar apps.
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To date, the main objection to using these technologies has centered on privacy. Critics have expressed concern that users' personal health data -- not to mention their social activities -- can be accessed and potentially exploited.
"That's probably the number-one conversation we have," Dunn said, adding that these concerns are part of the reason CovIdentify doesn't include contact tracing.
However, while there is "always a risk for a security breach," she said, she and her colleagues have taken steps to protect user privacy. Their counterparts elsewhere have offered similar assurances.
Either way, the potential benefits associated with the role of wearable technologies in fighting the pandemic far outweigh the downsides, Dunn said.
"One of the questions a lot of us have been asking ourselves is why, with all the technology we have at our disposal, our response to the COVID-19 pandemic hasn't been all that different from how the world dealt with the flu in 1918," she said.
"We have all this great technology that can provide us with accurate data," Dunn said. "Why shouldn't it be part of our public health response not only for COVID-19, but for future pandemics as well?"


upi--2020-06-19--Space tourists might rise above Earth in hydrogen balloons

ORLANDO , Fla. , June 19 ( UPI ) -- The newest entry into a growing field of space tourism firms says it will use giant hydrogen balloons launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida -- rather than rockets -- to give passengers a view of the stars from the stratosphere .
At 20 miles up , Space Perspective 's observation capsule would reach about one-third of the way to outer space , but passengers could see the blackness above and observe the curvature of the Earth .
The company , which signed an agreement to use NASA facilities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tourism sector that includes Elon Musk 's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos ' Blue Origin .
But the new startup 's founders said they have funding only to mount a maiden uncrewed test flight , scheduled for early 2021 , with the potential for more if that is successful .
`` We 're designing this to have a very low training requirement , with little more training than a passenger on a commercial jet , to make it as accessible as possible , '' said Jane Poynter , co-founder and co-CEO with her husband @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roughly $ 125,000 , Poynter said .
By comparison , tickets for Richard Branson 's Virgin Galactic are estimated to cost $ 250,000 for a brief rocket flight 50 miles high .
But no space tourism flights have left the ground yet .
Space Perspectives ' plan calls for a balloon -- large enough to accommodate a football field inside -- to be sent aloft from the former space shuttle runway .
The capsule beneath , called Neptune , would be 16 feet wide , with an interior to fit nine seats and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the event of a problem with the balloon , but the capsule would not have thrusters to steer it .
Rather , It would drift with the wind , making monitoring weather forecasts crucial to ensure to safety .
`` We are confident we can accurately predict where it will go and have recovery ships waiting , '' MacCallum said .
At 12 mph , the capsule would take two hours to reach cruising level , where it would drift for hours and then descend slowly to a splashdown in the Atlantic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rounds were led by a Silicon Valley venture capital firm Base Ventures , rents offices at the space center for a small amount , according to Dale Ketcham of Space Florida , the state agency that arranges commercial leases for NASA .
Poynter and MacCallum previously led a what started out as a space tourism company , World View , which used balloons .
But it eventually turned to science and transportation payloads instead of carrying people .
The couple also worked with Alan Eustace , a Google executive who used a balloon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest parachute dive in 2014 .
Employing hydrogen balloons to carry passengers , though , will undoubtedly raise memories of the Hindenburg fire and explosion that killed 36 people in 1937 , said Jim Cantrell , a space businessman who helped found SpaceX .
`` I do n't like the idea of using hydrogen myself , '' Cantrell said .
`` You 're probably more likely to get killed on one of our freeways than with something like this , but it will require a change in perspective . ''
Poynter and MacCallum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though , Cantrell said .
`` We just do n't know about the success of space tourism in the long run because it has n't been done .
We do know people are lining up to pay deposits on Virgin Galactic tickets , '' he said .
Poynter and MacCallum 's track record suggests they will succeed , said John Spencer , an outer space architect who worked on the International Space Station design .
`` There 's no issue , in terms of physics or money , that they ca n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently heads the non-profit Space Tourism Society , whose mission is to build interest in the sector .
`` They are pioneering a whole new regime of space exploration , '' Spencer said .
`` The only question is if another big player comes in and beats them to it . ''

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An artist's rendering depicts a high-performance balloon and pressurized capsule designed by entrepreneurs at Space Perspective, a startup company that plans to send paying customers toward outer space. Image courtesy of Space Perspective
ORLANDO, Fla., June 19 (UPI) -- The newest entry into a growing field of space tourism firms says it will use giant hydrogen balloons launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida -- rather than rockets -- to give passengers a view of the stars from the stratosphere. At 20 miles up, Space Perspective's observation capsule would reach about one-third of the way to outer space, but passengers could see the blackness above and observe the curvature of the Earth. Advertisement
The company, which signed an agreement to use NASA facilities, has potential to boost the growing space tourism sector that includes Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin.
But the new startup's founders said they have funding only to mount a maiden uncrewed test flight, scheduled for early 2021, with the potential for more if that is successful.
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"We're designing this to have a very low training requirement, with little more training than a passenger on a commercial jet, to make it as accessible as possible," said Jane Poynter, co-founder and co-CEO with her husband, Taber MacCallum.
Tickets would cost roughly $125,000, Poynter said. By comparison, tickets for Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic are estimated to cost $250,000 for a brief rocket flight 50 miles high. But no space tourism flights have left the ground yet.
Space Perspectives' plan calls for a balloon -- large enough to accommodate a football field inside -- to be sent aloft from the former space shuttle runway.
The capsule beneath, called Neptune, would be 16 feet wide, with an interior to fit nine seats and a restroom.
A parachute would deploy in the event of a problem with the balloon, but the capsule would not have thrusters to steer it. Rather, it would drift with the wind, making monitoring weather forecasts crucial to ensure safety.
"We are confident we can accurately predict where it will go and have recovery ships waiting," MacCallum said.
At 12 mph, the capsule would take two hours to reach cruising level, where it would drift for hours and then descend slowly to a splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean.
Advertisement
Space Perspectives, whose funding rounds were led by a Silicon Valley venture capital firm Base Ventures, rents offices at the space center for a small amount, according to Dale Ketcham of Space Florida, the state agency that arranges commercial leases for NASA.
Poynter and MacCallum previously led a what started out as a space tourism company, World View, which used balloons. But it eventually turned to science and transportation payloads instead of carrying people.
The couple also worked with Alan Eustace, a Google executive who used a balloon to set a world record for the highest parachute dive in 2014.
Employing hydrogen balloons to carry passengers, though, will undoubtedly raise memories of the Hindenburg fire and explosion that killed 36 people in 1937, said Jim Cantrell, a space businessman who helped found SpaceX.
"I don't like the idea of using hydrogen myself," Cantrell said. "You're probably more likely to get killed on one of our freeways than with something like this, but it will require a change in perspective."
Poynter and MacCallum have widespread respect in the space community, though, Cantrell said.
"We just don't know about the success of space tourism in the long run because it hasn't been done. We do know people are lining up to pay deposits on Virgin Galactic tickets," he said.
Advertisement
Poynter and MacCallum's track record suggests they will succeed, said John Spencer, an outer space architect who worked on the International Space Station design.
"There's no issue, in terms of physics or money, that they can't overcome," said Spencer, who heads the non-profit Space Tourism Society, whose mission is to build interest in the sector.
"They are pioneering a whole new regime of space exploration," Spencer said. "The only question is if another big player comes in and beats them to it."
Astronauts make round trip to space station from U.S. soil


