upi--2020-01-15--Cosmic origins of phosphorus, a building block for life, traced by scientists

Jan. 15 ( UPI ) -- Using the combined powers of ALMA , a powerful observatory , and Rosetta , the European Space Agency 's comet-studying probe , scientists have for the first time observed the precise cosmic origins of phosphorus , an element essential to life .
The new research , published Wednesday in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society , also showed how phosphorus is carried by comets .
Scientists were able to locate phosphorus in the star-forming region AFGL 5142 .
The astronomers ' attraction to AFGL 5142 was two-fold .
`` AFGL 5142 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can get the necessary spatial resolution , '' study author Kathrin Altwegg , an astrophysicist at the University of Bern in Switzerland , told UPI .
`` Scientists also believe by now that our sun emerged from something similar : a massive cloud where large and small stars are formed simultaneously . ''
Researchers have previously found phosphorus in distant regions of space , but were unable to pinpoint the precise location of the element within star-forming regions .
The power of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array , located in the Chilean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exact location of cosmic phosphorus within AFGL 5142 .
`` Thanks to the unique sensitivity and spatial resolution of this instrument , we have been able to map for the first time the emission of molecules with phosphorus , and connect it to local physical/chemical properties , '' lead study author Victor Rivilla , researcher at the Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory of INAF , Italy 's National Institute for Astrophysics , told UPI in an email .
The ALMA data showed the phosphorus is located on the walls of a cavity shaped by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ star .
`` This has allowed us to understand that the molecules are formed during the formation of new stars thanks to the combination of two physical processes : shocks created by protostellar outflows and photochemistry triggered by ultraviolet radiation from the protostar , '' Rivilla said .
To determine how phosphorus might have been carried to Earth , scientists analyzed data collected by ROSINA , the Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis .
For two years , ESA 's Rosetta probe circled the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko , all the while using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ composition .
Scientists previously found the signatures of phosphorus in the ROSINA data , but were n't sure what molecules the phosphorus atoms were linked with .
A reexamination of the ROSINA data revealed the presence of phosphorus monoxide , PO , on the comet .
In the earliest days of the solar system , most of the phosphorous remained trapped inside icy mineral grains , and thus , not available for chemistry .
The discovery of phosphorus monoxide offers clues as to how phosphorus became available to chemistry and made it possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` These icy grains finally formed comets , '' Altwegg said .
`` Closer to the sun , at the position where the Earth formed , the ice sublimated and then species like PO underwent chemistry .
That 's why scientists asked for a long time how it was possible to start life on the early Earth as you need phosphorous in a chemical active form , not in minerals .
PO might give the explanation . ''
While a combination of findings , made possible by ALMA and ROSINA , supports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role in delivering the building blocks of life to planet Earth , scientists suggest this is only part of the story of life 's cosmic beginnings .
`` We have to strengthen the link from clouds to protostars , planets , comets and then Earth by looking at other molecules , isotopes , studying more star forming regions with different characteristics and of course , more comets , '' Altwegg said .

The flows of gas from a new star in the star-forming region AFGL 5142 have opened up a cavity, and it is in the walls of this cavity that phosphorus-bearing molecules like phosphorus monoxide are formed. Photo by ALMA/ESO/NAOJ/NRAO/Rivilla et al.
Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Using the combined powers of ALMA, a powerful observatory, and Rosetta, the European Space Agency's comet-studying probe, scientists have for the first time observed the precise cosmic origins of phosphorus, an element essential to life. The new research, published Wednesday in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, also showed how phosphorus is carried by comets. Advertisement
Scientists were able to locate phosphorus in the star-forming region AFGL 5142. The astronomers' attraction to AFGL 5142 was two-fold.
"AFGL 5142 is relatively close to us and therefore you can get the necessary spatial resolution," study author Kathrin Altwegg, an astrophysicist at the University of Bern in Switzerland, told UPI. "Scientists also believe by now that our sun emerged from something similar: a massive cloud where large and small stars are formed simultaneously."
Researchers have previously found phosphorus in distant regions of space, but were unable to pinpoint the precise location of the element within star-forming regions. The power of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, located in the Chilean desert, allowed scientists to determine the exact location of cosmic phosphorus within AFGL 5142.
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"Thanks to the unique sensitivity and spatial resolution of this instrument, we have been able to map for the first time the emission of molecules with phosphorus, and connect it to local physical/chemical properties," lead study author Victor Rivilla, researcher at the Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory of INAF, Italy's National Institute for Astrophysics, told UPI in an email.
The ALMA data showed the phosphorus is located on the walls of a cavity shaped by the molecular outflow produced by a newly formed star.
"This has allowed us to understand that the molecules are formed during the formation of new stars thanks to the combination of two physical processes: shocks created by protostellar outflows and photochemistry triggered by ultraviolet radiation from the protostar," Rivilla said.
To determine how phosphorus might have been carried to Earth, scientists analyzed data collected by ROSINA, the Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis.
For two years, ESA's Rosetta probe circled the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, all the while using its mass spectrometer to study its chemical composition. Scientists previously found the signatures of phosphorus in the ROSINA data, but weren't sure what molecules the phosphorus atoms were linked with. A reexamination of the ROSINA data revealed the presence of phosphorus monoxide, PO, on the comet.
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In the earliest days of the solar system, most of the phosphorous remained trapped inside icy mineral grains, and thus, not available for chemistry. The discovery of phosphorus monoxide offers clues as to how phosphorus became available to chemistry and made it possible for life to begin on primordial Earth.
"These icy grains finally formed comets," Altwegg said. "Closer to the sun, at the position where the Earth formed, the ice sublimated and then species like PO underwent chemistry. That's why scientists asked for a long time how it was possible to start life on the early Earth as you need phosphorous in a chemical active form, not in minerals. PO might give the explanation."
While a combination of findings, made possible by ALMA and ROSINA, supports the theory that comets played a vital role in delivering the building blocks of life to planet Earth, scientists suggest this is only part of the story of life's cosmic beginnings.
"We have to strengthen the link from clouds to protostars, planets, comets and then Earth by looking at other molecules, isotopes, studying more star forming regions with different characteristics and of course, more comets," Altwegg said.


upi--2020-01-15--GFriend to release new album Feb. 3

GFriend to release new album Feb. 3

Jan. 15 ( UPI ) -- South Korean girl group GFriend will make its comeback in February .
The K-pop @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday that they will release a new album , Labyrinth , on Feb. 3 .
@ @ @ @ @ the fifth anniversary of their debut as a group .
The K-pop stars released their @ @ @ @ @ Glass , in 2015 .
Labyrinth will be GFriend 's first release since its label @ @ @ @ @ acquired by Big Hit Entertainment in July .
GFriend most recently released the Japanese album @ @ @ @ @ .
The album includes the songs `` Fallin ' Light , '' `` Memoria '' @ @ @ @ @ for the Moon Night ) . ''
GFriend consists of Sowon , Yerin , Eunha @ @ @ @ @ Umji .
The group is known for the singles `` Rough , '' `` Navillera @ @ @ @ @ '' and `` Fever . ''

GFriend announced their comeback album, "Labyrinth," on the fifth anniversary of their debut as a group. File Photo by Yonhap/EPA
Jan. 15 (UPI) -- South Korean girl group GFriend will make its comeback in February. The K-pop stars announced in a tweet Wednesday that they will release a new album, Labyrinth, on Feb. 3. Advertisement
GFriend shared the news on the fifth anniversary of their debut as a group. The K-pop stars released their debut EP, Season of Glass, in 2015.
Labyrinth will be GFriend's first release since its label, Source Music, was acquired by Big Hit Entertainment in July.
GFriend most recently released the Japanese album Fallin' Light in November. The album includes the songs "Fallin' Light," "Memoria" and "Yoru (Time for the Moon Night)."
GFriend consists of Sowon, Yerin, Eunha, Yuju, SinB and Umji. The group is known for the singles "Rough," "Navillera," "Love Whisper" and "Fever."


upi--2020-01-15--Women have steeper blood pressure increases over lifespan than men

Jan. 15 ( UPI ) -- Historically , it has been thought that men are at higher risk for heart disease than women -- and that they are more prone to developing common signs like high blood pressure at a younger age .
However , a new study published Wednesday in the journal JAMA Cardiology calls these long-held beliefs into question .
The authors found that blood pressure , or BP , measures `` actually progress more rapidly in women than in men '' and begin early in life , perhaps placing women at risk for `` later-life cardiovascular diseases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply later . ''
Overall , they report that women exhibit a steeper increase in BP , which continues throughout life .
`` If we assume that women and men exhibit variations of the same fundamental physiology , then conventional analyses of longitudinal BP data would suggest that women catch up to men by midlife in the extent of vascular disease manifesting as age-related elevations in BP , '' the authors , from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles , wrote in the study .
`` However , if we suspend this hypothesis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including vascular physiology , is fundamentally different between women and men , then sex-specific analyses of the data can reveal new insights . ''
The researchers used data from the National Heart , Lung and Blood Institute BioLINCC repository and examined BP measurements collected from participants in four major heart-health studies : the Framingham Heart Study , the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study , the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis .
The data culling from these four studies yielded a total of 32,833 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of age , 17,733 of whom were women .
The authors assessed longitudinal BP measures for each of the study participants , including systolic BP , diastolic BP , mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure .
Based on their analysis , although men had higher systolic and diastolic BP measures than women at age 20 , women seem to experience higher increases in systolic BP -- the upper number in readings -- starting in their 40s , eventually catching up to and passing men in their 60s .
By their early 80s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than men .
Generally , trends in diastolic BP are similar between the sexes , with men having slightly higher readings throughout life .
Similarly , women seem to experience steeper increases in mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure than men during their 40s , 50s and 60s , eventually surpassing men in both measures as they reach their 80s .
The authors also examined incidence of new-onset cardiovascular disease among their study participants and found , as expected , that cumulative incidence was higher in men , at nearly 30 percent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 percent , over adult life course .
`` In contrast with the notion that important vascular diseases in women lag behind men by 10 to 20 years , our findings indicate that certain vascular changes not only develop earlier but also progress faster in women than in men , '' the authors wrote .
`` In effect , sex differences in physiology , starting in early life , may well set the stage for later-life cardiac as well as vascular diseases that often present differently in women compared with men .
Additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dimorphism in cardiovascular risk to optimize prevention and management efforts in both women and men . ''

A new study suggests women may experience more rapid rise in blood pressure over lifetime than men. File Photo by agilemktg1/Flickr
Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Historically, it has been thought that men are at higher risk for heart disease than women -- and that they are more prone to developing common signs like high blood pressure at a younger age. However, a new study published Wednesday in the journal JAMA Cardiology calls these long-held beliefs into question. The authors found that blood pressure, or BP, measures "actually progress more rapidly in women than in men" and begin early in life, perhaps placing women at risk for "later-life cardiovascular diseases that tend to present differently, not simply later." Advertisement
Overall, they report that women exhibit a steeper increase in BP, which continues throughout life.
"If we assume that women and men exhibit variations of the same fundamental physiology, then conventional analyses of longitudinal BP data would suggest that women catch up to men by midlife in the extent of vascular disease manifesting as age-related elevations in BP," the authors, from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, wrote in the study. "However, if we suspend this hypothesis, and consider the possibility that physiology, including vascular physiology, is fundamentally different between women and men, then sex-specific analyses of the data can reveal new insights."
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The researchers used data from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute BioLINCC repository and examined BP measurements collected from participants in four major heart-health studies: the Framingham Heart Study, the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.
The data culling from these four studies yielded a total of 32,833 unique participants between 5 and 98 years of age, 17,733 of whom were women. The authors assessed longitudinal BP measures for each of the study participants, including systolic BP, diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure.
Based on their analysis, although men had higher systolic and diastolic BP measures than women at age 20, women seem to experience higher increases in systolic BP -- the upper number in readings -- starting in their 40s, eventually catching up to and passing men in their 60s. By their early 80s, women typically have higher systolic BP measures than men.
Generally, trends in diastolic BP are similar between the sexes, with men having slightly higher readings throughout life.
Similarly, women seem to experience steeper increases in mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure than men during their 40s, 50s and 60s, eventually surpassing men in both measures as they reach their 80s.
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The authors also examined incidence of new-onset cardiovascular disease among their study participants and found, as expected, that cumulative incidence was higher in men, at nearly 30 percent, than in women, at just over 20 percent, over adult life course.
"In contrast with the notion that important vascular diseases in women lag behind men by 10 to 20 years, our findings indicate that certain vascular changes not only develop earlier but also progress faster in women than in men," the authors wrote. "In effect, sex differences in physiology, starting in early life, may well set the stage for later-life cardiac as well as vascular diseases that often present differently in women compared with men. Additional work is needed to further understand sexual dimorphism in cardiovascular risk to optimize prevention and management efforts in both women and men."


upi--2020-01-15--Jason Aldean adds 22 dates to 'We Back' tour

Jan. 15 ( UPI ) -- Country music star Jason Aldean is adding 22 dates to his We Back tour @ @ @ @ @ in a tweet Wednesday that he is extending the tour through the summer .
The @ @ @ @ @ Young , Mitchell Tenpenny and Dee Jay Silver .
The new leg begins July 17 @ @ @ @ @ 26 in Irvine , Calif. Tickets for select shows go on sale Jan. 24 .
@ @ @ @ @ We Back tour Jan. 30 in Columbia , S.C .
The first leg ends March @ @ @ @ @ Minn. We Back shares a name with Aldean 's most recent single , released in @ @ @ @ @ on the singer 's ninth studio album , 9 .
Here 's the full list @ @ @ @ @ We Back tour : July 23 -- Bethel , N.Y. , at Bethel Woods Center @ @ @

Jason's WE BACK TOUR will extend through the summer with an additional 22 dates featuring special guests @BrettYoungMusic and @M10penny! Get all the details:— Jason Aldean (@Jason_Aldean) January 15, 2020
Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Country music star Jason Aldean is adding 22 dates to his We Back tour.
The 42-year-old singer announced in a tweet Wednesday that he is extending the tour through the summer. The tour features special guests Brett Young, Mitchell Tenpenny and Dee Jay Silver.
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The new leg begins July 17 in Toronto and ends Sept. 26 in Irvine, Calif. Tickets for select shows go on sale Jan. 24.
Aldean will kick off the We Back tour Jan. 30 in Columbia, S.C. The first leg ends March 14 in St. Paul, Minn.
We Back shares a name with Aldean's most recent single, released in September. The song appears on the singer's ninth studio album, 9.
Here's the full list of summer dates for the We Back tour:
July 17 -- Toronto at Budweiser Stage
July 23 -- Bethel, N.Y., at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
July 24 -- Canandaigua, N.Y., at CMAC
July 25 -- Hartford, Conn., at Xfinity Theatre
July 31 -- Rogers, Ark., at Walmart AMP
Aug. 1 -- St. Louis, Mo., at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Aug. 2 -- Indianapolis at Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
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Aug. 13 -- Syracuse, N.Y., at St. Joseph's Health Amphitheater at Lakeview
Aug. 14 -- Philadelphia at BB&T Pavilion
Aug. 15 -- Bristow, Va., at Jiffy Lube Live
Aug. 21 -- Burgettstown, Pa., at S&T Bank Music Park
Aug. 22 -- Chicago at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Aug. 23 -- Cincinnati at Riverbend Music Center
Aug. 28 -- Atlanta at Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
Sept. 11 -- Tampa, Fla., at MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sept. 12 -- West Palm Beach, Fla., at Coral Sky Amphitheater
Sept. 17 -- Albuquerque at Isleta Amphitheater
Sept. 18 -- Phoenix at Ak-Chin Pavilion
Sept. 19 -- San Diego at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sept. 24 -- Sacramento at Toyota Amphitheatre
Sept. 25 -- Mountain View, Calif., at Shoreline Amphitheatre
Sept. 26 -- Irvine, Calif., at FivePoint Amphitheatre


upi--2020-01-15--License plate encounter inspires $50,000 lottery jackpot

Jan. 15 ( UPI ) -- A Connecticut man said a chance encounter with a set of numbers on a @ @ @ @ @ winning $ 50,000 from the state lottery .
Jeffrey Ward of Hebron told Connecticut Lottery @ @ @ @ @ Mile Hill Xtra Mart in Vernon when he spotted a vehicle with an out-of-state license @ @ @ @ @ .
Ward said he recognized the numbers as his preferred combination for the Pick4 drawing @ @ @ @ @ it was a `` sign '' and bought 10 tickets bearing those digits for the @ @ @ @ @ license plate turned out to be a prophetic sign , and Ward 's numbers were @ @ @ @ @ 5,000 per ticket for a total $ 50,0000 .
`` I gave two tickets to @ @ @ @ @ I 'm just going to save for now .
It feels wonderful , '' Ward @ @

A Connecticut man said spotting his favorite lottery numbers on a license plate led him to purchase 10 tickets, which earned him a total $50,000. Photo courtesy of the Connecticut Lottery
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Jan. 15 (UPI) -- A Connecticut man said a chance encounter with a set of numbers on a license plate led to his winning $50,000 from the state lottery. Jeffrey Ward of Hebron told Connecticut Lottery officials he was at the Mile Hill Xtra Mart in Vernon when he spotted a vehicle with an out-of-state license plate bearing the numbers 2137. Advertisement
Ward said he recognized the numbers as his preferred combination for the Pick4 drawing game, so he decided it was a "sign" and bought 10 tickets bearing those digits for the Dec. 30 drawing.
The license plate turned out to be a prophetic sign, and Ward's numbers were drawn, earning him $5,000 per ticket for a total $50,0000.
"I gave two tickets to my daughter and the rest I'm just going to save for now. It feels wonderful," Ward said.


upi--2020-01-15--Watch live: Jessica Meir, Christina Koch complete first 2020 spacewalk

Jan. 15 ( UPI ) -- NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir completed the first spacewalk of 2020 on Wednesday , spending more than six hours conducting battery repair work on the International Space Station 's Port-6 truss .
Koch and Meir became the first two women to complete a spacewalk together in October .
During the historic spacewalk , the two astronauts replaced a broken power controller , also known as a battery charge-discharge unit , or BCDU .
On Wednesday , the duo ventured outside ISS for a second time , this time to replace batteries that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the space station 's solar panels .
The first spacewalk of the new year , which concluded at 2:19 p.m. EST when the Quest airlock on the ISS was repressurized , was broadcast live by NASA TV and livestreamed on YouTube .
`` Meir is designated extravehicular crew member 1 ( EV 1 ) , wearing the suit with red stripes , and with helmet camera # 11 , '' according to NASA .
`` Koch is designated extravehicular crew member 2 ( EV 2 ) , wearing the suit with no stripes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # 18 . ''
NASA confirmed on Twitter that Koch and Meir completed their first spacewalk mission task at 8:35 a.m. , successfully removing one of the old nickel-hydrogen batteries .
Just more than an hour later , NASA reported that the duo had completed installation work on a new lithium-ion battery .
During the second half of the spacewalk , the pair of astronauts repeated their initial steps , removing a second aging battery and installing a new one .
Koch and Meir finished all of the scheduled battery repair work around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ single get-ahead task before cleaning up their work stations and heading back inside ISS .
Wednesday 's spacewalk was the first of two battery replacement missions .
The second spacewalk is scheduled for Jan. 20 .
A third spacewalk , scheduled for Jan. 25 , will feature NASA Flight Engineer Andrew Morgan and Commander Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency .
The two astronauts will complete the thermal repair work on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer that they commenced last year .
On Tuesday , while Koch and Meir prepared for Wednesday 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several science experiments .
`` The astronauts took turns safely burning fabric and acrylic samples to help scientists understand how flames spread in space , '' NASA reported .
`` Results may inform the design of fire safety products and procedures on Earth and in space .
The two crew mates also drew their blood samples , spinning them in a centrifuge for later analysis . ''