upi--2020-06-19--'You Should Have Left': Kevin Bacon, Amanda Seyfried say secrets haunt more than haunted houses

LOS ANGELES , June 19 ( UPI ) -- A haunted house might be the second scariest thing in You Should Have Left .
Stars Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried felt their characters ' troubles were enough for a horror movie even before they moved in .
Theo ( Bacon ) and Susanna ( Seyfried ) move with their daughter , Ella ( Avery Tiiu Essex ) , to a house in Wales .
The house is full of creepy hallways and dark corners , and it has supernatural powers .
`` If you did n't have the jump scares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside force happens to be , there would still be an interesting thing to play , '' Bacon told UPI in a Zoom interview Tuesday .
Susanna is Theo 's second wife .
His first drowned in the bathtub , leading many people to believe Theo killed her , even though he was cleared .
Susanna is an actor whose love scenes make Theo jealous .
`` I love a good destroyed marriage story , '' Seyfried told UPI .
`` Playing that complexity between a man and his wife and watching them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is just fascinating because it 's real . ''
The house gets involved in some of their troubles .
It leaves messages , including scribbling `` You should have left '' in Theo 's notebook .
For Seyfried , the secrets both characters kept were deadly .
`` The horror movie for me was the train wreck of a marriage or the secrets , '' she said .
`` It was the secrets , was n't it , that really came to haunt them in a bigger way ? ''
One of Bacon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 13th .
In his career , he 's periodically appeared in horror movies like Flatliners , Tremors , Stir of Echoes , Hollow Man and The Darkness .
`` When you 've done as many movies as I have , you end up in a lot of genres , '' Bacon laughed .
`` It 's not like I kind of set out and say , 'You know , time for a horror movie . '
'' There is a similarity in all of Bacon 's post-Friday the 13th horror efforts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the characters rather than racking up the body count .
`` I 'm really more drawn to movies like You Should Have Left that are scary , but character-driven and emotional . ''
he said .
Theo 's fears make him vulnerable to the house 's manipulations .
The age difference between Theo and Susanna makes him paranoid .
In real life , Bacon is 61 and Seyfried is 34 .
When Theo visits her movie set , a grip mistakes him for Susanna 's father .
Bacon said Theo is dealing with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feels left out by the way Susanna communicates , using modern technology better than he can .
`` [ Susanna ] is almost of a different generation in terms of her use of the phone and texting , '' Bacon said .
Their daughter , Ellen , triggers other fears in Theo , Bacon said .
Being a new father in his 60s has some physical limitations .
`` [ At that age , ] you may be even too creaky in your body to want to get down on the floor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Bacon said .
`` He 's trying to figure that out and navigate that . ''
Susanna 's story dealt with some fears Seyfried faces as a professional too .
She empathized with Susanna being at a point in her career when filmmakers pressured her to do love scenes .
`` She 's somebody who does n't want to do those types of sex scenes anymore , '' Seyfried said .
`` They 're treating it like it 's another day at work which it is n't . ''
Although she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make the point , the performance helped Seyfried realize she wants to take a stand in her career .
`` I do n't want to play those roles anymore and I do n't have to , '' Seyfried said .
`` For any character to go through the same thing the actor is going through is a good performance therapy in some ways . ''
Seyfried was concerned , however , that Susanna 's skills as an actor helped her keep secrets from Theo and Ella .
`` She 's a really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I try to find the truth in everything .
In that way , it 's really hard for me to tell anything but the truth in my real life , down to something really tiny . ''
You Should Have Left is available Friday on video-on-demand .

1/3
Theo (Kevin Bacon) tries to protect his daughter Ella (Avery Tiiu Essex) in "You Should Have Left." Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures
LOS ANGELES, June 19 (UPI) -- A haunted house might be the second scariest thing in You Should Have Left. Stars Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried felt their characters' troubles were enough for a horror movie even before they moved in. Theo (Bacon) and Susanna (Seyfried) move with their daughter, Ella (Avery Tiiu Essex), to a house in Wales. The house is full of creepy hallways and dark corners, and it has supernatural powers. Advertisement
"If you didn't have the jump scares and the supernatural element or whatever that outside force happens to be, there would still be an interesting thing to play," Bacon told UPI in a Zoom interview Tuesday.
Susanna is Theo's second wife. His first drowned in the bathtub, leading many people to believe Theo killed her, even though he was cleared. Susanna is an actor whose love scenes make Theo jealous.
Advertisement
"I love a good destroyed marriage story," Seyfried told UPI. "Playing that complexity between a man and his wife and watching them try to negotiate that around a child is just fascinating because it's real."
The house gets involved in some of their troubles. It leaves messages, including scribbling "You should have left" in Theo's notebook. For Seyfried, the secrets both characters kept were deadly.
"The horror movie for me was the train wreck of a marriage or the secrets," she said. "It was the secrets, wasn't it, that really came to haunt them in a bigger way?"
One of Bacon's first movies was the original Friday the 13th. In his career, he's periodically appeared in horror movies like Flatliners, Tremors, Stir of Echoes, Hollow Man and The Darkness.
"When you've done as many movies as I have, you end up in a lot of genres," Bacon laughed. "It's not like I kind of set out and say, 'You know, time for a horror movie.'"
There is a similarity in all of Bacon's post-Friday the 13th horror efforts, though. Bacon prefers horror derived from the characters rather than racking up the body count.
"I'm really more drawn to movies like You Should Have Left that are scary, but character-driven and emotional." he said.
Advertisement
Theo's fears make him vulnerable to the house's manipulations. The age difference between Theo and Susanna makes him paranoid. In real life, Bacon is 61 and Seyfried is 34. When Theo visits her movie set, a grip mistakes him for Susanna's father.
Bacon said Theo is dealing with more than just insecurity. He also feels left out by the way Susanna communicates, using modern technology better than he can.
"[Susanna] is almost of a different generation in terms of her use of the phone and texting," Bacon said.
Their daughter, Ellen, triggers other fears in Theo, Bacon said. Being a new father in his 60s has some physical limitations.
"[At that age,] you may be even too creaky in your body to want to get down on the floor and play blocks and deal with this child," Bacon said. "He's trying to figure that out and navigate that."
Susanna's story dealt with some fears Seyfried faces as a professional too. She empathized with Susanna being at a point in her career when filmmakers pressured her to do love scenes.
"She's somebody who doesn't want to do those types of sex scenes anymore," Seyfried said. "They're treating it like it's another day at work which it isn't."
Advertisement
Although she performed the film's tasteful love scenes to make the point, the performance helped Seyfried realize she wants to take a stand in her career.
"I don't want to play those roles anymore and I don't have to," Seyfried said. "For any character to go through the same thing the actor is going through is a good performance therapy in some ways."
Seyfried was concerned, however, that Susanna's skills as an actor helped her keep secrets from Theo and Ella.
"She's a really good liar," Seyfried said. "I try to find the truth in everything. In that way, it's really hard for me to tell anything but the truth in my real life, down to something really tiny."
You Should Have Left is available Friday on video-on-demand.


upi--2020-06-19--On This Day, June 19: Stephen King hit by car, severely injured

On this date in history : In 1846 , two amateur baseball teams played under new rules at Hoboken , N.J. , planting the first seeds of organized baseball .
The New York Nine beat the Knickerbockers , 23-1 .
In 1856 , the first Republican national convention ended in Philadelphia with the nomination of explorer John Charles Fremont of California for president .
James Buchanan , a Federalist nominated by the Democrats , was elected .
In 1864 , the Union sloop-of-war USS Kearsarge sank the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama in the Battle of Cherbourg off the coast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian , installed as emperor of Mexico by French Emperor Napoleon III in 1864 , was executed on the orders of Benito Juarez , president of the Mexican Republic .
In 1905 , Pittsburgh showman Harry Davis opened the world 's first nickelodeon , showing `` The Great Train Robbery , '' a silent Western film .
The storefront theater had 96 seats , charged 5 cents and prompted the advent of movie houses across the United States .
In 1910 , Spokane , Wash. , had the first Father 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ II 's Battle of the Philippine Sea began .
Japanese forces tried unsuccessfully to prevent further Allied advancement in the South Pacific .
In 1953 , convicted spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed by electric chair at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining , N.Y .
In 1965 , Nguyen Cao Ky became the prime minister of South Vietnam , the ninth leader within the past 20 months .
In 1972 , Hurricane Agnes made landfall in the Florida Panhandle , going on to kill 128 people along the eastern U.S. seaboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court struck down a 1981 Louisiana law that required schools to teach the creationist theory of human origin espoused by fundamentalist Christians .
In 1991 , Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar surrendered to police in Medellin in the wake of the assassination of Luis Carlos Galan .
Authorities convinced him to give himself up in exchange for a lighter sentence for prior criminal activity -- activity which continued after his imprisonment .
In 1999 , horror novelist Stephen King was hit by a car and severely injured while out for a walk in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Supreme Court ruled that prayers led by students at public high school football games are n't permitted under the constitutional separation of church and state .
In 2008 , U.S. Sen. Barack Obama , D-Ill. , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , became the first candidate at that level to bypass public financing since the program was established .
In 2013 , James Gandolfini , who starred in the gangster drama The Sopranos , died of a heart attack in Rome .
He was 51 .
In 2014 , Felipe VI was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ father , King Juan Carlos , abdicated the throne .
In 2019 , Joy Harjo was named the first Native-American poet laureate of the United States .

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The DC Emancipation Act of April 16, 1862 is on display as a special exhibit to mark its anniversary at the National Archives Museum in Washington, DC on April 15, 2019. President Abraham Lincoln issued the proclamation freeing the slaves in Washington, DC, and then on September 22, 1962 issued the Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves in the United States on January 1, 1863. The documents can only be shown for 36 hours a year to preserve them. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo
On this date in history: In 1846, two amateur baseball teams played under new rules at Hoboken, N.J., planting the first seeds of organized baseball. The New York Nine beat the Knickerbockers, 23-1. Advertisement
In 1856, the first Republican national convention ended in Philadelphia with the nomination of explorer John Charles Fremont of California for president. James Buchanan, a Federalist nominated by the Democrats, was elected.
In 1864, the Union sloop-of-war USS Kearsarge sank the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama in the Battle of Cherbourg off the coast of France.
In 1865, nearly two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, freedom from slavery was announced in Galveston, Texas, the most remote area of the country where slavery was still practiced. The day came to be celebrated annually as Juneteenth, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and Liberation Day.
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In 1867, Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, installed as emperor of Mexico by French Emperor Napoleon III in 1864, was executed on the orders of Benito Juarez, president of the Mexican Republic.
In 1905, Pittsburgh showman Harry Davis opened the world's first nickelodeon, showing "The Great Train Robbery," a silent Western film. The storefront theater had 96 seats, charged 5 cents and prompted the advent of movie houses across the United States.
In 1910, Spokane, Wash., had the first Father's Day.
File Photo by Gary C. Caskey/UPI
In 1944, World War II's Battle of the Philippine Sea began. Japanese forces tried unsuccessfully to prevent further Allied advancement in the South Pacific.
In 1953, convicted spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed by electric chair at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, N.Y.
In 1965, Nguyen Cao Ky became the prime minister of South Vietnam, the ninth leader within the past 20 months.
UPI File Photo
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In 1972, Hurricane Agnes made landfall in the Florida Panhandle, going on to kill 128 people along the eastern U.S. seaboard.
In 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a 1981 Louisiana law that required schools to teach the creationist theory of human origin espoused by fundamentalist Christians.
In 1991, Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar surrendered to police in Medellin in the wake of the assassination of Luis Carlos Galan. Authorities convinced him to give himself up in exchange for a lighter sentence for prior criminal activity -- activity which continued after his imprisonment.
In 1999, horror novelist Stephen King was hit by a car and severely injured while out for a walk in rural Maine.
In 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that prayers led by students at public high school football games aren't permitted under the constitutional separation of church and state.
In 2008, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, became the first candidate at that level to bypass public financing since the program was established.
Advertisement
In 2013, James Gandolfini, who starred in the gangster drama The Sopranos, died of a heart attack in Rome. He was 51.
In 2014, Felipe VI was proclaimed Spain's new king after his father, King Juan Carlos, abdicated the throne.
In 2019, Joy Harjo was named the first Native-American poet laureate of the United States.