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, left, and Christina Koch completed their historic first-ever all-female spacewalk on Oct. 18, 2019. On Jan. 15, 2020, the pair participated in the first spacewalk of the new year. Photo by NASA
Jan. 15 (UPI) -- NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir completed the first spacewalk of 2020 on Wednesday, spending more than six hours conducting battery repair work on the International Space Station's Port-6 truss. Koch and Meir became the first two women to complete a spacewalk together in October. During the historic spacewalk, the two astronauts replaced a broken power controller, also known as a battery charge-discharge unit, or BCDU. Advertisement
On Wednesday, the duo ventured outside ISS for a second time, this time to replace batteries that store and distribute the power produced by the space station's solar panels.
The first spacewalk of the new year, which concluded at 2:19 p.m. EST when the Quest airlock on the ISS was repressurized, was broadcast live by NASA TV and livestreamed on YouTube.
"Meir is designated extravehicular crew member 1 (EV 1), wearing the suit with red stripes, and with helmet camera #11," according to NASA. "Koch is designated extravehicular crew member 2 (EV 2), wearing the suit with no stripes, and her helmet camera is labeled #18."
NASA confirmed on Twitter that Koch and Meir completed their first spacewalk mission task at 8:35 a.m., successfully removing one of the old nickel-hydrogen batteries. Just more than an hour later, NASA reported that the duo had completed installation work on a new lithium-ion battery.
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During the second half of the spacewalk, the pair of astronauts repeated their initial steps, removing a second aging battery and installing a new one. Koch and Meir finished all of the scheduled battery repair work around 12:30 p.m., and then completed a single get-ahead task before cleaning up their work stations and heading back inside ISS.
Wednesday's spacewalk was the first of two battery replacement missions. The second spacewalk is scheduled for Jan. 20.
A third spacewalk, scheduled for Jan. 25, will feature NASA Flight Engineer Andrew Morgan and Commander Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency. The two astronauts will complete the thermal repair work on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer that they commenced last year.
On Tuesday, while Koch and Meir prepared for Wednesday's spacewalk, Morgan and Parmitano worked on several science experiments.
"The astronauts took turns safely burning fabric and acrylic samples to help scientists understand how flames spread in space," NASA reported. "Results may inform the design of fire safety products and procedures on Earth and in space. The two crew mates also drew their blood samples, spinning them in a centrifuge for later analysis."


upi--2020-01-15--Rapper Jay-Z sues Mississippi prison system over inmates' deaths

Jan. 15 ( UPI ) -- Entertainment mogul Jay-Z has filed a lawsuit against Mississippi prison officials after the deaths of five inmates in the past two weeks .
The suit , filed in Greenville , Miss.
, on Tuesday , names Mississippi corrections chief Pelicia Hall and Parchman Penitentiary Superintendent Marshal Turner as defendants .
It was filed on behalf of 29 inmates in the state penal system who say authorities have done nothing to stem violence inside prison walls .
Jay-Z and rap artist Yo Gotti sent a letter this month to both Hall and Gov .
Phil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system , and threatening the suit .
It mentions squalor in the prison system , staffing shortages and a denial of prisoners ' rights .
The lawsuit cites violations of Eighth Amendment rights and identifies conditions within the Parchman facility .
`` Plaintiffs ' lives are in peril , '' the 11-page suit states .
`` Individuals in Mississippi 's prisons are dying because Mississippi has failed to fund its prisons , resulting in prisons where violence reigns .
`` Parchman , a maximum security prison built on the site of a former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corrections officers it needs .
Without adequate guards , prisons are plagued with violence , with incarcerated people fearing for their lives .
In the first week of 2020 , three men died at Parchman alone . ''

The suit was filed on behalf of more than two dozen inmates in the Mississippi penal system. File Photo by Rich Kane/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Entertainment mogul Jay-Z has filed a lawsuit against Mississippi prison officials after the deaths of five inmates in the past two weeks. The suit, filed in Greenville, Miss., on Tuesday, names Mississippi corrections chief Pelicia Hall and Parchman Penitentiary Superintendent Marshal Turner as defendants. It was filed on behalf of 29 inmates in the state penal system who say authorities have done nothing to stem violence inside prison walls. Advertisement
Jay-Z and rap artist Yo Gotti sent a letter this month to both Hall and Gov. Phil Bryant calling for change in the penitentiary system, and threatening the suit. It mentions squalor in the prison system, staffing shortages and a denial of prisoners' rights.
The lawsuit cites violations of Eighth Amendment rights and identifies conditions within the Parchman facility.
"Plaintiffs' lives are in peril," the 11-page suit states. "Individuals in Mississippi's prisons are dying because Mississippi has failed to fund its prisons, resulting in prisons where violence reigns.
"Parchman, a maximum security prison built on the site of a former plantation, has only one-quarter of the corrections officers it needs. Without adequate guards, prisons are plagued with violence, with incarcerated people fearing for their lives. In the first week of 2020, three men died at Parchman alone."


upi--2020-01-15--Coupang surpasses eBay Korea in 2019 transactions

SEOUL , Jan. 15 ( UPI ) -- EBay Korea has long ruled South Korea 's e-commerce market by operating such popular brands as Gmarket , Auction and G9 .
But startup Coupang is changing the game .
Seoul-based industry tracker Wiseapp said Tuesday the amount of eBay Korea 's 2019 transactions remained almost flat at $ 14.67 billion compared to last year .
In contrast , Coupang saw transactions jump 57 percent year-on-year to $ 14.75 billion .
11St Street was third place with $ 8.49 billion , followed by WeMakePrice with $ 5.36 billion .
South Korea 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up $ 18 billion , but the amount includes advertising revenues and online content fees , according to Wiseapp .
Coupang , founded in 2013 , is valued at around $ 9 billion has sought fast growth based on aggressive investments .
It piled up around $ 2.6 billion in losses through 2019 .
But the company continues to channel fresh funds into improving its logistics and services .
The cash-burning strategy is supported by such capitalists as the SoftBank Vision Fund , which invested $ 1 billion in 2015 and $ 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the data based on analysis of Korean adults ' transactions through credit cards , debit cards , mobile phones and credit transfer .
Cash transactions were excluded from the statistics .

Harvard dropout Bom Kim founded South Korean e-commerce startup Coupang in 2013. The online retailer has grown to become the country’s most valuable unicorn. Photo courtesy of Coupang
SEOUL, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- EBay Korea has long ruled South Korea's e-commerce market by operating such popular brands as Gmarket, Auction and G9. But startup Coupang is changing the game. Seoul-based industry tracker Wiseapp said Tuesday the amount of eBay Korea's 2019 transactions remained almost flat at $14.67 billion compared to 2018. In contrast, Coupang saw transactions jump 57 percent year-on-year to $14.75 billion. Advertisement
11St Street was third place with $8.49 billion, followed by WeMakePrice with $5.36 billion.
South Korea's leading search engine, Naver, chalked up $18 billion, but the amount includes advertising revenues and online content fees, according to Wiseapp.
Coupang, founded in 2013, is valued at around $9 billion has sought fast growth based on aggressive investments. It piled up around $2.6 billion in losses through 2018.
But the company continues to channel fresh funds into improving its logistics and services. The cash-burning strategy is supported by such capitalists as the SoftBank Vision Fund, which invested $1 billion in 2015 and $2 billion more in 2018.
Wiseapp compiled the data based on analysis of Korean adults' transactions through credit cards, debit cards, mobile phones and credit transfer. Cash transactions were excluded from the statistics.
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upi--2020-01-15--President Donald Trump, Chinese leader Liu He sign 'phase one' trade deal in 1st step to end feud

Jan. 15 ( UPI ) -- After a year and a half of stalemate , tariffs affecting billions of dollars worth of products and failed negotiations , President Donald Trump signed a partial trade agreement with Chinese leaders Wednesday in the first step to what both parties hope will be a full resolution of the 18-month feud .
Trump welcomed Beijing 's delegation , led by Vice Premier Liu He , for the signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House .
The `` phase one '' agreement loosens some U.S. tariffs against China and secures new purchases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Trump took turns signing the documents after weeks of negotiations .
Trump hailed the deal as a step toward a `` future of fair and reciprocal trade '' and called it a `` historic '' agreement .
`` Together , we are righting the wrongs of the past and delivering a future of economic Justice and security for American workers farmers and families , '' the president added .
Liu said the pact benefits both sides .
`` This is a win-win agreement , '' he said .
`` It will bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace and prosperity , and is in the interest of producers , consumers and investors in both countries . ''
The vice premier also delivered a message from Chinese President Xi Jinping .
`` The conclusion of the phase one agreement is good for China , the United States and the whole world , '' the leader wrote .
`` It also shows that our two countries have the ability to act on the basis of equality and mutual respect and can work through dialogue and consultation to properly handle and effectively resolve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before and after Wednesday 's agreement .
At one point , the Dow Jones Industrial Average had risen 160 points .
By 1:30 p.m. EST , it was up 94 points .
At the ceremony , Trump credited a long list of officials for the deal 's success , including U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer , Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin , White House adviser Jared Kushner and chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow .
The White House said the deal `` achieves progress on a number of critical fronts , '' including intellectual property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services , and currency and foreign exchange .
The administration also called the agreement the first steps to provide `` protections for American innovators and inventors . ''
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden , however , said it provides a small return for Americans .
`` China is the big winner of Trump 's 'phase-one ' trade deal with Beijing , '' he said .
`` True to form , Trump is getting precious little in return for the significant pain and uncertainty he has imposed on our economy , farmers , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually resolve the real issues at the heart of the dispute . ''
One provision of the deal went into effect last month .
The United States refrained from imposing a new set of tariffs on Dec. 15 that would have taxed more than $ 150 billion worth of Chinese products .
Wednesday 's agreement also cuts in half additional tariffs for about $ 110 billion in other items .
Some Chinese taxes on exports to the United States , however , will remain in place -- such as a 25 percent tariff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factories .
Trump has said Beijing is paying those taxes , but studies have indicated they are being absorbed by American farmers and businesses .
`` While phase one makes incremental progress , it remains to be seen whether it will deliver any meaningful relief for farmers like me , '' Farmers for Free Trade spokeswoman and wheat farmer Michelle Erickson-Jones said in a statement .
`` This deal does not end retaliatory tariffs on American farm exports , makes American farmers increasingly reliant on Chinese state-controlled purchases and does n't address the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predicated on achieving .
`` The promises of lofty purchases are encouraging but farmers like me will believe it when we see it .
...
In the meantime , the administration should waste no time in returning to the negotiating table and reaching an agreement that ends the trade war for good . ''

1/2
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He hold the "phase one" trade deal between the United States and China they signed Wednesday in the East Room of the White House. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 15 (UPI) -- After a year and a half of stalemate, tariffs affecting billions of dollars worth of products and failed negotiations, President Donald Trump signed a partial trade agreement with Chinese leaders Wednesday in the first step to what both parties hope will be a full resolution of the 18-month feud. Trump welcomed Beijing's delegation, led by Vice Premier Liu He, for the signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House. The "phase one" agreement loosens some U.S. tariffs against China and secures new purchases of American-made items for Beijing. Advertisement
Liu and Trump took turns signing the documents after weeks of negotiations.
Trump hailed the deal as a step toward a "future of fair and reciprocal trade" and called it a "historic" agreement.
"Together, we are righting the wrongs of the past and delivering a future of economic Justice and security for American workers farmers and families," the president added.
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Liu said the pact benefits both sides.
"This is a win-win agreement," he said. "It will bring about stable economic growth, promote world peace and prosperity, and is in the interest of producers, consumers and investors in both countries."
The vice premier also delivered a message from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"The conclusion of the phase one agreement is good for China, the United States and the whole world," the leader wrote. "It also shows that our two countries have the ability to act on the basis of equality and mutual respect and can work through dialogue and consultation to properly handle and effectively resolve relevant issues."
U.S. markets surged before and after Wednesday's agreement. At one point, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had risen 160 points. By 1:30 p.m. EST, it was up 94 points.
At the ceremony, Trump credited a long list of officials for the deal's success, including U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, White House adviser Jared Kushner and chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow.
The White House said the deal "achieves progress on a number of critical fronts," including intellectual property, technology transfer, agriculture, financial services, and currency and foreign exchange. The administration also called the agreement the first steps to provide "protections for American innovators and inventors."
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Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, however, said it provides a small return for Americans.
"China is the big winner of Trump's 'phase-one' trade deal with Beijing," he said. "True to form, Trump is getting precious little in return for the significant pain and uncertainty he has imposed on our economy, farmers, and workers.
"The deal won't actually resolve the real issues at the heart of the dispute."
One provision of the deal went into effect last month. The United States refrained from imposing a new set of tariffs on Dec. 15 that would have taxed more than $150 billion worth of Chinese products. Wednesday's agreement also cuts in half additional tariffs for about $110 billion in other items.
Some Chinese taxes on exports to the United States, however, will remain in place -- such as a 25 percent tariff for many assembly components bought by U.S. factories. Trump has said Beijing is paying those taxes, but studies have indicated they are being absorbed by American farmers and businesses.
"While phase one makes incremental progress, it remains to be seen whether it will deliver any meaningful relief for farmers like me," Farmers for Free Trade spokeswoman and wheat farmer Michelle Erickson-Jones said in a statement. "This deal does not end retaliatory tariffs on American farm exports, makes American farmers increasingly reliant on Chinese state-controlled purchases and doesn't address the big structural changes the trade war was predicated on achieving.
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"The promises of lofty purchases are encouraging but farmers like me will believe it when we see it. ... In the meantime, the administration should waste no time in returning to the negotiating table and reaching an agreement that ends the trade war for good."


upi--2020-01-16--Germany OKs plan to phase out coal power by 2038

Jan. 16 ( UPI ) -- Germany said Thursday it will pay energy companies nearly $ 5 billion to phase out coal power and move to green electricity within two decades .
Finance Minister Olaf Scholz announced the agreement after emerging from lengthy talks that began late Wednesday , saying the move will help Germany advance to environmentally friendly energy sources .
He said coal-fired power plant operators will receive $ 4.8 billion in compensation .
Coal provided about 35 percent of Germany 's total power in 2018 , but government officials want to follow France , where coal produces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The move was a victory for Chancellor Angela Merkel , who had faced increasing pressure to cut Germany 's carbon emissions more quickly after it appeared the nation would miss its 2020 targets under the Paris Climate Agreement .
Coal operators in eastern Germany have complained the transtion will cause greater harm in their region since it depends more on fossil fuels and its residents earn lower incomes .
Officials said Tuesday they will also invest more in passenger trains to increase mass transit and cut carbon emissions from vehicle and air travel @

Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Germany said Thursday it will pay energy companies nearly $5 billion to phase out coal power and move to green electricity within two decades.
Finance Minister Olaf Scholz announced the agreement after emerging from lengthy talks that began late Wednesday, saying the move will help Germany advance to environmentally friendly energy sources. He said coal-fired power plant operators will receive $4.8 billion in compensation.
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Coal provided about 35 percent of Germany's total power in 2018, but government officials want to follow France, where coal produces just 3 percent of its energy.
The move was a victory for Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had faced increasing pressure to cut Germany's carbon emissions more quickly after it appeared the nation would miss its 2020 targets under the Paris Climate Agreement.
Coal operators in eastern Germany have complained the transtion will cause greater harm in their region since it depends more on fossil fuels and its residents earn lower incomes.
Officials said Tuesday they will also invest more in passenger trains to increase mass transit and cut carbon emissions from vehicle and air travel.


upi--2020-01-16--With articles, Senate to take first steps toward Trump impeachment trial

Jan. 16 ( UPI ) -- U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts will be sworn in Thursday to preside over the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump , now that the articles have been handed over to the Senate .
The swearing-in is one of a series of preliminary steps that will be taken before the trial begins next week .
The impeachment trial , just the third in U.S. history , is expected to begin Tuesday .
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday 's timetable for pretrial procedures would begin at noon when House Democratic managers -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial -- will be invited to officially present the charges against the president .
Roberts will be sworn in a short time later Thursday afternoon , by Sen. Chuck Grassley , president pro tempore of the Senate .
With Roberts officially seated as the trial judge , he will swear in all 100 U.S .
Senators to be impartial jurors .
Finally Thursday , the Senate will formally notify the White House of the pending trial and `` summon the president to answer the articles and send his counsel . ''
House Speaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signing off on the charges and having them delivered to McConnell .
After the preliminary steps are completed , the Senate will table an initial resolution outlining how it will move forward with the trial .
McConnell has said that measure will establish periods for arguments by House managers and Trump 's legal team , and as well as set times for senators to submit written questions .
Still undecided is whether witnesses will be allowed to testify at trial .
McConnell and his Republican majority caucus are opposed .
Pelosi and Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Senate trial include witnesses and new evidence that 's emerged since the House passed the articles Dec. 18 .
The Democrats would need four Republicans to cross party lines in a vote to include witnesses .
Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah has said he wants to hear from former national security adviser John Bolton and would vote for him to testify , while Sens .
Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska are also viewed as potential swing votes .

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell leaves the Senate floor Thursday at the U.S. Capitol, ahead of the start of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Thursday swore in all 100 senators, who will serve as jurors in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial. Roberts will preside over the trial, which is scheduled to formally begin Tuesday. Advertisement
The swearing in came after two articles of impeachment were introduced in the Senate, marking the start of a historic proceeding that could potentially remove Trump from office.
The seven Democratic managers tasked with presenting the evidence at trial read the articles on the Senate floor. They accuse Trump of abusing his power by trying to press Ukraine to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, and obstructing the House investigation that followed.
Although they mark the official opening of the trial, Thursday's activities are entirely procedural. The meat of the trial won't begin until Tuesday.
The Senate is expected to formally notify the White House and "summon the president to answer the articles and send his counsel."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi set the stage Wednesday by signing off on the charges and having them delivered to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.
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After the preliminary steps are completed, the Senate will table an initial resolution outlining how it will move forward with the trial. McConnell has said that measure will establish periods for arguments by House managers and Trump's legal team, and as well as set times for senators to submit written questions.
Still undecided is whether witnesses will be allowed to testify at trial. McConnell and his Republican majority caucus are opposed. Pelosi and Democratic leader Chuck Schumer have lobbied for weeks that the Senate trial include witnesses and new evidence that's emerged since the House passed the articles Dec. 18.
Democrats need four Republicans to cross the aisle in a vote to include witnesses. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, has said he wants to hear from former national security adviser John Bolton and would vote for him to testify, while Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, both Republicans, are also viewed as potential swing votes.
A conviction on either charge, which is considered unlikely by most experts, requires a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate.
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Earlier Thursday, the Government Accountability Office said in a report the Trump administration broke U.S. law last year when it withheld Congress-approved military aid to Ukraine -- the issue that ultimately spawned the impeachment investigation.
This week in Washington