upi--2020-06-19--UPI News Quiz: Mars rover, border blast, John Bolton's book

U.S. News // 6 hours ago
Search for victims of Maui wildfire ongoing as death toll climbs to 101
Aug. 15 (UPI) -- The death toll from the Maui wildfires has risen to 101, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said Tuesday night, as he announced plans to reopen the Lahaina Bypass for several hours a day to "reunite the pieces of Maui."


upi--2020-06-19--Famous birthdays for June 19: Gena Rowlands, Robin Tunney

June 19 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Gemini .
-- Moe @ @ @ @ @ comedy act in 1897

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Gena Rowlands arrives on the red carpet for the 88th Academy Awards in Los Angeles on February 28, 2016. The actor turns 90 on June 19. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
June 19 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Gemini. They include: Advertisement
-- British King James I in 1566
-- French philosopher/mathematician Blaise Pascal in 1623
-- Wallis Simpson, duchess of Windsor, in 1896
-- Moe Howard of the Three Stooges comedy act in 1897
-- Bandleader Guy Lombardo in 1902
-- Baseball Hall of Fame member Lou Gehrig in 1903
-- Musician Lester Flatt in 1914
-- Film critic Pauline Kael in 1919
-- Actor Nancy Marchand in 1928
-- Actor Gena Rowlands in 1930 (age 90)
-- Nobel Peace Prize laureate/Myanmar politician Aung San Suu Kyi in 1945 (age 75)
-- Author Salman Rushdie in 1947 (age 73)
File Photo by Laura Cavanaugh/UPI
-- Actor Phylicia Rashad in 1948 (age 72)
-- Musician Nick Drake in 1948
-- Musician Ann Wilson of Heart in 1950 (age 70)
-- Actor Kathleen Turner in 1954 (age 66)
-- Singer Paula Abdul in 1962 (age 58)
-- Political commentator Laura Ingraham in 1963 (age 57)
-- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 1964 (age 56)
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-- Actor Mia Sara in 1967 (age 53)
-- TV personality Lara Spencer in 1969 (age 51)
-- Actor Robin Tunney in 1972 (age 48)
File Photo by Jonathan Alcorn/UPI
-- Actor Hugh Dancy in 1975 (age 45)
-- Former NBA player Dirk Nowitzki in 1978 (age 42)
-- Actor Zoe Saldana in 1978 (age 42)
-- Rapper Macklemore, born Benjamin Hammond Haggery, in 1983 (age 37)
-- Actor Aidan Turner in 1983 (age 37)
-- Actor Paul Dano in 1984 (age 36)
-- Actor Giacomo Gianniotti in 1989 (age 31)
-- Actor Atticus Shaffer in 1998 (age 22)


upi--2020-06-19--Belmont Stakes, PGA Tour, Premier League form weekend sports schedule

June 19 ( UPI ) -- Horse racing 's Triple Crown begins with the Belmont Stakes on Saturday in Elmont , N.Y. , the first major U.S. race since the sport was suspended in mid-March .
Weekend live sports also include golf , UFC and European soccer .
Jockeys will race down the dirt track about 5:42 p.m. EDT Saturday .
The race originally was planned for June 6 before it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The Kentucky Derby , which usually comes ahead of the Belmont , will become the second leg of the Triple Crown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Preakness will complete the prestigious series Oct. 3 in Baltimore .
Bovada has Tiz The Law as a -135 favorite to win the Belmont Stakes .
Tap It To Win ( +600 ) , Sole Volante ( +750 ) , Dr Post ( +750 ) , Max Player ( +1600 ) and Pneumatic ( +1600 ) also rank in the Top-5 in odds to win the race .
BetOnline.AG has Tiz The Law , Honor A.P.
, Authentic , Cezanne and Sole Volante as its Top-5 contenders .
Jockey Joel Rosario rode Sir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stakes .
Mark Casse was the trainer for Sir Winston and also trained Tiz The Law .
Rosario will ride Max Player -- a +1800 bet at Bovada .
Belmont Stakes coverage will air from 2:45 to 6 p.m. EDT Saturday on NBC .
The soccer schedule is now packed after the England 's Premier League resumed its season Wednesday .
Italy 's Serie A also will resume its campaign Saturday .
The Bundesliga slate continues this week after the German soccer league returned last month .
Spain 's La Liga also has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Friday 's Premier League slate includes a prime matchup between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at 3:15 p.m. EDT .
Third-place Leicester City battles Watford in the first of four games on Saturday .
Chelsea and Liverpool each have games on Sunday .
Liverpool -- the Premier League 's top squad -- will play Everton at 2 p.m. EDT Sunday .
Lionel Messi and Barcelona battle third-place Sevilla at 4 p.m. EDT Friday .
Second-place Real Madrid has a match against fifth-place Real Sociedad at 4 p.m. EDT Sunday .
Serie A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pits Torina against Parma at 1:30 p.m. EDT Saturday .
Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus play their first game of the resumed season against Bologna at 3:45 p.m. EDT Monday .
All nine of the matches on the Bundesliga schedule will take place on Saturday .
League champion Bayern Munich has a match against SC Freiburg at 9:30 a.m. EDT .
Second-place Borussia Dortmund also takes on RB Leipzig at 9:30 a.m. EDT .
The 2020 RBC Heritage started Thursday and will continue through Sunday .
World No .
1 Rory McIlroy opened as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head , S.C .
There will be no gallery as a preventive measure for transmission of the coronavirus .
The RBC Heritage is the second tournament of the PGA Tour 's resumed season , which had been suspended since March .
American Daniel Berger beat Collin Morikawa in a playoff to win last weekend 's 2020 Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth , Texas .
Taiwan 's C.T .
Pan was the champion of the 2019 RBC Heritage .
Live coverage for the final two rounds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 6 p.m. EDT Saturday and Sunday on CBS .
Featured groups and holes will air from 7:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT .
Saturday and Sunday .
The RBC Heritage has a purse of $ 7.1 million , which includes $ 1.2 million for the winner .
The PGA Tour season continues with the Travelers Championship from June 25 to 28 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell , Conn. KBO : Doosan Bears vs. LG Twins at 3:55 a.m. EDT on ESPN Featured holes and groups from 7:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coverage from 3 to 6 p.m. EDT on CBS Premier League : Watford vs. Leicester at 7:30 a.m. EDT on NBCSN Bundesliga : Bayern Munich vs. SC Freiburg at 9:30 a.m. EDT on FS1 Bundesliga : Borussia Dortmund vs. RB Leipzig at 9:30 a.m. EDT on FS2 Premier League : Brighton vs. Arsenal at 10 a.m. EDT on NBCSN Premier League : West Ham vs. Wolves at 12:30 p.m. EDT on NBC La Liga : Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad at 4 p.m. EDT on beIN Sports Belmont Stakes coverage from 2:45 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vs. Lyman Good after first fight Raquel Pennington vs. Marion Reneau after second fight Josh Emmett vs. Shane Burgos after third fight KBO : Doosan Bears vs. LG Twins at 3:55 a.m. EDT on ESPN Featured holes and groups from 7:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT on PGA Tour Live Live TV coverage from 3 to 6 p.m. EDT on CBS Premier League : Aston Villa vs. Chelsea at 11:15 a.m. EDT on NBCSN Premier League : Everton vs. Liverpool at 2 p.m. EDT on NBC Serie A : Inter Milan vs. Sampdoria @ @ @ @ @ @