upi--2020-01-16--U.S. ambassador: South Korea should share more defense costs

SEOUL , Jan. 16 ( UPI ) -- U.S .
Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris said Thursday the gap between the United States and South Korea in defense cost-sharing negotiations is `` narrowing , '' but Seoul `` can and should do more '' to pay for maintaining U.S. troops on the Korean Peninsula .
A sixth round of cost-sharing talks to renew the Special Measures Agreement wrapped up Wednesday in Washington , D.C. , without a deal .
South Korea 's foreign ministry said in a statement both sides `` broadened their mutual understanding and consensus but confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris said there will be further discussions , and the United States is willing to compromise .
`` I remain optimistic that e will reach an agreement , '' said Harris , who met with reporters at his Seoul home Thursday .
`` The United States has compromised our position , and hopefully Korea will also do so from the opposite direction , and we 'll meet someplace and have an agreement . ''
Harris would not confirm the widely reported figure that Washington is asking Seoul to contribute $ 5 billion toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than five-fold increase from the $ 890 million Seoul paid in 2019 .
However , he said Washington has justified its asking price with an analytical breakdown of costs and echoed the Trump administration 's stance that Seoul should be contributing more for its defense .
`` A country as prosperous as Korea can and should do more , '' Harris said .
`` It 's unfair to ask the American taxpayer to shoulder a large part of the burden of the cost of defending this country .
What we 're asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs . ''
Harris added there was `` time pressure '' to get a deal done and that residual funds from the 2019 agreement were running out .
The residual funds are being used to pay the salaries of about 10,000 Korean employees of the United States , and Harris said a required furlough notice will likely come soon .
The ambassador said the United States is open to resuming nuclear negotiations with North Korea , and President Donald Trump still believes Kim Jong Un will honor an agreement calling for Pyongyang to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Korean Peninsula '' the two leaders signed at their Singapore summit last June .
`` President Trump is confident that Kim Jong Un will meet the commitments that they made together in Singapore , '' he said .
Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have been at a stalemate since a second summit a year ago in Hanoi , Vietnam , ended abruptly without an agreement .
The two sides remain apart on the timing and sequence of sanctions relief in exchange for steps toward disarmament .
In the latter part of 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rocket tests and returned to a more bellicose stance , with Kim recently warning the North was no longer bound to an agreement to halt nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests and would unveil a `` new strategic weapon '' soon .
Harris acknowledged that North Korea 's short-range missile tests violated United Nations Security Council resolutions , but said Trump would not let them `` derail an important opportunity to reach an agreement with North Korea over bigger issues of peace on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization . ''
`` President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moon [ Jae-in ] are keeping the door open to negotiations and hoping that Kim Jong Un will walk through that door , '' Harris said .
`` And so the ball is in his court . ''
In a New Year 's address last week , Moon called for greater engagement with North Korea and expressed a desire to proceed with inter-Korean projects such as tourism to the North 's Mount Kumgang , as well as reconnecting rail and road links between the two Koreas .
In a follow-up news conference Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could spur targeted sanctions relief .
`` By promoting inter-Korean cooperation , there may be ways to find approval to get some exemptions or exceptions to sanctions by the Security Council , '' he said .
Harris praised Moon 's optimism but added that any such moves `` should be done in consultation with the United States . ''
`` Not because we 're in a position to approve or disapprove -- that 's not our role -- but we are Korea 's only ally , we do have 28,500 American troops here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billions of dollars to defend this country , so we have an interest in inter-Korean dialogue , '' he said .
Harris also touched on the social media-driven criticism of his facial hair that has sprung up in South Korea , with some calling his mustache disrespectful and reminiscent of the Japanese governors-general who ruled Korea as a colony from 1910 to 1945 .
The retired four-star admiral and former leader of the U.S. Pacific Command said growing a mustache was a way of shifting gears from a military career that spanned four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I wanted to make a break from my military life to my new life , '' Harris said .
`` I could n't grow taller , I could n't grow hair on top of my head , but I could grow it on the front of my head . ''
The criticism of Harris , who is of Japanese descent , appears to be driven at least in part by a longstanding anti-Japanese sentiment in South Korea that has flared up in recent months over a dispute about compensation for wartime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I understand the historical animosity that exists between both of the countries , but I 'm not the Japanese-American ambassador to Korea , I 'm the American ambassador to Korea , '' Harris said .
`` To take that history and put it on me simply because an accident of birth is a mistake . ''

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris told reporters at his residence on Thursday that Seoul should contribute more to the costs of maintaining U.S. troops on the Korean Peninsula. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI
SEOUL, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris said Thursday the gap between the United States and South Korea in defense cost-sharing negotiations is "narrowing," but Seoul "can and should do more" to pay for maintaining U.S. troops on the Korean Peninsula. A sixth round of cost-sharing talks to renew the Special Measures Agreement wrapped up Wednesday in Washington, D.C., without a deal. South Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement both sides "broadened their mutual understanding and consensus but confirmed that there are still differences." Advertisement
Harris said there will be further discussions, and the United States is willing to compromise.
"I remain optimistic that e will reach an agreement," said Harris, who met with reporters at his Seoul home Thursday. "The United States has compromised our position, and hopefully Korea will also do so from the opposite direction, and we'll meet someplace and have an agreement."
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Harris would not confirm the widely reported figure that Washington is asking Seoul to contribute $5 billion toward maintaining roughly 28,500 U.S. troops, a more than five-fold increase from the $890 million Seoul paid in 2019. However, he said Washington has justified its asking price with an analytical breakdown of costs and echoed the Trump administration's stance that Seoul should be contributing more for its defense.
"A country as prosperous as Korea can and should do more," Harris said. "It's unfair to ask the American taxpayer to shoulder a large part of the burden of the cost of defending this country. What we're asking for is a more equitable sharing of costs."
Harris added there was "time pressure" to get a deal done and that residual funds from the 2019 agreement were running out.
The residual funds are being used to pay the salaries of about 10,000 Korean employees of the United States, and Harris said a required furlough notice will likely come soon.
The ambassador said the United States is open to resuming nuclear negotiations with North Korea, and President Donald Trump still believes Kim Jong Un will honor an agreement calling for Pyongyang to "work toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula" the two leaders signed at their Singapore summit last June.
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"President Trump is confident that Kim Jong Un will meet the commitments that they made together in Singapore," he said.
Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have been at a stalemate since a second summit a year ago in Hanoi, Vietnam, ended abruptly without an agreement. The two sides remain apart on the timing and sequence of sanctions relief in exchange for steps toward disarmament.
In the latter part of 2019, North Korea conducted several short-range missile and rocket tests and returned to a more bellicose stance, with Kim recently warning the North was no longer bound to an agreement to halt nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests and would unveil a "new strategic weapon" soon.
Harris acknowledged that North Korea's short-range missile tests violated United Nations Security Council resolutions, but said Trump would not let them "derail an important opportunity to reach an agreement with North Korea over bigger issues of peace on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization."
"President Trump and [South Korean] President Moon [Jae-in] are keeping the door open to negotiations and hoping that Kim Jong Un will walk through that door," Harris said. "And so the ball is in his court."
In a New Year's address last week, Moon called for greater engagement with North Korea and expressed a desire to proceed with inter-Korean projects such as tourism to the North's Mount Kumgang, as well as reconnecting rail and road links between the two Koreas.
Advertisement
In a follow-up news conference Tuesday, Moon said he thought the projects could spur targeted sanctions relief.
"By promoting inter-Korean cooperation, there may be ways to find approval to get some exemptions or exceptions to sanctions by the Security Council," he said.
Harris praised Moon's optimism but added that any such moves "should be done in consultation with the United States."
"Not because we're in a position to approve or disapprove -- that's not our role -- but we are Korea's only ally, we do have 28,500 American troops here, and the American taxpayer does spend billions of dollars to defend this country, so we have an interest in inter-Korean dialogue," he said.
Harris also touched on the social media-driven criticism of his facial hair that has sprung up in South Korea, with some calling his mustache disrespectful and reminiscent of the Japanese governors-general who ruled Korea as a colony from 1910 to 1945.
The retired four-star admiral and former leader of the U.S. Pacific Command said growing a mustache was a way of shifting gears from a military career that spanned four decades to his new role as ambassador.
"I wanted to make a break from my military life to my new life," Harris said. "I couldn't grow taller, I couldn't grow hair on top of my head, but I could grow it on the front of my head."
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The criticism of Harris, who is of Japanese descent, appears to be driven at least in part by a longstanding anti-Japanese sentiment in South Korea that has flared up in recent months over a dispute about compensation for wartime laborers and economic retaliation from both sides.
"I understand the historical animosity that exists between both of the countries, but I'm not the Japanese-American ambassador to Korea, I'm the American ambassador to Korea," Harris said. "To take that history and put it on me simply because an accident of birth is a mistake."


upi--2020-01-16--Australia fires: Groups working to save injured animals on Kangaroo Island

Jan. 16 ( UPI ) -- Parts of Australia are finally getting some much-needed rain to help crews extinguish a number of wildfires that have charred millions of acres and killed more than two dozen people -- plus more than a billion animals .
Officials have said at least 28 people have died since the fires began last September , and rescue crews are trying to mitigate the toll for both humans and wildlife .
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( RSPCA ) , for example , has stationed a rescue operation on Kangaroo Island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Australia coast .
Kangaroo Island is also home to threatened bird and penguin species .
The Primary Industries and Regions SA , a government agency , is also helping by supporting recovery activities and helping make animal assessments .
PIRSA has aided the Australian Defense Force to transport hay to local farmers .
`` Animal health staff will continue working with local veterinary clinics to provide immediate assessment and advice to producers and animal owners , '' said State Controller for Agriculture and Animal Services Professor Mehdi Doroudi .
`` This includes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and their welfare , treatment of surviving animals , and humane destruction to relieve suffering . ''
The RSPCA said it first began deploying staff to the island last month after the wildfires -- or bushfires , as they 're called in Australia -- really began harming wildlife and their habitats .
`` For animals that have survived these bushfires , many will require extensive veterinary care for months and provisions are also needed to help animals survive the massive loss of habitat and food sources , '' RSPCA South Australia Chief Inspector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have touched hearts both nationally and internationally . ''
Before the fires , Kangaroo Island was home to about 25,000 koalas and tens of thousands of livestock .
As of last weekend , more than 32,000 of the farm animals there have died due to fire -- including 32,000 sheep , 500 cattle , 65 alpacas and a few horses .
Army troops have been aiding the RSPCA , it said , which included providing a vehicle to transport four injured koalas to the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park .
The park , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has become the main triage center .
The RSPCA team has used a burned-out wildlife sanctuary on the island as a makeshift triage center and a shed as an animal treatment center .
`` We set up a table , a drop and everything we needed to triage and sedate animals and take a look at their wounds , '' said RSPCA South Australia veterinarian Dr. Gale Kothari .
`` A lot of them had burns to all four feet , so we provided pain relief and bandaged them . ''
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kothari said , crews have been forced to improvise and make use of whatever items are available on Kangaroo Island .
`` Every koala that gets an anesthetic is given sub-cutaneous fluids from a drip and in absence of a drip pump or a drip stand we used a ladder and managed to get a rope over one of the beams on the roof of the shed .
We used that to tie our drip bag to , which worked really well . ''
RSPCA worker Stuart Timmins and his brother Craig @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas on the island with a van of pet care supplies .
`` We 're like a travelling pet supplies shop , '' Stuart Timmins said .
`` Except everything we have on board is free for those pet owners who 've been affected by these bushfires . ''
Lewis said the animal rescue team will remain on the island for as long as necessary to help .
`` The valuable habitat that has been destroyed is beyond comprehension , '' she said .
`` It will be a long road to recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and like many groups RSPCA SA is keen to do all it can for those who have been affected . ''
The government has begun aerial food drops to save endangered wallabies in New South Wales , where more than 12 million acres have been decimated by fire so far .

1/4
Rescue teams from RSPCA South Australia have been deployed to Kangaroo Island to assist the koala population, whose habitat has been decimated by wildfire. Photo courtesy RSPCA
Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Parts of Australia are finally getting some much-needed rain to help crews extinguish a number of wildfires that have charred millions of acres and killed more than two dozen people -- plus more than a billion animals. Officials have said at least 28 people have died since the fires began last September, and rescue crews are trying to mitigate the toll for both humans and wildlife. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), for example, has stationed a rescue operation on Kangaroo Island, a 1,700-square mile island off the South Australia coast. Kangaroo Island is also home to threatened bird and penguin species. Advertisement
The Primary Industries and Regions SA, a government agency, is also helping by supporting recovery activities and helping make animal assessments. PIRSA has aided the Australian Defense Force to transport hay to local farmers.
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"Animal health staff will continue working with local veterinary clinics to provide immediate assessment and advice to producers and animal owners," said State Controller for Agriculture and Animal Services Professor Mehdi Doroudi. "This includes the inspection and assessment of injured livestock and their welfare, treatment of surviving animals, and humane destruction to relieve suffering."
The RSPCA said it first began deploying staff to the island last month after the wildfires -- or bushfires, as they're called in Australia -- really began harming wildlife and their habitats.
"For animals that have survived these bushfires, many will require extensive veterinary care for months and provisions are also needed to help animals survive the massive loss of habitat and food sources," RSPCA South Australia Chief Inspector Andrea Lewis said. "These tragedies have touched hearts both nationally and internationally."
Before the fires, Kangaroo Island was home to about 25,000 koalas and tens of thousands of livestock. As of last weekend, more than 32,000 of the farm animals there have died due to fire -- including 32,000 sheep, 500 cattle, 65 alpacas and a few horses.
Army troops have been aiding the RSPCA, it said, which included providing a vehicle to transport four injured koalas to the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park. The park, which survived a major fire threat last week, has become the main triage center.
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The RSPCA team has used a burned-out wildlife sanctuary on the island as a makeshift triage center and a shed as an animal treatment center.
"We set up a table, a drop and everything we needed to triage and sedate animals and take a look at their wounds," said RSPCA South Australia veterinarian Dr. Gale Kothari. "A lot of them had burns to all four feet, so we provided pain relief and bandaged them."
In the absence of proper veterinary clinic equipment, Kothari said, crews have been forced to improvise and make use of whatever items are available on Kangaroo Island.
"Every koala that gets an anesthetic is given sub-cutaneous fluids from a drip and in absence of a drip pump or a drip stand we used a ladder and managed to get a rope over one of the beams on the roof of the shed. We used that to tie our drip bag to, which worked really well."
RSPCA worker Stuart Timmins and his brother Craig, a volunteer, are visiting fire-scarred areas on the island with a van of pet care supplies.
"We're like a travelling pet supplies shop," Stuart Timmins said. "Except everything we have on board is free for those pet owners who've been affected by these bushfires."
Advertisement
Lewis said the animal rescue team will remain on the island for as long as necessary to help.
"The valuable habitat that has been destroyed is beyond comprehension," she said. "It will be a long road to recovery for the community on Kangaroo Island, and like many groups RSPCA SA is keen to do all it can for those who have been affected."
The government has begun aerial food drops to save endangered wallabies in New South Wales, where more than 12 million acres have been decimated by fire so far.


upi--2020-01-16--Two men sentenced to jail for spying for Iran on dissident groups

Jan. 16 ( UPI ) -- A U.S. district judge has sentenced two Iranian men to prison for convictions of spying on Iranian dissidents and Jewish groups in the United States for the Middle Eastern country , prosecutors said .
Judge Paul L. Friedman on Wednesday sentenced dual U.S.-Iranian citizen Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar , 39 , to 38 months in prison with 36 months of supervised release and fined $ 14,153 on one count of acting as an Iranian agent and one count of conspiring to work as an Iranian agent , which he pleaded guilty to on Oct. 8 Friedman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iranian citizen and Californian resident , to 30 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release after pleading guilty Nov. 4 to one count of sanctions violations .
`` The sentences in this case illustrate the high cost to those who act as agents of the Iranian government in the United States or provide services that benefit the government of Iran , especially when those activities target the free speech and peaceful assembly rights of people in the United States , '' U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jessie K. Liu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will continue to thwart efforts by foreign governments to endanger our national security and to stifle the freedoms that all Americans cherish . ''
The sentences come after the men pleaded guilty to conducting surveillance and collecting identifying information for Iran about U.S. citizens and nationals who are members of Iranian dissident group Mujahedin-e Khalq in New York City .
According to court documents , Doostdar used Ghorbani to collect information on the individuals , which he would then take back to Iran .
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is targeting U.S. citizens to silence those that oppose its regime .
`` The defendants , working for Iran , gathered information on Americans that could then be used by the Iranian intelligence services to intimidate or harm them or their families , '' he said in a statement .
`` These prosecutions should serve as a reminder to anyone here working covertly for Iran that the American law enforcement will pursue you to protect this country , its citizens and the First Amendment principles upon which it was founded . ''
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planning the operation in March 2017 while in Iran and visited Chicago that July where he photographed several Jewish centers before traveling to Costa Mesa , Calif. , where he met Ghorbani .
That month , the pair held several meetings , during which Doostar said in his affidavit that Ghorbani told him he was willing to work as an Iranian spy .
Ghorbani then attended a MEK rally in September where photographed rally attendees , including the dissident group 's leaders .
Prosecutors said Doostdar then made a second trip to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28 photographs from Ghorbani that included hand-written notes identifying who was in the pictures and their positions within the MEK .
Doostdar then paid Ghorbani $ 2,000 for his work .
Ghorbani then attended a Washington , D.C. , MEK rally in May to take photographs and gather information about the attendees , the complaint said .
The charges were the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI 's Washington and Los Angeles Field Offices , the Department of Justice said .
`` The FBI will not tolerate surveillance being conducted here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of foreign nations like Iran , '' said Jay Tabb , executive assistant director of the FBI 's National Security Branch .
`` Such activity is intimidating , particularly to individuals who exercise their constitutional rights to free speech and criticize the Iranian government . ''