Tiz the Law is the betting favorite to win the 2020 Belmont Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
June 19 (UPI) -- Horse racing's Triple Crown begins with the Belmont Stakes on Saturday in Elmont, N.Y., the first major U.S. race since the sport was suspended in mid-March. Weekend live sports also include golf, UFC and European soccer. Jockeys will race down the dirt track about 5:42 p.m. EDT Saturday. The race originally was planned for June 6 before it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Advertisement
The Kentucky Derby, which usually comes ahead of the Belmont, will become the second leg of the Triple Crown on Sept. 5 in Louisville. The Preakness will complete the prestigious series Oct. 3 in Baltimore.
Bovada has Tiz The Law as a -135 favorite to win the Belmont Stakes. Tap It To Win (+600), Sole Volante (+750), Dr Post (+750), Max Player (+1600) and Pneumatic (+1600) also rank in the Top-5 in odds to win the race. BetOnline.AG has Tiz The Law, Honor A.P., Authentic, Cezanne and Sole Volante as its Top-5 contenders.
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Jockey Joel Rosario rode Sir Winston to victory at the 2019 Belmont Stakes. Mark Casse was the trainer for Sir Winston and also trained Tiz The Law. Rosario will ride Max Player -- a +1800 bet at Bovada.
Belmont Stakes coverage will air from 2:45 to 6 p.m. EDT Saturday on NBC.
Premier League, Serie A return
The soccer schedule is now packed after the England's Premier League resumed its season Wednesday. Italy's Serie A also will resume its campaign Saturday. The Bundesliga slate continues this week after the German soccer league returned last month. Spain's La Liga also has 10 games scheduled from Friday through Sunday.
Friday's Premier League slate includes a prime matchup between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at 3:15 p.m. EDT. Third-place Leicester City battles Watford in the first of four games on Saturday. Chelsea and Liverpool each have games on Sunday. Liverpool -- the Premier League's top squad -- will play Everton at 2 p.m. EDT Sunday.
Lionel Messi and Barcelona battle third-place Sevilla at 4 p.m. EDT Friday. Second-place Real Madrid has a match against fifth-place Real Sociedad at 4 p.m. EDT Sunday.
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Serie A's first game of the season restart pits Torina against Parma at 1:30 p.m. EDT Saturday. Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus play their first game of the resumed season against Bologna at 3:45 p.m. EDT Monday.
All nine of the matches on the Bundesliga schedule will take place on Saturday. League champion Bayern Munich has a match against SC Freiburg at 9:30 a.m. EDT. Second-place Borussia Dortmund also takes on RB Leipzig at 9:30 a.m. EDT.
PGA Tour golf
The 2020 RBC Heritage started Thursday and will continue through Sunday. World No. 1 Rory McIlroy opened as the favorite to win the tournament at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, S.C. There will be no gallery as a preventive measure for transmission of the coronavirus.
The RBC Heritage is the second tournament of the PGA Tour's resumed season, which had been suspended since March. American Daniel Berger beat Collin Morikawa in a playoff to win last weekend's 2020 Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas.
Taiwan's C.T. Pan was the champion of the 2019 RBC Heritage.
Live coverage for the final two rounds of the 2020 RBC Heritage airs from 3 to 6 p.m. EDT Saturday and Sunday on CBS. Featured groups and holes will air from 7:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT. Saturday and Sunday.
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The RBC Heritage has a purse of $7.1 million, which includes $1.2 million for the winner.
The PGA Tour season continues with the Travelers Championship from June 25 to 28 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.
Saturday
Baseball
KBO: Doosan Bears vs. LG Twins at 3:55 a.m. EDT on ESPN
Golf
PGA Tour: RBC Heritage
Featured holes and groups from 7:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT on PGA Tour Live
Live TV coverage from 3 to 6 p.m. EDT on CBS
Soccer
Premier League: Watford vs. Leicester at 7:30 a.m. EDT on NBCSN
Bundesliga: Bayern Munich vs. SC Freiburg at 9:30 a.m. EDT on FS1
Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund vs. RB Leipzig at 9:30 a.m. EDT on FS2
Premier League: Brighton vs. Arsenal at 10 a.m. EDT on NBCSN
Premier League: West Ham vs. Wolves at 12:30 p.m. EDT on NBC
La Liga: Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad at 4 p.m. EDT on beIN Sports
Horse racing
Belmont Stakes coverage from 2:45 to 6 p.m. EDT on NBC
NASCAR
Xfinity Series Unhinged 300 at 5:30 p.m. EDT on FS1
UFC Fight Night on ESPN/ESPN+
Jim Miller vs. Roosevelt Roberts at 8 p.m. EDT
Belal Muhammad vs. Lyman Good after first fight
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Raquel Pennington vs. Marion Reneau after second fight
Josh Emmett vs. Shane Burgos after third fight
Curtis Blaydes vs. Alexander Volkov after fourth fight
Sunday
Baseball
KBO: Doosan Bears vs. LG Twins at 3:55 a.m. EDT on ESPN
Golf
PGA Tour: RBC Heritage
Featured holes and groups from 7:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT on PGA Tour Live
Live TV coverage from 3 to 6 p.m. EDT on CBS
Soccer
Premier League: Aston Villa vs. Chelsea at 11:15 a.m. EDT on NBCSN
Premier League: Everton vs. Liverpool at 2 p.m. EDT on NBC
Serie A: Inter Milan vs. Sampdoria at 3:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN+
NASCAR
Cup Series Geico 500 at 3 p.m. EDT on Fox
Tiz the Law wins Belmont Stakes in run without fans


upi--2020-06-19--Twitter labels video Trump tweeted as 'manipulated media'

June 19 ( UPI ) -- Twitter late Thursday labeled a video tweeted by President Donald Trump as `` manipulated media , '' the microblogging site 's third such amendment added to a tweet from the president .
Trump shared a doctored video Thursday evening taken from a September 2019 report by CNN about the friendship between two toddlers , one black and one white .
The version tweeted by the president was edited with a fake CNN chyron stating `` terrified [ toddler ] runs from racist baby '' before it changes to `` racist baby probably a Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen chasing after the black toddler .
The video then cuts to the original footage that shows the two children running together and embracing with the words `` America is not the problem , fake news is . ''
The video included the credit @ CarpeDonktum , which often shares videos and memes in support of Trump and critical of the media .
As of early Friday , the tweet had generated more than 10.4 million views and 141,000 retweets .
Twitter spokeswoman Katie Rosborough said in a statement to The Washington Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our synthetic and manipulated media policy to give people more context . ''
The move by Twitter came hours after Facebook removed advertisements run by Trump 's re-election campaign that contained a symbol that violated its policy against organized hate .
The Anti-Defamation League said the symbol in question -- a red , upside-down triangle -- was similar to one used by the Nazis for political prisoners .
This is the third time Twitter has taken action against tweets from the president after placing labels indicating potentially harmful or misleading information on two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then a few days later it flagged a tweet from the president concerning protests against inequality as glorifying violence .
In response to the earlier moves by Twitter , Trump signed an executive order to limit the legal protections of social media companies if they censor , edit or delete user posts .
`` We 're here today to defend free speech from one of the greatest dangers , '' Trump said late May when he signed the order .
`` They 've had unchecked power to censor , restrict , edit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any form of communication between private citizens and large public audiences . ''

Following previous labels added to his tweets by the microblogging site, President Donald Trump signed an executive order in late May on social media regulations that could punish companies, such as Twitter and Facebook, for how they police content. Pool Photo by Doug Mills/UPI | License Photo
June 19 (UPI) -- Twitter late Thursday labeled a video tweeted by President Donald Trump as "manipulated media," the microblogging site's third such amendment added to a tweet from the president. Trump shared a doctored video Thursday evening taken from a September 2019 report by CNN about the friendship between two toddlers, one black and one white. Advertisement
The version tweeted by the president was edited with a fake CNN chyron stating "terrified [toddler] runs from racist baby" before it changes to "racist baby probably a Trump voter" as the white child is seen chasing after the black toddler.
The video then cuts to the original footage that shows the two children running together and embracing with the words "America is not the problem, fake news is."
The video included the credit @CarpeDonktum, which often shares videos and memes in support of Trump and critical of the media.
As of early Friday, the tweet had generated more than 10.4 million views and 141,000 retweets.
Twitter spokeswoman Katie Rosborough said in a statement to The Washington Post that the tweet was labeled "per our synthetic and manipulated media policy to give people more context."
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The move by Twitter came hours after Facebook removed advertisements run by Trump's re-election campaign that contained a symbol that violated its policy against organized hate.
The Anti-Defamation League said the symbol in question -- a red, upside-down triangle -- was similar to one used by the Nazis for political prisoners.
This is the third time Twitter has taken action against tweets from the president after placing labels indicating potentially harmful or misleading information on two tweets in May concerning mail-in voting and then a few days later it flagged a tweet from the president concerning protests against inequality as glorifying violence.
In response to the earlier moves by Twitter, Trump signed an executive order to limit the legal protections of social media companies if they censor, edit or delete user posts.
"We're here today to defend free speech from one of the greatest dangers," Trump said late May when he signed the order. "They've had unchecked power to censor, restrict, edit, shape, hide, alter, virtually any form of communication between private citizens and large public audiences."


upi--2020-06-19--U.S. blacklists Mexican shipping network for evading sanctions

June 18 ( UPI ) -- The Trump administration has imposed sanctions against a shipping network of Mexican companies and nationals it accuses of working with the embattled government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to evade U.S. sanctions .
Three Mexicans , eight companies and two oil tankers have been blacklisted for their efforts to evade U.S. sanctions imposed on the Venezuelan oil sector through a so-called oil-for-food program that never resulted in food deliveries to Venezuela , the U.S. Treasury Department said Thursday in a statement .
`` The illegitimate Maduro regime created a secret network to evade sanctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Deputy Secretary Justin G. Muzinich said in a statement .
`` The United States will continue to relentlessly pursue sanctions evaders , who plunder Venezuela 's resources for personal gain at the expense of the Venezuelan people . ''
Among those targeted Thursday include Mexican-based companies Libre Abordo and the Schlager Business Group , as well as the entities they own or control .
Olga Maria Zepeda Esparza and her mother , Veronica Esparza Garcia , who co-own Libre Abordo and control the Schlager Business Group , were also sanctioned as was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States accused as being the `` critical conduit '' between the two companies and the Venezuela oil sector .
The Treasury said Leal and U.S.-designated Colombian businessman Alex Nain Saab worked with the companies to broker the sale of more than 30 million barrels of crude oil in April on behalf of the state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela , known as PDVSA , which was previously sanctioned in early 2019 .
Though both Libre Abordo and the Schlager Business Group said they have contracts with Venezuela to deliver corn and water in exchange for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed to deliver any of the grain and only half of the water it was contracted for at `` grossly inflated prices . ''
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this scheme `` skimmed '' millions of dollars from humanitarian aid funds .
`` The illegitimate Maduro regime continues to steal Venezuelan resources to tighten its authoritarian grip over the Venezuelan people , '' Pompeo said in a statement .
`` Today 's action is another warning that any individual or company that facilitates this theft will no longer enjoy access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanctions came nearly a week after Saab was arrested in Cabo Verde , Africa .
Saab was sanctioned in July and charged by the U.S. Justice Department with conspiracy and money laundering , accusing him of bribing Venezuelan officials and stealing hundreds of millions of dollars in a scheme to profit from a government-subsidy food program intended for Venezuela 's poor .
Jorge Arreaza , Venezuela 's foreign minister , decried the sanctions as `` criminal '' in a tweet addressed to Pompeo on Thursday .
`` Whatever you do , you wo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , '' Arreaza said .
`` None of your plans with Venezuela have worked , nor will they . ''
The Trump administration has repeatedly sanctioned Maduro and those who have propped him up since his re-election was deemed illegitimate in late 2018 .
Maduro has been able to cling to power despite the mounting pressure due to support from Russia , Cuba and China , U.S. officials have said .
A coalition of some 60 mostly Western countries , led by the United States , has backed Juan Guaido , leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interim president .

The Trump administration blacklisted three Mexicans, eight companies and two oil tankers on Thursday for aiding Venezuela to evade U.S. sanctions through an "oil-for-food" scheme. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo
June 18 (UPI) -- The Trump administration has imposed sanctions against a shipping network of Mexican companies and nationals it accuses of working with the embattled government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to evade U.S. sanctions. Three Mexicans, eight companies and two oil tankers have been blacklisted for their efforts to evade U.S. sanctions imposed on the Venezuelan oil sector through a so-called oil-for-food program that never resulted in food deliveries to Venezuela, the U.S. Treasury Department said Thursday in a statement. Advertisement
"The illegitimate Maduro regime created a secret network to evade sanctions, which Treasury has now exposed," Deputy Secretary Justin G. Muzinich said in a statement. "The United States will continue to relentlessly pursue sanctions evaders, who plunder Venezuela's resources for personal gain at the expense of the Venezuelan people."
Among those targeted Thursday include Mexican-based companies Libre Abordo and the Schlager Business Group, as well as the entities they own or control.
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Olga Maria Zepeda Esparza and her mother, Veronica Esparza Garcia, who co-own Libre Abordo and control the Schlager Business Group, were also sanctioned as was Joaquin Leal Jimenez, who the United States accused as being the "critical conduit" between the two companies and the Venezuela oil sector.
The Treasury said Leal and U.S.-designated Colombian businessman Alex Nain Saab worked with the companies to broker the sale of more than 30 million barrels of crude oil in April on behalf of the state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela, known as PDVSA, which was previously sanctioned in early 2019.
Though both Libre Abordo and the Schlager Business Group said they have contracts with Venezuela to deliver corn and water in exchange for oil, the United States said they failed to deliver any of the grain and only half of the water it was contracted for at "grossly inflated prices."
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this scheme "skimmed" millions of dollars from humanitarian aid funds.
"The illegitimate Maduro regime continues to steal Venezuelan resources to tighten its authoritarian grip over the Venezuelan people," Pompeo said in a statement. "Today's action is another warning that any individual or company that facilitates this theft will no longer enjoy access to the U.S. financial system."
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The sanctions came nearly a week after Saab was arrested in Cabo Verde, Africa.
Saab was sanctioned in July and charged by the U.S. Justice Department with conspiracy and money laundering, accusing him of bribing Venezuelan officials and stealing hundreds of millions of dollars in a scheme to profit from a government-subsidy food program intended for Venezuela's poor.
Jorge Arreaza, Venezuela's foreign minister, decried the sanctions as "criminal" in a tweet addressed to Pompeo on Thursday.
"Whatever you do, you won't bend the will of the Venezuelan people," Arreaza said. "None of your plans with Venezuela have worked, nor will they."
The Trump administration has repeatedly sanctioned Maduro and those who have propped him up since his re-election was deemed illegitimate in late 2018.
Maduro has been able to cling to power despite the mounting pressure due to support from Russia, Cuba and China, U.S. officials have said.
A coalition of some 60 mostly Western countries, led by the United States, has backed Juan Guaido, leader of the opposition National Assembly, as interim president.


upi--2020-06-19--Juneteenth: Thousands gather at events nationwide to mark historic date

June 19 ( UPI ) -- A number of events were held Friday to celebrate Juneteenth , a date marking the end of slavery in the United States that 's taken on added significance this year in light of civil unrest that escalated after the police killing of George Floyd nearly a month ago .
Hundreds gathered on Washington 's National Mall across from the National Museum of African American History and Culture .
That 's where a `` Freedom Day March '' was scheduled to take place to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wizards and Washington Mystics spoke during a rally outside Capital One Arena .
A march from the venue was expected to join up with other rallies at the MLK Memorial .
Police in Washington , D.C. , prepared for celebrations and protests to mark the occasion .
Officials expected thousands of protesters throughout the weekend .
The march routes took protesters past the White House , national monuments on the National Mall and through historically black neighborhoods in the city .
Black Lives Matter DC called for activists to march at major intersections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strike for Black Lives . ''
`` We are calling for disruptive actions aimed at shutting down the city : Strikes , sick-outs , blockades , occupations , and spontaneous marches , '' the group stated on its website .
Washington police announced traffic restrictions that affect most of the district 's downtown area starting Friday .
Hundreds of other Juneteenth celebrations were planned in at least 45 states , according to the Movement for Black Lives .
Among them will be a three-day event in Tulsa , Okla. , which will coincide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday .
Civil rights leader Al Sharpton is expected to speak Friday .
In San Francisco , demonstrators marked Juneteenth while also protesting the police-involved shooting of 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa , who was laid to rest Friday .
They gathered on the Carquinez Bridge , slowing traffic .
Thousands gathered in locations throughout New York City in the streets and parks .
Marches also flowed down streets and bridges , including the Brooklyn Bridge , stopping in key locations such as City Hall , Harlem and Cadman Plaza Park .
Juneteenth marks June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an order issued by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger of the Union Army informed all 250,000 slaves in Texas -- who were some of the last in the nation -- that they had been freed .
The news led to mass celebrations among African Americans in the state and has since grown into a nationwide observance .
The announcement came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation , which ended slavery .
Thursday , researchers at the National Archives said they have located what 's believed to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued by Granger from his base in Galveston , The Washington Post reported .
`` This is something that we have n't tracked down before , '' said archivist Trevor Plante , who found the document .
`` The people of Texas are informed that , in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States , 'all slaves are free , ' '' the order states .
`` This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves and the connection heretofore existing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hired labor . ''
`` I think the timing is just amazing , '' said National Archives head David Ferriero .
`` Juneteenth reminds us of both the unimaginable injustice of slavery and the incomparable joy that must have attended emancipation , '' he said .
`` It is both a remembrance of a blight on our history and a celebration of our nation 's unsurpassed ability to triumph over darkness . ''

Marchers walk past St. Louis City Hall during a Juneteenth celebration on June 19, 2020. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
June 19 (UPI) -- A number of events were held Friday to celebrate Juneteenth, a date marking the end of slavery in the United States that's taken on added significance this year in light of civil unrest that escalated after the police killing of George Floyd nearly a month ago. Hundreds gathered on Washington's National Mall across from the National Museum of African American History and Culture. That's where a "Freedom Day March" was scheduled to take place to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. Advertisement
Across town, players on the Washington Wizards and Washington Mystics spoke during a rally outside Capital One Arena. A march from the venue was expected to join up with other rallies at the MLK Memorial.
Police in Washington, D.C., prepared for celebrations and protests to mark the occasion. Officials expected thousands of protesters throughout the weekend.
Advertisement
The march routes took protesters past the White House, national monuments on the National Mall and through historically black neighborhoods in the city.
Black Lives Matter DC called for activists to march at major intersections and highways as part of the "Strike for Black Lives."
"We are calling for disruptive actions aimed at shutting down the city: Strikes, sick-outs, blockades, occupations, and spontaneous marches," the group stated on its website.
Washington police announced traffic restrictions that affect most of the district's downtown area starting Friday.
Hundreds of other Juneteenth celebrations were planned in at least 45 states, according to the Movement for Black Lives.
Among them will be a three-day event in Tulsa, Okla., which will coincide with President Donald Trump's rally there Saturday. Civil rights leader Al Sharpton is expected to speak Friday.
In San Francisco, demonstrators marked Juneteenth while also protesting the police-involved shooting of 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa, who was laid to rest Friday. They gathered on the Carquinez Bridge, slowing traffic.
Thousands gathered in locations throughout New York City in the streets and parks. Marches also flowed down streets and bridges, including the Brooklyn Bridge, stopping in key locations such as City Hall, Harlem and Cadman Plaza Park.
Advertisement
Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865, the date when an order issued by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger of the Union Army informed all 250,000 slaves in Texas -- who were some of the last in the nation -- that they had been freed. The news led to mass celebrations among African Americans in the state and has since grown into a nationwide observance.
The announcement came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which ended slavery.
Thursday, researchers at the National Archives said they have located what's believed to be the original handwritten "Juneteenth" order issued by Granger from his base in Galveston, The Washington Post reported.
"This is something that we haven't tracked down before," said archivist Trevor Plante, who found the document.
"The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, 'all slaves are free,'" the order states.
"This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor."
"I think the timing is just amazing," said National Archives head David Ferriero.
Advertisement
President Donald Trump issued a statement Friday to mark the occasion.
"Juneteenth reminds us of both the unimaginable injustice of slavery and the incomparable joy that must have attended emancipation," he said. "It is both a remembrance of a blight on our history and a celebration of our nation's unsurpassed ability to triumph over darkness."
Protesters demand justice in police killing of George Floyd


upi--2020-06-19--Look: Alaska National Guard uses helicopter to move 'Into the Wild' bus

June 19 ( UPI ) -- The Alaska National Guard used a helicopter to relocate the iconic Into the Wild bus due to the `` hazard '' it presents to tourists seeking to find the remote vehicle .
The 1st Battalion , 207th Aviation Regiment used a CH-47 Chinook helicopter to lift the school bus Thursday .
The bus -- known as Bus 142 and the Magic Bus -- has sat abandoned on the Stampede Trail for decades .
It became famous in 1996 after the publication of Jon Krakauer 's book , Into the Wild , which detailed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bus for shelter and died there in 1992 .
The book was turned into a movie by the same name starring Emile Hirsch in 2007 .
McCandless abandoned his comfortable life to travel to Alaska , where he planned to hike the Stampede Trail .
He came upon the bus and lived there for a few months before dying of what medical officials determined was starvation .
A journal and an undeveloped roll of film he left behind gave insight into the months he spent in the wilderness and captured the attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ location , though , has caused some to put themselves in dangerous situations , with some dying .
In July , a newlywed from Belarus died after she was swept away by a river as she and her husband attempted to access the bus .
The Department of Natural Resources said there were 15 search and rescue operations related to the bus between 2009 and 2017 .
`` We encourage people to enjoy Alaska 's wild areas safely , and we understand the hold this bus has had on the popular imagination , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` However , this is an abandoned and deteriorating vehicle that was requiring dangerous and costly rescue efforts , but more importantly , was costing some visitors their lives .
I 'm glad we found a safe , respectful and economical solution to this situation . ''
Feige said the bus will be stored securely until the department determines a permanent location for it .
National Guard members also packed up personal items that belonged to McCandless in the bus for safe storage .

Alaska National Guardsmen assigned to 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment, in coordination with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources airlifted "Bus 142" from Healy, Alaska, with a CH-47 Chinook helicopter on Thursday. File Photo by Spc. Craig Lyons/Alaska National Guard
June 19 (UPI) -- The Alaska National Guard used a helicopter to relocate the iconic Into the Wild bus due to the "hazard" it presents to tourists seeking to find the remote vehicle. The 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment used a CH-47 Chinook helicopter to lift the school bus Thursday. The bus -- known as Bus 142 and the Magic Bus -- has sat abandoned on the Stampede Trail for decades. Advertisement
It became famous in 1996 after the publication of Jon Krakauer's book, Into the Wild, which detailed the story of Christopher McCandless, who used the bus for shelter and died there in 1992. The book was turned into a movie by the same name starring Emile Hirsch in 2007.
McCandless abandoned his comfortable life to travel to Alaska, where he planned to hike the Stampede Trail. He came upon the bus and lived there for a few months before dying of what medical officials determined was starvation.
A journal and an undeveloped roll of film he left behind gave insight into the months he spent in the wilderness and captured the attention of hikers and thrill-seekers. Its remote location, though, has caused some to put themselves in dangerous situations, with some dying.
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In July, a newlywed from Belarus died after she was swept away by a river as she and her husband attempted to access the bus.
The Department of Natural Resources said there were 15 search and rescue operations related to the bus between 2009 and 2017.
"We encourage people to enjoy Alaska's wild areas safely, and we understand the hold this bus has had on the popular imagination," DNR Commissioner Corri Feige said. "However, this is an abandoned and deteriorating vehicle that was requiring dangerous and costly rescue efforts, but more importantly, was costing some visitors their lives. I'm glad we found a safe, respectful and economical solution to this situation."
Feige said the bus will be stored securely until the department determines a permanent location for it. National Guard members also packed up personal items that belonged to McCandless in the bus for safe storage.