Jan. 16 (UPI) -- A U.S. district judge has sentenced two Iranian men to prison for convictions of spying on Iranian dissidents and Jewish groups in the United States for the Middle Eastern country, prosecutors said.
Judge Paul L. Friedman on Wednesday sentenced dual U.S.-Iranian citizen Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar, 39, to 38 months in prison with 36 months of supervised release and fined $14,153 on one count of acting as an Iranian agent and one count of conspiring to work as an Iranian agent, which he pleaded guilty to on Oct. 8
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Friedman sentenced Majid Ghorbani, 60, an Iranian citizen and Californian resident, to 30 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release after pleading guilty Nov. 4 to one count of sanctions violations.
"The sentences in this case illustrate the high cost to those who act as agents of the Iranian government in the United States or provide services that benefit the government of Iran, especially when those activities target the free speech and peaceful assembly rights of people in the United States," U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jessie K. Liu said in a statement. "We will continue to thwart efforts by foreign governments to endanger our national security and to stifle the freedoms that all Americans cherish."
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The sentences come after the men pleaded guilty to conducting surveillance and collecting identifying information for Iran about U.S. citizens and nationals who are members of Iranian dissident group Mujahedin-e Khalq in New York City.
According to court documents, Doostdar used Ghorbani to collect information on the individuals, which he would then take back to Iran.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers said that this case is proof Iran is targeting U.S. citizens to silence those that oppose its regime.
"The defendants, working for Iran, gathered information on Americans that could then be used by the Iranian intelligence services to intimidate or harm them or their families," he said in a statement. "These prosecutions should serve as a reminder to anyone here working covertly for Iran that the American law enforcement will pursue you to protect this country, its citizens and the First Amendment principles upon which it was founded."
Alireza Jafarzadeh, who is named in the complaint as a subject of the pair's spying conduct, told UPI in a statement that the sentencing of these two men is a good first step, but more needs to be done to thwart its spying network.
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"Terrorism is a survival tool for the Iranian regime to eliminate members of its main opposition movement, the Mujahedin-e Khalq and its parent collation, the National Council of Resistance of Iran," said Jafarzadeh who is the deputy director of that organization's Washington office.
He said the United States needs to identify and dismantle the entire network of the Tehran regime within its borders and "prosecute its members, who use different guises, posing as academics, experts and commentators to push the mullahs' narrative and its surveillance of Iranian opposition members in the United States."
According to the criminal complaint, Doostdar began planning the operation in March 2017 while in Iran and visited Chicago that July where he photographed several Jewish centers before traveling to Costa Mesa, Calif., where he met Ghorbani.
That month, the pair held several meetings, during which Doostdar said in his affidavit that Ghorbani told him he was willing to work as an Iranian spy.
Ghorbani then attended a MEK rally in September where photographed rally attendees, including the dissident group's leaders.
Prosecutors said Doostdar then made a second trip to the United States in December where he collected 28 photographs from Ghorbani that included hand-written notes identifying who was in the pictures and their positions within the MEK. Doostdar then paid Ghorbani $2,000 for his work.
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Ghorbani then attended a Washington, D.C., MEK rally in May to take photographs and gather information about the attendees, the complaint said.
The charges were the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI's Washington and Los Angeles Field Offices, the Department of Justice said.
"The FBI will not tolerate surveillance being conducted here in the United States at the behest of foreign nations like Iran," said Jay Tabb, executive assistant director of the FBI's National Security Branch. "Such activity is intimidating, particularly to individuals who exercise their constitutional rights to free speech and criticize the Iranian government."


upi--2020-01-16--Partially effective flu vaccine better than nothing, experts say

Jan. 16 ( UPI ) -- Creating the annual flu vaccine may not be an exact science , but drugmakers working in tandem with epidemiologists around the world seem to get it right more often than not .
Four strains of the influenza virus have been identified through lab tests as circulating across the United States so far this flu season .
The vaccines approved for use this year cover at least two of them , officials say , but they wo n't know exactly how effective the shot has been until the season is over .
`` There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mismatch , but it is hard to know in real time how effective the vaccine is , '' Tony Moody , an associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases and immunology at Duke University Medical Center , told UPI .
Moody serves as one of the principal investigators for Duke 's Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Centers , where he is involved in research to identify potential influenza vaccine candidates .
`` Regardless , we know that even in years when the vaccine is only partially effective , it is still more effective than not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that people get the current vaccine even if it is not perfect , '' he continued .
According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , over the past decade , the approved vaccines -- which are developed for each flu season by private manufacturers -- have been at least 40 percent effective at preventing hospitalizations from lab-confirmed cases of influenza .
At their best , though , the shots have been 60 percent effective , per CDC figures .
Notably , vaccine effectiveness has declined in each of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data are available , from 48 percent in 2015-16 to 40 percent in 2016-17 , it was 38 percent effective in 2017-18 and 29 percent effective in the 2018-19 season .
Preliminary data on the effectiveness of this year 's shot will be available in February , the CDC said .
`` A flu vaccine is the first and best defense against influenza and CDC recommends ongoing vaccination as long as influenza viruses are circulating , '' a spokesperson for the agency said .
`` Flu activity is typically highest between December and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late as May .
Even if we are at the peak of this season , there are still many more weeks of activity to come -- and the flu vaccine can help reduce illness and protect against severe complications that can lead to hospitalization or even death .
Even during seasons when vaccine viruses and circulating viruses are not well-matched , the flu vaccine may still provide protection . ''
Vaccines are developed each year based on epidemiological surveillance data collected by the five Collaborating Centers for Reference and Research on Influenza -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in London , the Victoria Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory in Australia , the National Institute for Infectious Diseases in Japan and the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention in China .
The group identifies the three or four strains of influenza they believe are most likely to spread and cause illness among people during the upcoming flu season .
Flu viruses are constantly mutating , so vaccine composition is reviewed and updated annually , based on the influenza viruses making people sick , the extent to which those viruses are spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's vaccine protects against those viruses .
Unfortunately , viruses may also mutate during flu season , which can render even the latest vaccine ineffective .
`` Most flu vaccines are not as effective as we 'd like , especially in older adults , who are at greatest risk for more severe disease , '' Stephen S. Morse , a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University 's Mailman School of Public Health , told UPI .
`` We still have a lot to learn , but , I 'm hopeful that we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flu , and the risk of pandemics , we have to . ''
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in September calling on various federal agencies to support efforts to `` modernize '' flu vaccine development .
Historically , flu vaccines were made in eggs -- hence , warnings for those with egg allergies in the past -- and antigens , which are substances that stimulate immune response .
Vaccines for each of the virus strains in circulation had to be grown separately , a process that was time-consuming and required multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past decade or so , Morse said , cell-culture vaccines -- in which the antigens are grown in cell cultures , or cells grown in lab environments , instead of eggs -- have become available , as have recombinant vaccines , which use genes of viral antigens for production .
Enhanced production techniques have also , in general , improved vaccine quality and raised hopes that there may one day be a `` universal '' vaccine : a shot that would be effective against most , if not all , flu virus strains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of adjuvants -- or substances added to the vaccine formulation to enhance immune response -- are now being tested that should improve further safety and effectiveness .
`` The idea is that we want to make vaccines that have greater cross-protection against strains circulating in humans , those to which humans can be susceptible , like avian strains , and also to make vaccines that provide more durable protection so that people would n't have to get re-vaccinated every year , '' said Moody , who is working with colleagues on U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improved vaccines .
`` Even if vaccines currently in development do solve the problem , we would be several years away from having a licensed product , mainly because there are multiple steps in testing the vaccines for safety and effectiveness , '' he added .
`` That being said , any improvement over the current influenza vaccines is still a 'win , ' so we remain open to the idea of making any improvements . ''

Experts recommend getting the flu vaccine even if it doesn't match strains in circulation because it may still offer some level of protection. File Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Creating the annual flu vaccine may not be an exact science, but drugmakers working in tandem with epidemiologists around the world seem to get it right more often than not. Four strains of the influenza virus have been identified through lab tests as circulating across the United States so far this flu season. Advertisement
The vaccines approved for use this year cover at least two of them, officials say, but they won't know exactly how effective the shot has been until the season is over.
"There is some concern about different kinds of vaccine mismatch, but it is hard to know in real time how effective the vaccine is," Tony Moody, an associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases and immunology at Duke University Medical Center, told UPI. Moody is one of the principal investigators for Duke's Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Centers, where he works to identify potential influenza vaccine candidates.
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"Regardless, we know that even in years when the vaccine is only partially effective, it is still more effective than not getting the vaccine -- so we recommend that people get the current vaccine, even if it is not perfect," he said.
According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over the past decade, the approved vaccines -- which are developed for each flu season by private manufacturers -- have been at least 40 percent effective at preventing hospitalizations from lab-confirmed cases of influenza. At their best, though, the shots have been 60 percent effective.
Notably, vaccine effectiveness has declined in each of the past four flu seasons for which data are available: from 48 percent in 2015-16 to 40 percent in 2016-17, 38 percent effective in 2017-18 and 29 percent effective in 2018-19. Preliminary data on the effectiveness of this year's shot will be available in February, the CDC said.
"A flu vaccine is the first and best defense against influenza, and CDC recommends ongoing vaccination as long as influenza viruses are circulating," a representative of the agency said. "Flu activity is typically highest between December and February, although it can last as late as May. Even if we are at the peak of this season, there are still many more weeks of activity to come -- and the flu vaccine can help reduce illness and protect against severe complications that can lead to hospitalization or even death. Even during seasons when vaccine viruses and circulating viruses are not well-matched, the flu vaccine may still provide protection."
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Vaccines are developed each year based on epidemiological surveillance data collected by the five Collaborating Centers for Reference and Research on Influenza -- the CDC, the Francis Crick Institute in London, the Victoria Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory in Australia, the National Institute for Infectious Diseases in Japan and the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention in China. The group identifies the three or four strains of influenza they believe are most likely to spread and cause illness among people during the upcoming flu season.
Flu viruses are constantly mutating, so vaccine composition is reviewed and updated annually, based on the influenza viruses making people sick, the extent to which those viruses are spreading, and how well the previous season's vaccine protects against those viruses.
Viruses may also mutate during flu season, which can render even the latest vaccine ineffective.
"Most flu vaccines are not as effective as we'd like, especially in older adults, who are at greatest risk for more severe disease," Stephen S. Morse, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, told UPI. "We still have a lot to learn, but I'm hopeful that we can do better. Given the unpredictability of flu, and the risk of pandemics, we have to."
Advertisement
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in September calling on various federal agencies to support efforts to "modernize" flu vaccine development.
Historically, flu vaccines were made in eggs -- hence, warnings for those with egg allergies in the past -- and antigens, which are substances that stimulate immune response. Vaccines for each of the virus strains in circulation had to be grown separately, a process that was time-consuming and required multiple eggs for each shot.
Over the past decade or so, Morse said, cell-culture vaccines -- in which the antigens are grown in cell cultures, or cells grown in lab environments, instead of eggs -- have become available, as have recombinant vaccines, which use genes of viral antigens for production.
Enhanced production techniques have also, in general, improved vaccine quality and raised hopes that there may one day be a "universal" vaccine: a shot that would be effective against most, if not all, flu virus strains in circulation.
Moody noted that a number of adjuvants -- or substances added to the vaccine formulation to enhance immune response -- are being tested that should improve further safety and effectiveness.
"The idea is that we want to make vaccines that have greater cross-protection against strains circulating in humans, those to which humans can be susceptible, like avian strains, and also to make vaccines that provide more durable protection so that people wouldn't have to get re-vaccinated every year," said Moody, who is working with colleagues on U.S. National Institutes of Health-funded efforts to develop improved vaccines.
Advertisement
"Even if vaccines currently in development do solve the problem, we would be several years away from having a licensed product, mainly because there are multiple steps in testing the vaccines for safety and effectiveness," he added. "That being said, any improvement over the current influenza vaccines is still a 'win,' so we remain open to the idea of making any improvements."


upi--2020-01-16--Venezuela opposition convoy attacked by groups at legislative palace

Jan. 16 ( UPI ) -- Armed members of groups that support embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attacked a convoy transporting opposition lawmakers to the National Assembly , preventing them from entering the legislative palace , officials said .
A video shared on the official Twitter account for opposition leader and Venezuela 's self-appointed interim president Juan Guaido showed men pursuing the vehicle as one man attacked it with a pylon .
A man is then seen emerging from the crowd before smashing the vehicle 's back window , forcing its driver to speed away .
Carlos Eduardo Berrizbeitia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ described the assailants as members of `` armed paramilitaries and terrorist groups '' that were organized by the Maduro regime .
The opposition-controlled assembly , the last democratically held institution in the country , has become a focal point in the political battle between Maduro and Guaido .
Last week , Maduro attempted to forcibly install his own candidate as head of the National Assembly while security forces physically barred opposition lawmakers from entering the building , preventing them from participating in the vote .
The opposition lawmakers held their own vote at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Assembly head .
Days later , opposition lawmakers forced their way back into the assembly .
In a statement , the National Assembly said the lawmakers were met by a `` fence '' of more than 200 armed paramilitaries as they approached the legislative palace on Wednesday , forcing them to hold the meeting at the El Hatillo amphitheater , where they had a minute of silence for Oscar Perez , who was killed on Jan. 16 , 2018 , following a nine-hour battle with government forces .
`` Not only did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but they ambushed the deputies , the free press , the teachers .
They were brutally ambushed , '' he said in a statement , adding that they were not only attacked with blunt objects but were shot at .
The Association of the Foreign Press in Venezuela said reporters covering the attack were met with `` aggression . ''
`` It is important to highlight that such attacks occurred under the gaze of the [ Venezuelan ] national police , '' the press organization said in a statement .
The attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hugo Chavez , has managed to cling to power despite an increasing onslaught of sanctions and political pressure applied against his government by the United States since his 2018 re-election was deemed illegitimate early last year and Guaido appointed himself interim president .
The United States is one of more than 55 countries that have voiced support for Guaido 's presidency .
On Monday , the U.S. Treasury sanctioned seven Venezuelan officials who participated in Maduro 's attempt to install his own leader in the National Assembly , including Luis Parra , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Maduro regime condemned the sanctions as `` coercive measures '' aimed at undermining `` the proper functioning of the country 's democratic institutions . ''
`` These very serious unilateral actions are contrary to international law and threaten the stability , peace and self-determination of the Venezuelan people , '' the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement .

Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Armed members of groups that support embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attacked a convoy transporting opposition lawmakers to the National Assembly, preventing them from entering the legislative palace, officials said.
A video shared on the official Twitter account for opposition leader and Venezuela's self-appointed interim president Juan Guaido showed men pursuing the vehicle as one man attacked it with a pylon. A man is then seen emerging from the crowd before smashing the vehicle's back window, forcing its driver to speed away.
Advertisement ALERTA | Paramilitares de la dictadura de Maduro atacan comisión de diputados que se moviliza hacia la Asamblea Nacional. Denunciamos toma militar y paramilitar del Palacio Federal Legislativo pic.twitter.com/1fdK9f67Xf— Centro de Comunicación Nacional (@Presidencia_VE) January 15, 2020 Advertisement
Carlos Eduardo Berrizbeitia, opposition lawmaker of the National Assembly, described the assailants as members of "armed paramilitaries and terrorist groups" that were organized by the Maduro regime.
The opposition-controlled assembly, the last democratically held institution in the country, has become a focal point in the political battle between Maduro and Guaido.
Last week, Maduro attempted to forcibly install his own candidate as head of the National Assembly while security forces physically barred opposition lawmakers from entering the building, preventing them from participating in the vote.
The opposition lawmakers held their own vote at a nearby newspaper, re-electing Guaido as National Assembly head. Days later, opposition lawmakers forced their way back into the assembly.
In a statement, the National Assembly said the lawmakers were met by a "fence" of more than 200 armed paramilitaries as they approached the legislative palace on Wednesday, forcing them to hold the meeting at the El Hatillo amphitheater, where they had a minute of silence for Oscar Perez, who was killed on Jan. 16, 2018, following a nine-hour battle with government forces.
Guaido described Wednesday's attack as a "brutal ambush."
"Not only did they take the federal legislative palace militarily, but they ambushed the deputies, the free press, the teachers. They were brutally ambushed," he said in a statement, adding that they were not only attacked with blunt objects but were shot at.


upi--2020-01-16--On This Day, Jan. 16: Carole Lombard dies in plane crash

Jan. 16 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1919 , the United States went legally `` dry '' when the 36th state ratified the 18th Amendment .
Prohibition went into effect one year later and the amendment was repealed in 1933 .
In 1942 , screen star Carole Lombard , her mother and 20 other people were killed in a plane crash near Las Vegas .
Lombard was the wife of actor Clark Gable .
In 1984 , U.S. President Ronald Reagan called for `` peaceful competition '' with Moscow .
He authorized research and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incoming nuclear missiles -- the program known as `` Star Wars . ''
In 1990 , Soviet troops entered Azerbaijan amid fighting between Christian Armenians and Islamic Azerbaijani in Azerbaijan in the waning days of the central government 's power .
In 1997 , the 28-year-old son of TV star Bill Cosby , Ennis Cosby , was shot to death in the Bel-Air area of Los Angeles while changing a flat tire on his car .
In 2001 , President Laurent Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was shot to death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was killed by other guards .
In 2006 , Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was sworn in as Liberia 's president .
She was the first female elected head of state in Africa .
In 2014 , Major League Baseball announced a `` historic '' expansion of instant replay to review close calls -- starting in the 2014 season .
In 2019 , British Prime Minister Theresa May survived another no-confidence vote one day after Parliament overwhelmingly struck down her Brexit plan .

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On January 16, 1942, screen star Carole Lombard, her mother and 20 other people were killed in a plane crash near Las Vegas. File Photo by Paul Hesse/Wikimedia
Jan. 16 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1581, the English Parliament outlawed Roman Catholicism. Advertisement
In 1919, the United States went legally "dry" when the 36th state ratified the 18th Amendment. Prohibition went into effect one year later and the amendment was repealed in 1933.
In 1942, screen star Carole Lombard, her mother and 20 other people were killed in a plane crash near Las Vegas. Lombard was the wife of actor Clark Gable.
In 1984, U.S. President Ronald Reagan called for "peaceful competition" with Moscow. He authorized research and development on space-age weapons capable of destroying incoming nuclear missiles -- the program known as "Star Wars."
UPI File Photo
In 1990, Soviet troops entered Azerbaijan amid fighting between Christian Armenians and Islamic Azerbaijani in Azerbaijan in the waning days of the central government's power.
In 1997, the 28-year-old son of TV star Bill Cosby, Ennis Cosby, was shot to death in the Bel-Air area of Los Angeles while changing a flat tire on his car.
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In 2001, President Laurent Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was shot to death by one of his bodyguards, who was killed by other guards.
In 2006, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was sworn in as Liberia's president. She was the first female elected head of state in Africa.
In 2014, Major League Baseball announced a "historic" expansion of instant replay to review close calls -- starting in the 2014 season.
In 2019, British Prime Minister Theresa May survived another no-confidence vote one day after Parliament overwhelmingly struck down her Brexit plan.


upi--2020-01-16--Famous birthdays for Jan. 16: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Debbie Allen

Jan. 16 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Capricorn .
-- Andre @ @ @ @ @ who first mass-produced rubber automobile tires , in 1853

Lin-Manuel Miranda arrives for the 71st annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles on September 22. The playwright turns 40 on January 16. File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Capricorn. They include: Advertisement
-- Andre Michelin, the French industrialist who first mass-produced rubber automobile tires, in 1853
-- Canadian poet Robert Service in 1874
-- Former Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1901
-- Inventor Frank Zamboni in 1901
-- Olympic runner/Christian missionary Eric Liddell in 1902
-- Singer Ethel Merman in 1909
-- Zoologist Dian Fossey in 1932
-- Writer Susan Sontag in 1933
-- Opera singer Marilyn Horne in 1934 (age 86)
-- Race car driver A.J. Foyt in 1935 (age 85)
File Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI
-- Producer/singer Rene Angelil in 1942
-- Country singer Ronnie Milsap in 1943 (age 77)
-- Radio talk show host Laura Schlessinger in 1947 (age 73)
-- Film director John Carpenter in 1948 (age 72)
-- Choreographer/actor/director Debbie Allen in 1950 (age 70)
File Photo by Ron Sachs/UPI
-- Nigerian singer Sade Adu in 1959 (age 61)
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-- British television host James May in 1963 (age 57)
-- British model Kate Moss in 1974 (age 46)
-- Singer Aaliyah in 1979
-- Baseball star Albert Pujols in 1980 (age 40)
-- Actor/playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda in 1980 (age 40)
-- Actor Birgitte Hjort Sorensen in 1982 (age 38)
-- Singer FKA Twigs, born Tahliah Debrett Barnett, in 1988 (age 32)
File. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI