upi--2020-03-05--U.S. contractor charged with sharing military secrets

March 5 ( UPI ) -- Prosecutors have charged a Minnesota woman working as a translator for the U.S. military in Iraq with giving classified defense information to a man connected to an Iran-backed group designated as a terrorist organization by the State Department .
In a statement issued Wednesday , the U.S. Department of Justice said Mariam Taha Thompson , 61 , allegedly gave information , including the names of human assets , to a Lebanese man with ties to Hezbollah who she was romantically interested in .
The prosecutors said by doing so she `` placed the lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel in grave danger . ''
`` If true , this conduct is a disgrace , especially for someone serving as a contractor with the United States military , '' said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers .
`` This betrayal of country and colleagues will be punished . ''
If guilty , she faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for delivering defense information to aid a foreign government .
Thompson was arrested Feb. 27 at an overseas U.S. military facility where she worked and held a Top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the complaint , she was assigned mid-December to a Special Operations Task Force facility in Erbil , Iraq .
Her arrest followed an investigation that revealed she began accessing classified information she had no need of within the Department of Defense systems on Dec. 30 -- a day after the U.S. military conducted airstrikes against Hezbollah in Iraq and the same day protesters stormed the U.S. embassy in the Middle Eastern country .
The complaint details that by Feb. 11 , she had accessed roughly 57 files concerning eight human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , personal identification data , photographs and operations cables , among other information .
Federal Bureau of Investigation agents performing a court-authorized search of her Erbil residence on Feb. 19 discovered a handwritten note in Arabic under her mattress that contained the real names of three human assets who were collecting information for the U.S. government , prosecutors said .
`` The note further instructs that the human assets ' phones should be monitored and a named individual should be warned , '' read the complaint .
One of the assets , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designated terrorist organization that is not Hezbollah .
`` Agents also confirmed that the note contained national defense information classified at the SECRET level , meaning its unauthorized disclosure reasonably could be expected to cause serious damage to the national security , '' the complaint stated .
During an interview with an FBI agent , she said she gave the information to the man at his request and that she was romantically interested in him , the prosecutors said , adding that further investigation revealed the man to be Lebanese with connections to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thompson memorized the classified information that she had viewed , wrote it down and then transmitted it to her co-conspirator using the video feature of a secure smartphone application .
The complaint details that data provided to the FBI by an Internet service provider contained an apparent screenshot from a messaging video chat of Thompson displaying a second handwritten Arabic note to her co-conspirator that explained how an asset was gathering information and contained the real name of an asset not on the note found under her mattress .
`` The conduct alleged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to national security , placed lives at risk and represents a betrayal of our armed forces , '' said U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Shea .
`` The charges we 've filed today should serve as a warning to anyone who would consider disclosing classified national defense information to a terrorist organization . ''

March 5 (UPI) -- Prosecutors have charged a Minnesota woman working as a translator for the U.S. military in Iraq with giving classified defense information to a man connected to an Iran-backed group designated as a terrorist organization by the State Department.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice said Mariam Taha Thompson, 61, allegedly gave information, including the names of human assets, to a Lebanese man with ties to Hezbollah who she was romantically interested in. The prosecutors said by doing so she "placed the lives of the human assets and U.S. military personnel in grave danger."
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"If true, this conduct is a disgrace, especially for someone serving as a contractor with the United States military," said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. "This betrayal of country and colleagues will be punished."
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If guilty, she faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for delivering defense information to aid a foreign government.
Thompson was arrested Feb. 27 at an overseas U.S. military facility where she worked and held a Top Secret government security clearance, prosecutors said. According to the complaint, she was assigned mid-December to a Special Operations Task Force facility in Erbil, Iraq.
Her arrest followed an investigation that revealed she began accessing classified information she had no need of within the Department of Defense systems on Dec. 30 -- a day after the U.S. military conducted airstrikes against Hezbollah in Iraq and the same day protesters stormed the U.S. embassy in the Middle Eastern country.
The complaint details that by Feb. 11, she had accessed roughly 57 files concerning eight human intelligence sources, including their real names, personal identification data, photographs and operations cables, among other information.
Federal Bureau of Investigation agents performing a court-authorized search of her Erbil residence on Feb. 19 discovered a handwritten note in Arabic under her mattress that contained the real names of three human assets who were collecting information for the U.S. government, prosecutors said.
"The note further instructs that the human assets' phones should be monitored and a named individual should be warned," read the complaint.
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One of the assets, the complaint continued, is affiliated with a designated terrorist organization that is not Hezbollah.
"Agents also confirmed that the note contained national defense information classified at the SECRET level, meaning its unauthorized disclosure reasonably could be expected to cause serious damage to the national security," the complaint stated.
During an interview with an FBI agent, she said she gave the information to the man at his request and that she was romantically interested in him, the prosecutors said, adding that further investigation revealed the man to be Lebanese with connections to Hezbollah.
According to the complaint, Thompson memorized the classified information that she had viewed, wrote it down and then transmitted it to her co-conspirator using the video feature of a secure smartphone application.
The complaint details that data provided to the FBI by an Internet service provider contained an apparent screenshot from a messaging video chat of Thompson displaying a second handwritten Arabic note to her co-conspirator that explained how an asset was gathering information and contained the real name of an asset not on the note found under her mattress.
"The conduct alleged in this complaint is a grave threat to national security, placed lives at risk and represents a betrayal of our armed forces," said U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Shea. "The charges we've filed today should serve as a warning to anyone who would consider disclosing classified national defense information to a terrorist organization."


upi--2020-03-04--'King of the Wire' NIk Wallenda becomes the first person to walk over an active volcano

March 4 ( UPI ) -- Nik Wallenda became the first person to walk a high wire directly over an active volcano on Wednesday night .
The 41-year-old known as the `` King of the Wire '' successfully completed the 1,800-foot-long walk over the Masaya Volcano in Nicaragua in a two-hour ABC special titled `` Volcano Live !
with Nik Wallenda . ''
`` It was amazing , '' said Wallenda .
`` The first half of the walk , just being able to see that volcanic lava down there ... absolutely mesmerizing . ''
Wallenda added that the wind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the volcano burned his eyes , which were protected by a gas mask .
`` I just put myself in my back yard training , '' he said .
`` I just put myself back there and just mentally went 'OK , you 're fine , you 've walked in stronger winds than this . '
'' Wallenda previously broke a Guinness World Record over the summer when he walked 1,808 feet across a tightrope in a Canadian city 30 feet over the ground in about 30 minutes .
He has also walked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what he described as the `` intimidating roar of falls '' and `` blinding mist '' as he made a 1,800-foot-long trek 170 feet above Niagara Falls , and walked a wire 1,500 feet above an Arizona gorge near the Grand Canyon without a harness .

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March 4 (UPI) -- Nik Wallenda became the first person to walk a high wire directly over an active volcano on Wednesday night.
The 41-year-old known as the "King of the Wire" successfully completed the 1,800-foot-long walk over the Masaya Volcano in Nicaragua in a two-hour ABC special titled "Volcano Live! with Nik Wallenda."
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"It was amazing," said Wallenda. "The first half of the walk, just being able to see that volcanic lava down there ... absolutely mesmerizing."
What would you be thinking if you were in Nik's shoes right now? #VolcanoLivewithNikWallenda pic.twitter.com/uXFQH2ujWD— Nik Wallenda (@NikWallenda) March 5, 2020
Wallenda added that the wind conditions were unpredictable and the gasses from the volcano burned his eyes, which were protected by a gas mask.
"I just put myself in my back yard training," he said. "I just put myself back there and just mentally went 'OK, you're fine, you've walked in stronger winds than this.'"
Wallenda previously broke a Guinness World Record over the summer when he walked 1,808 feet across a tightrope in a Canadian city 30 feet over the ground in about 30 minutes.
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He has also walked 25 stories above Time Square, faced what he described as the "intimidating roar of falls" and "blinding mist" as he made a 1,800-foot-long trek 170 feet above Niagara Falls, and walked a wire 1,500 feet above an Arizona gorge near the Grand Canyon without a harness.


upi--2020-03-04--Warriors' Stephen Curry returning to lineup Thursday vs. Raptors

March 4 ( UPI ) -- Golden State Warriors superstar guard Stephen Curry will return to the team 's starting lineup Thursday against the Toronto Raptors , the team announced Wednesday night .
Curry , who missed more than four months while recovering from a broken left hand , tweeted his excitement about rejoining the Warriors .
He missed Golden State 's previous 58 games because of the hand injury .
`` This has been a long , long haul for Steph .
He loves playing so much , '' Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters Wednesday .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm happy for our fans , but I 'm happiest for Steph because he 's going to be back playing basketball and doing what he loves . ''
Curry was reevaluated by the Warriors last week and was expected to be cleared to play in Sunday 's matchup against the Washington Wizards at Chase Center in San Francisco .
Instead , the team opted to push back his return date to give him more practice time .
The 31-year-old guard previously told reporters that he was targeting the Warriors ' game against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return .
Curry sustained a fracture in the second metacarpal , the bone in the hand below the index finger , only four games into the regular season .
During a contest against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 30 , the star guard attempted to drive past Suns center Aron Baynes .
Curry had a hard fall on the court , and Baynes , who was called for a blocking foul , landed on his hand .
Curry underwent two procedures to repair the hand injury .
He had one to put pins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovery process , then underwent a second operation to remove those pins once he was further healed .
The two-time NBA MVP has averaged 20.3 points , 6.5 assists and five rebounds per game this season , his 11th with the Warriors .

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry has missed the team's previous 58 games because of a fractured hand. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
March 4 (UPI) -- Golden State Warriors superstar guard Stephen Curry will return to the team's starting lineup Thursday against the Toronto Raptors, the team announced Wednesday night. Curry, who missed more than four months while recovering from a broken left hand, tweeted his excitement about rejoining the Warriors. He missed Golden State's previous 58 games because of the hand injury. Advertisement
"This has been a long, long haul for Steph. He loves playing so much," Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters Wednesday. "I'm happy for us, I'm happy for our fans, but I'm happiest for Steph because he's going to be back playing basketball and doing what he loves."
Curry was reevaluated by the Warriors last week and was expected to be cleared to play in Sunday's matchup against the Washington Wizards at Chase Center in San Francisco. Instead, the team opted to push back his return date to give him more practice time.
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The 31-year-old guard previously told reporters that he was targeting the Warriors' game against the Wizards on March 1 for a possible return.
Stephen Curry will return to the lineup tomorrow night against the Toronto Raptors. pic.twitter.com/BIYevShRs6— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 5, 2020
Curry sustained a fracture in the second metacarpal, the bone in the hand below the index finger, only four games into the regular season. During a contest against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 30, the star guard attempted to drive past Suns center Aron Baynes. Curry had a hard fall on the court, and Baynes, who was called for a blocking foul, landed on his hand.
Curry underwent two procedures to repair the hand injury. He had one to put pins in to stabilize the bone through the recovery process, then underwent a second operation to remove those pins once he was further healed.
The two-time NBA MVP has averaged 20.3 points, 6.5 assists and five rebounds per game this season, his 11th with the Warriors.


upi--2020-03-04--Jury finds Tavis Smiley violated PBS contact after sexual harassment allegations

March 4 ( UPI ) -- A jury on Wednesday decided that former public television host Tavis Smiley violated his contract after accounts that he sexually harassed six women who worked for him .
The jury in Washington , D.C. , determined that Smiley , 55 , had acted counter to the morality clause in his contract with PBS , which prohibited on-air talent from participating in public behavior that would negatively affect the employee or the network .
`` We are pleased with the jury 's decision , '' the network said in a statement Wednesday .
`` PBS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workplace where people feel safe and are treated with dignity and respect .
It was important for us to ensure that the courageous women who came forward were able to share their stories and that we continue to uphold the values and standards of our organization . ''
During the three-week trial , six women testified that Smiley pressured them for sex or told lewd jokes .
Smiley said that he had intimate relationships with two of the women but denied using his position as their boss to threaten them and said any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intended to offend .
Smiley 's self-titled program , which had appeared on PBS from 2004 , was suspended in 2017 as the network investigated the allegations and he was ultimately terminated .
He adamantly denied the allegations and sued PBS for $ 1 million , stating the network fired him without proof of the allegations .
PBS then countersued for $ 1.7 million , stating Smiley owed them wages for a season of the show that never aired .

A jury determined Wednesday that former PBS talk-show host Tavis Smiley violated his contract with the network after hearing testimony from multiple women who accused him of sexual harassment. File photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
March 4 (UPI) -- A jury on Wednesday decided that former public television host Tavis Smiley violated his contract after accounts that he sexually harassed six women who worked for him. The jury in Washington, D.C., determined that Smiley, 55, had acted counter to the morality clause in his contract with PBS, which prohibited on-air talent from participating in public behavior that would negatively affect the employee or the network. Advertisement
"We are pleased with the jury's decision," the network said in a statement Wednesday. "PBS expects our producing partners to provide a workplace where people feel safe and are treated with dignity and respect. It was important for us to ensure that the courageous women who came forward were able to share their stories and that we continue to uphold the values and standards of our organization."
During the three-week trial, six women testified that Smiley pressured them for sex or told lewd jokes.
Smiley said that he had intimate relationships with two of the women but denied using his position as their boss to threaten them and said any jokes he told were innocent and not intended to offend.
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Smiley's self-titled program, which had appeared on PBS from 2004, was suspended in 2017 as the network investigated the allegations and he was ultimately terminated.
He adamantly denied the allegations and sued PBS for $1 million, stating the network fired him without proof of the allegations. PBS then countersued for $1.7 million, stating Smiley owed them wages for a season of the show that never aired.


upi--2020-03-04--Patriots head coach Bill Belichick to receive key to City of Annapolis

March 4 ( UPI ) -- New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will receive the key to his hometown of Annapolis in a special ceremony during halftime of the Navy-Johns Hopkins lacrosse game on March 14 .
Belichick will become the first-ever recipient of the key to the city of Annapolis , where he grew up and developed a love for football and lacrosse .
Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley will present the key to the legendary NFL coach next weekend .
`` I am humbled and honored to be recognized by Mayor Buckley and the City of Annapolis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I would like to thank Admiral Buck and Chet Gladchuk for allowing me to receive the key in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium .
`` I loved the years I spent growing up in Annapolis and at the Naval Academy and I always look forward to returning .
I am proud to be an Annapolitan ! ''
Belichick moved to Annapolis at the age of four after his late father , Steve , accepted a position at the Naval Academy in 1956 .
His father worked at the academy for more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scout and physical education instructor .
`` I simply love the fact that the winningest coach in NFL history comes back to Annapolis to watch college lacrosse , '' Buckley said in a statement .
`` There is something about this city that keeps people grounded and I 'd like to think that growing up here played a role in the success he has found throughout his life .
Welcome back coach ! ''
Belichick , who graduated from Annapolis High School in 1970 , has won a record eight Super Bowls as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants .
He is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in league history .

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will become the first recipient of the key to the city of Annapolis. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
March 4 (UPI) -- New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will receive the key to his hometown of Annapolis in a special ceremony during halftime of the Navy-Johns Hopkins lacrosse game on March 14. Belichick will become the first-ever recipient of the key to the city of Annapolis, where he grew up and developed a love for football and lacrosse. Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley will present the key to the legendary NFL coach next weekend. Advertisement
"I am humbled and honored to be recognized by Mayor Buckley and the City of Annapolis," Belichick said in a statement Wednesday. "I would like to thank Admiral Buck and Chet Gladchuk for allowing me to receive the key in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
"I loved the years I spent growing up in Annapolis and at the Naval Academy and I always look forward to returning. I am proud to be an Annapolitan!"
Belichick moved to Annapolis at the age of four after his late father, Steve, accepted a position at the Naval Academy in 1956. His father worked at the academy for more than three decades as a football coach, scout and physical education instructor.
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"I simply love the fact that the winningest coach in NFL history comes back to Annapolis to watch college lacrosse," Buckley said in a statement. "There is something about this city that keeps people grounded and I'd like to think that growing up here played a role in the success he has found throughout his life. Welcome back coach!"
Belichick, who graduated from Annapolis High School in 1970, has won a record eight Super Bowls as the head coach of the Patriots and the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants. He is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in league history.


upi--2020-03-04--Three missing in Tennessee after deadly tornado

March 4 ( UPI ) -- Rescuers searched for three missing people in Nashville and surrounding areas of Middle Tennessee on Wednesday as officials assessed the human and economic toll from a deadly tornado .
The number of missing people in Putnam County , about 80 miles east of Nashville , was reduced from 38 , with three still missing in the evening .
Emergency officials said at least 24 people died in four counties due to the powerful storm early Tuesday , which created a tornado that caused a wide swath of destruction .
The twister killed at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and around Cookeville , which officials say was the hardest hit location .
So far , officials say there are at least 48 collapsed structures in Nashville .
Thousands of windows were blown out and power lines were toppled , cutting service to tens of thousands of homes and businesses .
Officials said more than 35,000 were without electricity .
The National Weather Service said Tuesday 's tornado was rated an EF-4 , the fourth-strongest category , meaning it had wind speeds of 175 mph .
It had previously been categorized as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been identified , but most in Putnam County have not , officials said .
Three of the victims died just east of Nashville in Mt .
Juliet and one person was killed in Benton County , about 100 miles west of the city .
Metro Nashville Public Schools were closed for a second day on Wednesday so crews can perform repairs .
Officials said schools in Wilson and Putnam counties closed for the rest of the week .
The NFL 's Tennessee Titans and NHL 's Nashville Predators said Tuesday they will offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm .
`` We will join the efforts to re-build in these areas and know our neighbors will join us , '' Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said .

The sudden tornado killed more than two dozen people and dozens more are still missing, officials said. Photo by Rick Musacchio/EPA-EFE
March 4 (UPI) -- Rescuers searched for three missing people in Nashville and surrounding areas of Middle Tennessee on Wednesday as officials assessed the human and economic toll from a deadly tornado. The number of missing people in Putnam County, about 80 miles east of Nashville, was reduced from 38, with three still missing in the evening. Emergency officials said at least 24 people died in four counties due to the powerful storm early Tuesday, which created a tornado that caused a wide swath of destruction. Advertisement
The twister killed at least 18 in Putnam County, many in and around Cookeville, which officials say was the hardest hit location.
So far, officials say there are at least 48 collapsed structures in Nashville. Thousands of windows were blown out and power lines were toppled, cutting service to tens of thousands of homes and businesses. Officials said more than 35,000 were without electricity.
The National Weather Service said Tuesday's tornado was rated an EF-4, the fourth-strongest category, meaning it had wind speeds of 175 mph. It had previously been categorized as an EF-3.
Some of the dead have been identified, but most in Putnam County have not, officials said. Three of the victims died just east of Nashville in Mt. Juliet and one person was killed in Benton County, about 100 miles west of the city.
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Metro Nashville Public Schools were closed for a second day on Wednesday so crews can perform repairs. Officials said schools in Wilson and Putnam counties closed for the rest of the week.
The NFL's Tennessee Titans and NHL's Nashville Predators said Tuesday they will offer assistance to those affected by the deadly storm.
"We will join the efforts to re-build in these areas and know our neighbors will join us," Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said.


upi--2020-03-05--Amazon to stream 8 new episodes of 'Kids in the Hall'

March 5 ( UPI ) -- Amazon Prime Video said Thursday it is reviving The Kids in the Hall with the Canadian sketch-comedy series ' entire original cast .
Dave Foley , Kevin McDonald , Bruce McCulloch , Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson formed their Kids in the Hall comedy troupe in 1984 , then starred in their eponymous CBC show from 1989 through 1995 .
`` We 've been investing in Canada for several years and are excited to add to that momentum by making The Kids in the Hall the first Canadian Amazon Original series , '' James @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Amazon Studios , said in a statement .
`` The Kids in the Hall is an iconic show with a deep-rooted fan base .
Several of our global hits , including The Boys , Tom Clancy 's Jack Ryan and The Expanse have been filmed in Canada and we are looking forward to continuing our work with talented producers and crew teams across the country to bring this series to our Prime members around the world . ''
Saturday Night Live 's Lorne Michaels is an executive producer on the eight new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

"The Kids in the Hall" is returning for eight new episodes. Photo courtesy of Amazon Prime Video
March 5 (UPI) -- Amazon Prime Video said Thursday it is reviving The Kids in the Hall with the Canadian sketch-comedy series' entire original cast. Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson formed their Kids in the Hall comedy troupe in 1984, then starred in their eponymous CBC show from 1989 through 1995. Advertisement
"We've been investing in Canada for several years and are excited to add to that momentum by making The Kids in the Hall the first Canadian Amazon Original series," James Farrell, vice president of International Originals for Amazon Studios, said in a statement.
"The Kids in the Hall is an iconic show with a deep-rooted fan base. Several of our global hits, including The Boys, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan and The Expanse have been filmed in Canada and we are looking forward to continuing our work with talented producers and crew teams across the country to bring this series to our Prime members around the world."
Saturday Night Live's Lorne Michaels is an executive producer on the eight new episodes of The Kids in the Hall.


upi--2020-03-05--Chris Smith to resume NFL career with Carolina Panthers after girlfriend's death

March 5 ( UPI ) -- Former Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Chris Smith , whose girlfriend was killed in a traffic accident last September , signed a one-year contract with the Carolina Panthers , the team announced Thursday .
Smith and his girlfriend , Petara Cordero , were pulled over on the side of a Cleveland highway after Smith 's car had a tire malfunction , which caused the vehicle to spin and hit a median , according to the Browns .
After Cordero exited the car without any major injuries , she was struck by an oncoming vehicle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the team , she was transported to Fairview Hospital and pronounced dead .
Police said Smith , who was driving the vehicle , was n't impaired or injured .
The other driver that struck Cordero admitted to drinking .
`` It was tragic , '' Smith told the Panthers ' official website Thursday .
`` People thought I was supposed to die , too .
... People were asking me , 'Are you going to play again ? '
In football and life , you are going to have adversity , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
I feel like she would want me to continue playing , especially with the Panthers . ''
Cordero , 26 , and Smith had a daughter together the month before the traffic accident .
Smith was excused from the Browns ' preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts to attend the birth .
Smith , 28 , started two games for the Browns in the 2018 season , but recorded only one tackle in eight games after Cordero 's death last year .
The Browns eventually released him on Dec. 3 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Arkansas , recently decided that he wanted to continue his NFL career .
`` I 'm excited .
It 's a fresh start for everybody , '' Smith told the team 's website .
`` I 'm somebody that loves the game and loves to get after the quarterback from any position on the D-line . ''
Smith has also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cincinnati Bengals .
He has compiled 68 total tackles , 8.5 sacks and six passes defensed in 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Jaguars .

The girlfriend of former Cleveland Browns defensive end Chris Smith (50) was killed in a traffic accident last September. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
March 5 (UPI) -- Former Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Chris Smith, whose girlfriend was killed in a traffic accident last September, signed a one-year contract with the Carolina Panthers, the team announced Thursday. Smith and his girlfriend, Petara Cordero, were pulled over on the side of a Cleveland highway after Smith's car had a tire malfunction, which caused the vehicle to spin and hit a median, according to the Browns. Advertisement
After Cordero exited the car without any major injuries, she was struck by an oncoming vehicle. According to a Cleveland police report obtained by the team, she was transported to Fairview Hospital and pronounced dead.
Police said Smith, who was driving the vehicle, wasn't impaired or injured. The other driver that struck Cordero admitted to drinking.
"It was tragic," Smith told the Panthers' official website Thursday. "People thought I was supposed to die, too. ... People were asking me, 'Are you going to play again?' In football and life, you are going to have adversity, but it's about how you respond to it. I feel like she would want me to continue playing, especially with the Panthers."
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Cordero, 26, and Smith had a daughter together the month before the traffic accident. Smith was excused from the Browns' preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts to attend the birth.
Back in his home state Welcome, Chris Smith! pic.twitter.com/ciRTzDFsKV— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) March 5, 2020
Smith, 28, started two games for the Browns in the 2018 season, but recorded only one tackle in eight games after Cordero's death last year. The Browns eventually released him on Dec. 3.
Smith, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Arkansas, recently decided that he wanted to continue his NFL career.
"I'm excited. It's a fresh start for everybody," Smith told the team's website. "I'm somebody that loves the game and loves to get after the quarterback from any position on the D-line."
Smith has also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cincinnati Bengals. He has compiled 68 total tackles, 8.5 sacks and six passes defensed in 60 career games between the Browns, Bengals and Jaguars.


upi--2020-03-05--Supreme Court issues temporary stay in execution of Nathaniel Woods

March 4 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. Supreme Court issued a temporary stay of execution minutes before an Alabama man was scheduled to receive a lethal injection Thursday .
The high court halted Nathanial Woods ' scheduled 6 p.m. execution pending further order from the justices .
The opinion came after before the 11th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals denied Woods ' attorney 's motion for a 90-day stay .
Wood 's execution could still go forward Thursday evening if the Supreme Court issues a ruling on his appeal .
The document filed in the 11th Circuit asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ execution so that Woods , 44 , can obtain new legal counsel .
If granted , he would be allowed to have a new attorney investigate claims of previous ineffective counsel .
`` Over the past 15 years , Mr. Woods has been denied constitutionally adequate legal representation and has been abandoned by counsel or represented by counsel with an actual conflict of interest compromising the representation , resulting in numerous potentially meritorious claims for relief having been waived , defaulted or insufficiently pled , '' the court filing said .
Woods , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lethal injection at 6 p.m. at the Holman Correctional Facility near Atmore .
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said the request was `` untimely '' and called it `` an eleventh-hour exercise in gamesmanship . ''
He said Woods also failed to establish that he 's entitled to a stay .
Woods ' request comes less than a day after the 11th Circuit denied an earlier request for a stay .
The defense sought that stay on the grounds that other death row inmates in Alabama who chose nitrogen hypoxia ( gas asphyxiation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporary reprieves , but not those who selected lethal injection .
The state has delayed setting execution dates for those who chose the former as officials review the protocol for the new method .
The 11th U.S .
Circuit on Wednesday declined to intervene in the case , saying `` the last-minute nature '' of his request for a stay was `` unjustified . ''
The panel also said Woods had the opportunity to select nitrogen hypoxia as his method of execution like other inmates .
`` That the state has chosen to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to honor the wishes of inmates who make that selection does not eliminate its interest in carrying out the sentences of inmates who did not elect that method , '' the opinion said .
Woods was convicted in 2005 of multiple counts of capital murder and attempted murder for the deaths of officers Carlos Owen , Harley Chisholm III and Charles Bennett .
A fourth officer also was shot but survived .
Woods ' roommate at the time , Kerry Spencer , admitted to shooting the officers after they responded to their Birmingham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an ambush of the officers , but Spencer said he shot the officers in self-defense because they were assaulting Woods .
The Appeal reported in February that two of the officers -- Chisholm and Owen -- were known for `` corruption and violence '' and had a reputation for collecting money from known drug dealers in the city in exchange for protection .
Activists and supporters appealed to Alabama Gov .
Kay Ivey to stop the execution .
Martin Luther King III sent her a letter asking her to intervene .
`` Killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appears to have been strongly mishandled by the courts , could produce an irreversible injustice , '' he wrote .
`` Are you willing to allow a potentially innocent man to be executed ? ''
If his lethal injection is carried out Thursday , Woods would be the fifth person executed in the United States this year and the first in Alabama .

Nathaniel Woods was executed on Thursday after being convicted in 2005 of multiple counts of murder and attempted murder for the deaths of three Birmingham, Ala., police officers. File Photo courtesy of the Alabama Department of Corrections
March 4 (UPI) -- An Alabama man convicted in 2005 in the murders of three Birmingham police officers was executed on Thursday night. Nathanial Woods, 44, was pronounced dead at 9:01 p.m. at the Holman Correctional Facility near Atmore after the Supreme Court lifted a stay on his execution just before 8 p.m. Advertisement
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statement on the execution, the fifth in the United States and first in Alabama this year, after she had declined a request to halt it.
"Under Alabama law, someone who helps kill a police officer is just as guilty as the person who directly commits the crime. Since 1983, Alabama has executed two individuals for being an accomplice to capital murder."
Woods was convicted in 2005 of multiple counts of capital murder and attempted murder for the deaths of officers Carlos Owen, Harley Chisholm III and Charles Bennett. A fourth officer also was shot but survived.
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Woods' roommate at the time, Kerry Spencer, admitted to shooting the officers after they responded to their Birmingham home. Prosecutors said Woods set up an ambush of the officers, but Spencer said he shot the officers in self-defense because they were assaulting Woods.
The Appeal reported in February that two of the officers -- Chisholm and Owen -- were known for "corruption and violence" and had a reputation for collecting money from known drug dealers in the city in exchange for protection.
The Supreme Court had earlier halted Woods' scheduled 6 p.m. execution pending further order from the justices on his appeal.
The document filed in the 11th Circuit asked for a limited, 90-day stay of execution so that Woods, 44, can obtain new legal counsel.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said the request was "untimely" and called it "an eleventh-hour exercise in gamesmanship." He said Woods also failed to establish that he's entitled to a stay.
Woods' request came less than a day after the 11th Circuit denied an earlier request for a stay.
The defense sought the stay on the grounds that other death row inmates in Alabama who chose nitrogen hypoxia (gas asphyxiation) as their method of execution received temporary reprieves, but not those who selected lethal injection. The state has delayed setting execution dates for those who chose the former as officials review the protocol for the new method.
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The 11th U.S. Circuit on Wednesday declined to intervene in the case, saying "the last-minute nature" of his request for a stay was "unjustified." The panel also said Woods had the opportunity to select nitrogen hypoxia as his method of execution like other inmates.
"That the state has chosen to offer an alternative method of execution and to honor the wishes of inmates who make that selection does not eliminate its interest in carrying out the sentences of inmates who did not elect that method," the opinion said.
Activists and supporters appealed to Ivey to stop the execution. Martin Luther King III sent her a letter asking her to intervene.
"Killing this African American man, whose case appears to have been strongly mishandled by the courts, could produce an irreversible injustice," he wrote. "Are you willing to allow a potentially innocent man to be executed?"
If his lethal injection is carried out Thursday, Woods would be the fifth person executed in the United States this year and the first in Alabama.


upi--2020-03-05--Federal judge orders review of unredacted version of Mueller report

March 5 ( UPI ) -- A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Justice Department to provide him an unredacted copy of the Mueller report , saying Attorney General William Barr misrepresented its finding before it was presented to Congress .
U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton in Washington , D.C. , wrote that he would personally review an unredacted version of former special counsel Robert Mueller 's report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential collusion or obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump 's campaign .
He said the court could not reconcile public statements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the report .
`` The inconsistencies between Attorney General Barr 's statements , made at a time when the public did not have access to the redacted version of the Mueller Report to assess the veracity of his statements and portions of the redacted version of the Mueller Report that conflict with those statements cause the court to seriously question whether Attorney General Barr made a calculated attempt to influence public discourse about the Muller report in favor of President Trump despite certain findings in the redacted version of the Mueller report to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barr in March 2019 released a summary of the Mueller report stating that the special counsel team did not find significant evidence to establish that Trump obstructed justice nor was it able to exonerate him of such a crime .
He said the special counsel did n't recommended any further indictments and that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided the evidence was `` not sufficient '' to support a prosecution of the president for obstruction of justice .
`` In the court 's view , Attorney General Barr 's representation that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to those redactions required by law or by compelling law enforcement , national security , or personal privacy interests ' can not be credited without the court 's independent verification in light of Attorney General Barr '' s conduct and misleading public statements about the findings in the Mueller report , '' Walton wrote .
Walton issued the order in a decision on a pair of Freedom of Information Act lawsuits brought by the Electronic Privacy Information Center Watchdog Group and Buzzfeed against the Justice Department .

A federal judge questioned Attorney General Barr's public statements regarding the Mueller report, ordering the Justice Department to allow him to conduct a review of an unredacted version of the report in response to FOIA lawsuits by watchdog EPIC and Buzzfeed. File Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo
March 5 (UPI) -- A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Justice Department to provide him an unredacted copy of the Mueller report, saying Attorney General William Barr misrepresented its finding before it was presented to Congress. U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton in Washington, D.C., wrote that he would personally review an unredacted version of former special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential collusion or obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump's campaign. He said the court could not reconcile public statements made by Barr with the findings in the report. Advertisement
"The inconsistencies between Attorney General Barr's statements, made at a time when the public did not have access to the redacted version of the Mueller Report to assess the veracity of his statements and portions of the redacted version of the Mueller Report that conflict with those statements cause the court to seriously question whether Attorney General Barr made a calculated attempt to influence public discourse about the Muller report in favor of President Trump despite certain findings in the redacted version of the Mueller report to the contrary," he wrote.
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Barr in March 2019 released a summary of the Mueller report stating that the special counsel team did not find significant evidence to establish that Trump obstructed justice nor was it able to exonerate him of such a crime.
He said the special counsel didn't recommended any further indictments and that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided the evidence was "not sufficient" to support a prosecution of the president for obstruction of justice.
"In the court's view, Attorney General Barr's representation that the Mueller report would be 'subject only to those redactions required by law or by compelling law enforcement, national security, or personal privacy interests' cannot be credited without the court's independent verification in light of Attorney General Barr''s conduct and misleading public statements about the findings in the Mueller report," Walton wrote.
Walton issued the order in a decision on a pair of Freedom of Information Act lawsuits brought by the Electronic Privacy Information Center Watchdog Group and Buzzfeed against the Justice Department.


upi--2020-03-05--Washington Redskins allowing Pro Bowl OT Trent Williams to seek trade

March 5 ( UPI ) -- The Washington Redskins are granting Pro Bowl offensive lineman Trent Williams permission to seek a trade .
League sources told ESPN and NFL Media that Washington approved Williams ' trade request Thursday , and he will begin to search for a new team to play for in 2020 .
Williams , 31 , sat out all of last season because of issues with the Redskins ' medical staff and former team president Bruce Allen .
The veteran offensive tackle revealed last October that he had a cancerous growth , a rare form of soft-tissue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from his head that went undiagnosed for about six years .
Williams said the misdiagnosis played a large part in his lengthy holdout last season and his distrust of the Redskins organization , eventually leading to his demand for a new contract or to be traded .
The former No .
4 overall pick would have reported to the team last year if the Redskins guaranteed the final two years of his contract , according to ESPN .
Williams now has one year and $ 12.5 million remaining on his deal , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sitting out in 2019 , Williams was named to seven consecutive Pro Bowls ( 2012-18 ) .
He was a second-team All-Pro choice in 2015 .

Washington Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) held out for the entire 2019-20 season because of issues with the team's medical staff. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
March 5 (UPI) -- The Washington Redskins are granting Pro Bowl offensive lineman Trent Williams permission to seek a trade. League sources told ESPN and NFL Media that Washington approved Williams' trade request Thursday, and he will begin to search for a new team to play for in 2020. Advertisement
Williams, 31, sat out all of last season because of issues with the Redskins' medical staff and former team president Bruce Allen. The veteran offensive tackle revealed last October that he had a cancerous growth, a rare form of soft-tissue cancer known as dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, removed from his head that went undiagnosed for about six years.
Williams said the misdiagnosis played a large part in his lengthy holdout last season and his distrust of the Redskins organization, eventually leading to his demand for a new contract or to be traded.
The former No. 4 overall pick would have reported to the team last year if the Redskins guaranteed the final two years of his contract, according to ESPN. Williams now has one year and $12.5 million remaining on his deal, with none of the money guaranteed.
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Before sitting out in 2019, Williams was named to seven consecutive Pro Bowls (2012-18). He was a second-team All-Pro choice in 2015.


upi--2020-03-05--Senate OKs $7.8B in coronavirus aid; 12th U.S. death reported

March 5 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted overwhelmingly in favor of sweeping legislation to provide $ 8.3 billion in aid in response to the coronavirus outbreak , as new cases were reported in New York , New Jersey , Arizona , North Carolina and Tennessee .
The 96-1 bipartisan vote provides $ 7.8 billion in funding to go directly toward fighting the virus and another $ 500 million to create a telehealth program .
The final price tag on the bill is more than three times what President Donald Trump requested -- $ 2.5 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a 415-2 vote .
The legislation will now head to the Oval Office for the president 's signature .
Hours after the vote , King County , Wash. , health officials confirmed the country 's 12th American death from COVID-19 .
The woman in her 90s died Tuesday at EvergreenHealth hospital .
She was previously reported as among those diagnosed with the virus .
All but one of the U.S. deaths have been from the Seattle area , where an outbreak has hit residents and staff of a long-term care facility .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ County , Calif .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 's Thursday update reported 149 cases in the country .
John Hopkins University , which is monitoring the outbreak using data from state and local health agencies , reported 177 confirmed cases .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said Thursday the number of confirmed coronavirus cases there had increased to 22 , with eight in Westchester County and one in Nassau County , just outside New York City , and two in the city .
Texas announced its first case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arizona , North Carolina and Tennessee each reported their first cases on Thursday .
Health workers have begun coronavirus testing passengers on the Grand Princess cruise ship off the coast of California .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom banned the ship from docking in the state after a passenger who was previously on the ship died from the coronavirus .
Officials on the ship said nearly 100 passengers exhibited symptoms indicating they need to be tested for the virus .
A California Air National Guard helicopter transported the tests and CDC personnel on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The ship 's captain told the ship 's 3,500 passengers the test results should be returned about 5 hours after they 're completed .
In the meantime , the casino and all group activities were canceled .
Vice President Mike Pence , head of the White House coronavirus task force , told reporters Thursday afternoon that while the United States is manufacturing and sending out more coronavirus test kits to health facilities nationwide , there are n't enough .
`` We do n't have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said during a briefing phone call .
`` For those who we believe have been exposed , for those who are showing symptoms , we 've been able to provide the testing .
But as more Americans take an interest in this or have concerns about this , we want to make sure they have access to a coronavirus test as well , and we 've made real progress on that in the last several days . ''
Pence traveled to Washington state Thursday evening to meet with Gov .
Jay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations center .
They were expected to give a press briefing at 5 p.m. PST .
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said there will be enough tests shipped by the end of the week for 75,000 people to be tested in the United States .
Facebook has closed its Seattle office through Monday after a contractor tested positive for COVID-19 , the company said in a statement .
But employees are encouraged to work from home until the end of March .
Amazon has recommended that its Seattle employees work from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week that an employee tested positive for the virus .
Two other Amazon employees were diagnosed in Milan , Italy .
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society on Thursday canceled its global health conference , scheduled to start Monday at the Orlando Convention Center in Florida .
The World Health Organization reported 2,055 new cases of the virus by Thursday , for a total of 95,265 cases worldwide , 80,409 of them in China , where the outbreak began in Wuhan .
Seventy-six countries have reported at least one case , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States -- have reported community spread , meaning the patients have no known connection to people or places with the virus .
Neither of the new cases in New York -- a man in his 40s and a woman in her 80s -- have a connection with or history of travel to a known area affected by the outbreak .
They also were not among known `` close contacts '' of any of the state 's previously diagnosed COVID-19 patients .
This suggests that there may be new instances of community spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on MSNBC 's Morning Joe on Thursday .
The city 's public health department is tracing the close contacts of both new patients to ensure they are appropriately isolated and tested .

Vice President Mike Pence (C), who is leading federal efforts to contain coronavirus, speaks during a press briefing Wednesday at the White House, surrounded by other federal health officials. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI | License Photo
March 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted overwhelmingly in favor of sweeping legislation to provide $8.3 billion in aid in response to the coronavirus outbreak, as new cases were reported in Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Tennessee. The 96-1 bipartisan vote provides $7.8 billion in funding to go directly toward fighting the virus and another $500 million to create a telehealth program. Advertisement
The final price tag on the bill is more than three times what President Donald Trump requested -- $2.5 billion. The House passed the bill Wednesday in a 415-2 vote. The legislation will now head to the Oval Office for the president's signature.
Hours after the vote, King County, Wash., health officials confirmed the country's 12th American death from COVID-19. The woman in her 90s died Tuesday at EvergreenHealth hospital. She was previously reported as among those diagnosed with the virus.
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All but one of the U.S. deaths have been from the Seattle area, where an outbreak has hit residents and staff of a long-term care facility. The one outside Seattle was in Placer County, Calif.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Thursday update reported 149 cases in the country. Johns Hopkins University, which is monitoring the outbreak using data from state and local health agencies, reported 177 confirmed cases.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday the number of confirmed coronavirus cases there had increased to 22, with eight in Westchester County and one in Nassau County, just outside New York City, and two in the city.
Texas announced its first case late Wednesday, and Arizona, Colorado, New Jersey, North Carolina and Tennessee each reported their first cases on Thursday. At least 18 states have reported infections.
Late Thursday, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced the state's first positive cases of COVID-19 and declared a state of emergency to hasten its response to the infectious disease.
"In order to further mobilize all available state resources in response to this threat to public health, I have issued a proclamation declaring a state of emergency in Maryland," he said in a press conference. "With this declaration, I am officially authorizing and directing the Maryland Department of Health and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency to ramp up coordination among all state and local agencies and enable them to fast-track coordination with our state and local health departments and emergency management teams."
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The declaration came in the wake of the state diagnosing three people, an individual in their 50s and a married couple in their 70s, with COVID-19, all in Montgomery County. They have been placed under quarantine, were in "good condition" and cooperating, Hogan said, adding they were infected with the virus while traveling overseas.
"While this news is serious, I want to again remind everyone this is exactly what our state has been actively and aggressively been preparing for for many weeks now," he said.
Health workers have begun coronavirus testing passengers on the Grand Princess cruise ship off the coast of California. California Gov. Gavin Newsom banned the ship from docking in the state after a passenger who was previously on the ship died from the coronavirus.
Officials on the ship said nearly 100 passengers exhibited symptoms indicating they need to be tested for the virus. A California Air National Guard helicopter transported the tests and CDC personnel on board the ship to conduct the testing.
The ship's captain told his 3,500 passengers the test results should be returned about 5 hours after they're completed. In the meantime, the casino and all group activities were canceled.
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Newsom also announced he has directed all commercial and Medical health plans regulated by the Department of Managed Health Care to reduce cost-sharing to zero for all necessary screening and testing for COVID-19. Costs for emergency rooms, urgent care or provider office visits will be waived if they are required to test for the coronavirus.
Vice President Mike Pence, head of the White House coronavirus task force, told reporters Thursday afternoon that while the United States is manufacturing and sending out more coronavirus test kits to health facilities nationwide, there aren't enough.
"We don't have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward," he said during a briefing phone call.
"For those who we believe have been exposed, for those who are showing symptoms, we've been able to provide the testing. But as more Americans take an interest in this or have concerns about this, we want to make sure they have access to a coronavirus test as well, and we've made real progress on that in the last several days."
Pence traveled to Washington state Thursday evening to meet with Gov. Jay Inslee and tour the state's emergency operations center. During a press conference, Pence said the CDC is working to increase widespread testing for the virus.
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Pence, speaking with Inslee, said the federal agency has the capability to test some 1.2 million Americans with priority to be focused on Washington and California, the two states worst affected by the coronavirus.
He added that an additional 4 million tests should be available by the end of next week.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said there will be enough tests shipped by the end of the week for 75,000 people to be tested in the United States.
Facebook has closed its Seattle office through Monday after a contractor tested positive for COVID-19, the company said in a statement. But employees are encouraged to work from home until the end of March.
Amazon has recommended that its Seattle employees work from home through March after it confirmed earlier this week that an employee tested positive for the virus. Two other Amazon employees were diagnosed in Milan, Italy.
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society on Thursday canceled its global health conference, scheduled to start Monday at the Orlando Convention Center in Florida.
The World Health Organization reported 2,055 new cases of the virus by Thursday, for a total of 95,265 cases worldwide, 80,409 of them in China, where the outbreak began in Wuhan.
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Seventy-six countries have reported at least one case, but only a handful -- including the United States -- have reported community spread, meaning the patients have no known connection to people or places with the virus.
Neither of the new cases in New York -- a man in his 40s and a woman in her 80s -- have a connection with or history of travel to a known area affected by the outbreak. They also were not among known "close contacts" of any of the state's previously diagnosed COVID-19 patients.
This suggests that there may be new instances of community spread in New York City, de Blasio said on MSNBC's Morning Joe on Thursday. The city's public health department is tracing the close contacts of both new patients to ensure they are appropriately isolated and tested.


upi--2020-03-05--Study confirms teens with EVALI used illicit marijuana vapor cartridges

March 5 ( UPI ) -- A study published Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention confirms that at least some people with a vaping-linked lung injury used illicit marijuana products .
Researchers at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services report that teens who developed EVALI , or e-cigarette product use-associated lung injury , often obtain vaping cartridges through illicit or informal sources , according to a study published in the CDC 's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report .
Of the 3,000 or so EVALI cases since last year when the condition emerged across the country , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
EVALI is a severe respiratory illness linked with the use of vaping cartridges that contain vitamin E acetate .
It can result in significant damage to the lungs , and has led to lung transplant and even death in some cases .
The authors of the report based their findings on an assessment of eight EVALI cases reported to their department in 2019 .
All eight patients , who were between age 16 and 20 , admitted to daily use of THC-containing vaping cartridges in the month preceding onset of EVALI symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by adolescents in the analysis were purchased from local illicit dealers , and were labeled as `` Dank Vapes '' or another illicit brand name .
Several of the teens reported frequent sharing of THC cartridges before symptom onset .
The patients in the analysis submitted a total of 11 e-cigarette or vaping products for testing .
All five THC cartridges collected from two patients contained vitamin E acetate , while one product contained nicotine , vitamin E acetate and cannabinol .
None of the five commercially sold nicotine-based products collected from two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authors wrote that their findings `` suggest that Dank Vapes and other illicit THC-containing products obtained from informal sources played a major role in the nationwide EVALI outbreak .
The current findings reinforce this relationship by linking multiple EVALI patients to the same illicit THC cartridges . ''
`` Although the specific sources of shared THC cartridges were not provided by patients , law enforcement activity in Wisconsin during that time indicates that counterfeit THC cartridges were being packaged and sold under the same brand names as those shared by EVALI patients , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the researchers wrote .

An analysis confirms that some portion of EVALI cases, starting last year, were linked to illicit THC-containing vape cartridges tainted with vitamin E acetate. File photo by StockSnap /Pixabay
March 5 (UPI) -- A study published Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention confirms that at least some people with a vaping-linked lung injury used illicit marijuana products. Researchers at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services report that teens who developed EVALI, or e-cigarette product use-associated lung injury, often obtain vaping cartridges through illicit or informal sources, according to a study published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Advertisement
Of the 3,000 or so EVALI cases since last year when the condition emerged across the country, more than 50 were reported in Wisconsin.
EVALI is a severe respiratory illness linked with the use of vaping cartridges that contain vitamin E acetate. It can result in significant damage to the lungs, and has led to lung transplant and even death in some cases.
The authors of the report based their findings on an assessment of eight EVALI cases reported to their department in 2019. All eight patients, who were between age 16 and 20, admitted to daily use of THC-containing vaping cartridges in the month preceding onset of EVALI symptoms.
All of the THC cartridges used by adolescents in the analysis were purchased from local illicit dealers, and were labeled as "Dank Vapes" or another illicit brand name. Several of the teens reported frequent sharing of THC cartridges before symptom onset.
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The patients in the analysis submitted a total of 11 e-cigarette or vaping products for testing. All five THC cartridges collected from two patients contained vitamin E acetate, while one product contained nicotine, vitamin E acetate and cannabinol. None of the five commercially sold nicotine-based products collected from two patients contained vitamin E acetate.
The authors wrote that their findings "suggest that Dank Vapes and other illicit THC-containing products obtained from informal sources played a major role in the nationwide EVALI outbreak. The current findings reinforce this relationship by linking multiple EVALI patients to the same illicit THC cartridges."
"Although the specific sources of shared THC cartridges were not provided by patients, law enforcement activity in Wisconsin during that time indicates that counterfeit THC cartridges were being packaged and sold under the same brand names as those shared by EVALI patients, and could represent a potential source," the researchers wrote.


upi--2020-03-05--Harvey Weinstein moved from Bellevue Hospital to Rikers Island infirmary

March 5 ( UPI ) -- Corrections officials moved Harvey Weinstein to Rikers Island from a New York hospital Thursday , his publicist said .
Weinstein was moved from Bellevue Hospital to the infirmary unit at Rikers Island after the former Hollywood mogul , 67 , had a heart procedure Wednesday .
Doctors inserted a stent about a week after he was convicted of sex assault and rape , his publicist , Juda Engelmayer , told CNN .
Engelmayer said he was being moved to Rikers -- New York City 's main jail complex -- Thursday afternoon .
Weinstein was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a special unit allowing for protective custody for high-profile inmates .
His lawyer , Arthur Aidala said he was `` in good shape '' after medical attendants detected heart palpitations and high blood pressure last week following his conviction .
`` He 's handling things as well as can be expected , '' Aidala said .
Weinstein was convicted of first-degree criminal sex act and third-degree rape for assaults in 2013 and 2006 , and acquitted on two more serious predatory counts .
He is set to be sentenced for those charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles .

American film producer Harvey Weinstein was convicted of a first-degree criminal sex act and third-degree rape for assaults in 2013 and 2006. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
March 5 (UPI) -- Corrections officials moved Harvey Weinstein to Rikers Island from a New York hospital Thursday, his publicist said. Weinstein was moved from Bellevue Hospital to the infirmary unit at Rikers Island after the former Hollywood mogul, 67, had a heart procedure Wednesday. Doctors inserted a stent about a week after he was convicted of sex assault and rape, his publicist, Juda Engelmayer, told CNN. Advertisement
Engelmayer said he was being moved to Rikers -- New York City's main jail complex -- Thursday afternoon.
Weinstein was placed in the North Infirmary Command which has a special unit allowing for protective custody for high-profile inmates.
His lawyer, Arthur Aidala said he was "in good shape" after medical attendants detected heart palpitations and high blood pressure last week following his conviction.
"He's handling things as well as can be expected," Aidala said.
Weinstein was convicted of first-degree criminal sex act and third-degree rape for assaults in 2013 and 2006, and acquitted on two more serious predatory counts.
He is set to be sentenced for those charges Wednesday and faces additional charges in Los Angeles.
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upi--2020-03-05--Yoan Moncada agrees to five-year, $70M extension with Chicago White Sox

March 5 ( UPI ) -- The Chicago White Sox reached a multiyear contract extension with third baseman Yoan Moncada on Thursday .
League sources told ESPN and MLB Media that Moncada agreed to a five-year , $ 70 million extension with the White Sox .
The club has yet to confirm the agreement .
The pending deal has a sixth-year team option worth $ 25 million and includes a $ 5 million buyout , according to ESPN .
The agreement also buys out two years of Moncada 's free agency .
The White Sox acquired Moncada in a trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Across three seasons in Chicago , he has recorded a .266 batting average with 50 home runs and 162 RBIs .
Moncada , 24 , posted career highs in batting average ( .315 ) , homers ( 25 ) , RBIs ( 79 ) , runs scored ( 83 ) and base hits ( 161 ) in 132 games last season .
Since making his MLB debut in 2016 , the switch-hitting Moncada has batted .265 with 50 home runs , 163 RBIs , 25 stolen bases and 347 base hits .

Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada had a .315 batting average with 25 home runs and 79 RBIs last season. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
March 5 (UPI) -- The Chicago White Sox reached a multiyear contract extension with third baseman Yoan Moncada on Thursday. League sources told ESPN and MLB Media that Moncada agreed to a five-year, $70 million extension with the White Sox. The club has yet to confirm the agreement. Advertisement
The pending deal has a sixth-year team option worth $25 million and includes a $5 million buyout, according to ESPN. The agreement also buys out two years of Moncada's free agency.
The White Sox acquired Moncada in a trade with the Boston Red Sox in 2016. Across three seasons in Chicago, he has recorded a .266 batting average with 50 home runs and 162 RBIs.
Moncada, 24, posted career highs in batting average (.315), homers (25), RBIs (79), runs scored (83) and base hits (161) in 132 games last season.
Since making his MLB debut in 2016, the switch-hitting Moncada has batted .265 with 50 home runs, 163 RBIs, 25 stolen bases and 347 base hits.


upi--2020-03-05--Watch live: VP Mike Pence gives COVID-19 update with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee

March 5 ( UPI ) -- Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to hold a joint news briefing on the @ @ @ @ @ Jay Inslee on Thursday evening after the two meet in Tacoma .
The two leaders @ @ @ @ @ 5 p.m. PST at the Washington Emergency Operations Center .
Pence traveled to Washington to @ @ @ @ @ of his role as the leader of the White House coronavirus task force .
Also @ @ @ @ @ of Washington 's congressional delegation , including Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers , Kim Schrier , @ @ @ @ @ , Suzan DelBene and Derek Kilmer .
Washington state has been the site of the @ @ @ @ @ deaths , with 10 reported there in less than a week .
California has one @ @

March 5 (UPI) -- Vice President Mike Pence said Thursday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working to ensure more widespread COVID-19 testing by the end of the week.
Speaking at a joint news briefing on the coronavirus with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday evening after the two meet in Tacoma, Pence said the agency was focused on providing tests to Washington and California the two states with the virus and should have the capability to allow 1.2 million Americans to be tested for coronavirus.
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"We know while we're meeting the demand of cases we know about today we still have a way to ensure that tests are available for any future cases and also for people across your state and across the country that may be concerned that they have contracted the coronavirus and want to obtain a test," he said.
Pence added that another 4 million tests would be made available by the end of next week, adding that President Donald Trump met with leaders of top commercial labs who formed a consortium to increase the availability of testing.
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"In a matter of weeks, through validation efforts that we'll do through the FDA they could well be in a position where, in the not so distant future your doctor, your local pharmacy, your local med check will have access to a coronavirus test," he said.
Pence traveled to Washington to tour the facility as part of his role as the leader of the White House coronavirus task force.
Also joining Pence were members of Washington's congressional delegation, including Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Kim Schrier, Pramila Jayapal, Rick Larsen, Suzan DelBene and Derek Kilmer.
Washington state has been the site of the biggest cluster of U.S. COVID-19 deaths, with 10 reported there in less than a week. California has one death.


upi--2020-03-05--Physical activity may stop aging brains from shrinking, study shows

Take a walk , weed your garden , go for a swim or dance -- it could keep your brain from shrinking as you age , a new study suggests .
Being physically active may keep your brain four years younger than the rest of you , which might help prevent or slow the progression of dementias like Alzheimer 's disease , researchers say .
`` We recently published a paper using information of both current and past physical activity and found they both are associated with lower risk of developing Alzheimer 's disease , '' said lead researcher Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neurological sciences at Columbia University in New York City .
`` The current study is a step further to show that physical activity is also protective against brain volume loss . ''
Gu cautioned , however , that the new study does n't prove that exercise preserves brain size , only that the two appear to be linked .
For the study , Gu and her colleagues used MRI scans to collect data on the brain size of more than 1,550 people , average age 75 .
None had dementia , but nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent had the APOE gene , which appears to increase the risk of Alzheimer 's disease .
Participants reported varying levels of physical activity .
Researchers found that those who were the most active had bigger brains than those who were inactive .
The most active logged either seven hours of low-intensity physical activity , four hours of moderate activity or two hours of high-intensity physical activity a week .
After taking into account age , sex , education , race/ethnicity and APOE gene status , the researchers found that the average brain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cubic centimeters , compared to 871 for those who were inactive .
That difference of 12 cubic centimeters , or 1.4 percent , is equivalent to nearly four years of brain aging , Gu and her colleagues said .
A limitation of the study is that it relied on participants ' ability to remember how much and how often they were active .
Researchers said their reports could be inaccurate , skewing the results .
Nevertheless , another expert stressed that keeping active could only add benefits for seniors .
`` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study , that physical exercise is good for your brain , '' said Dr. Marc Gordon , chief of neurology at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks , N.Y. , who reviewed the findings .
Although it 's not clear how physical activity benefits the brain , Gordon suspects that it might come from keeping blood vessels healthy and lowering blood pressure and diabetes risk .
`` There are a lot of factors that could play a role , '' he said .
`` I encourage my patients to be physically active , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active and keep mentally active . ''
The findings are scheduled to be presented at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology , April 25 to May 1 , in Toronto .
Research presented at meetings is typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal .
The Alzheimer 's Association has more about staying physically active .

Researchers found that the average brain size of the most active study participants was 883 cubic centimeters, compared to 871 for those who were inactive. Photo by manfredrichter /Pixabay
Take a walk, weed your garden, go for a swim or dance -- it could keep your brain from shrinking as you age, a new study suggests. Being physically active may keep your brain four years younger than the rest of you, which might help prevent or slow the progression of dementias like Alzheimer's disease, researchers say. Advertisement
"We recently published a paper using information of both current and past physical activity and found they both are associated with lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease," said lead researcher Dr. Yian Gu, an assistant professor of neurological sciences at Columbia University in New York City. "The current study is a step further to show that physical activity is also protective against brain volume loss."
Gu cautioned, however, that the new study doesn't prove that exercise preserves brain size, only that the two appear to be linked.
For the study, Gu and her colleagues used MRI scans to collect data on the brain size of more than 1,550 people, average age 75.
None had dementia, but nearly 300 had mildly impaired thinking and 28 percent had the APOE gene, which appears to increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
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Participants reported varying levels of physical activity. Researchers found that those who were the most active had bigger brains than those who were inactive.
The most active logged either seven hours of low-intensity physical activity, four hours of moderate activity or two hours of high-intensity physical activity a week.
After taking into account age, sex, education, race/ethnicity and APOE gene status, the researchers found that the average brain size of the most active was 883 cubic centimeters, compared to 871 for those who were inactive.
That difference of 12 cubic centimeters, or 1.4 percent, is equivalent to nearly four years of brain aging, Gu and her colleagues said.
A limitation of the study is that it relied on participants' ability to remember how much and how often they were active. Researchers said their reports could be inaccurate, skewing the results. Nevertheless, another expert stressed that keeping active could only add benefits for seniors. "It's plausible, and not unique to this study, that physical exercise is good for your brain," said Dr. Marc Gordon, chief of neurology at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y., who reviewed the findings.
Although it's not clear how physical activity benefits the brain, Gordon suspects that it might come from keeping blood vessels healthy and lowering blood pressure and diabetes risk. "There are a lot of factors that could play a role," he said.
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"I encourage my patients to be physically active," Gordon added. "Keep socially active and keep mentally active."
The findings are scheduled to be presented at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, April 25 to May 1, in Toronto. Research presented at meetings is typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
More information
The Alzheimer's Association has more about staying physically active.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-03-05--New research supports ditching red meat for heart health

If you want a longer , healthier life , try replacing that steak with beans , vegetables or whole grains -- but preferably not a fast-food veggie burger .
That 's according to two preliminary studies by Harvard researchers .
They found that people who eat plenty of `` high-quality '' plant foods instead of red or processed meat have a lower risk of heart attack and tend to live longer .
It 's not enough to simply cut out steaks , burgers and deli meat , according to Dr. Andrew Freeman , a cardiologist who was not involved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be replaced with healthy choices like nuts , legumes , vegetables and fiber-rich whole grains .
Freeman said ditching meat in favor of processed , sugary carbs might actually be less healthy .
And no , those processed veggie burgers do n't make the cut , either .
`` They 're technically plant-based , but they can also be loaded with sodium and fat , '' said Freeman , who directs cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver .
`` We really want to be eating a diet that 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whole foods , '' he said .
The findings come from a pair of large , long-term studies presented Thursday at an American Heart Association meeting in Phoenix .
Research reported at meetings is generally considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal .
Each of the new studies tracked middle-aged Americans ' eating habits and their risks of developing or dying from heart disease .
One involved more than 37,000 people with an average age of 50 .
Over 15 years , more than 4,800 died .
That risk was 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were in the top fifth for plant-protein intake , compared to people in the bottom fifth .
They were also 29 percent less likely to die of heart disease , specifically .
The researchers calculated that if study participants had replaced 5 percent of their daily calories from animal protein for the same number of calories from plant protein , their odds of dying during that period would have dropped by nearly half .
The second study involved more than 43,000 health professionals , all men , who were followed for about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a heart attack at some point -- with the risk inching up as daily red meat intake rose .
Again , replacing some of those burgers with plant foods could have made a huge difference for some men 's hearts , the researchers estimated -- even with other factors , like exercise habits and body weight , taken into account .
Take nuts , for example .
If the men had swapped one daily serving of red or processed meat for the same number of calories from nuts , their risk of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 17 percent .
Swapping red meat for whole grains would have been even better , the study suggested -- potentially lowering the risk of heart attack death by 48 percent .
Those are , however , just statistical calculations .
Neither study proves cause and effect , noted Connie Diekman , a registered dietitian and former president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics .
That said , the findings agree with a large body of existing evidence , Diekman pointed out .
`` These studies add to the ever-growing number supporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proteins , reducing our animal protein intake ... and enjoying more fruits , vegetables and whole grains , '' she said .
Freeman also pointed to that bigger picture .
`` Overall , '' he said , `` the evidence suggests that if you take some portion of the standard American diet and swap it out for more plant foods , people do better . ''
Zhilei Shan led the first study and Laila Al-Shaar , the second .
Both are post-doctoral fellows at Harvard 's T.H .
Chan School of Public Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has advice on heart-healthy eating .

Harvard researchers found that people who eat plenty of "high-quality" plant foods instead of red or processed meat have a lower risk of heart attack and tend to live longer. Photo by gate74 /Pixabay
If you want a longer, healthier life, try replacing that steak with beans, vegetables or whole grains -- but preferably not a fast-food veggie burger. That's according to two preliminary studies by Harvard researchers. They found that people who eat plenty of "high-quality" plant foods instead of red or processed meat have a lower risk of heart attack and tend to live longer. Advertisement
The "high-quality" part is key, experts stressed.
It's not enough to simply cut out steaks, burgers and deli meat, according to Dr. Andrew Freeman, a cardiologist who was not involved in the research. Those foods have to be replaced with healthy choices like nuts, legumes, vegetables and fiber-rich whole grains.
Freeman said ditching meat in favor of processed, sugary carbs might actually be less healthy. And no, those processed veggie burgers don't make the cut, either.
"They're technically plant-based, but they can also be loaded with sodium and fat," said Freeman, who directs cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver.
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"We really want to be eating a diet that's mostly plant-based and full of minimally processed, whole foods," he said.
The findings come from a pair of large, long-term studies presented Thursday at an American Heart Association meeting in Phoenix. Research reported at meetings is generally considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Each of the new studies tracked middle-aged Americans' eating habits and their risks of developing or dying from heart disease.
One involved more than 37,000 people with an average age of 50. Over 15 years, more than 4,800 died. That risk was 27 percent lower, however, among people who were in the top fifth for plant-protein intake, compared to people in the bottom fifth.
They were also 29 percent less likely to die of heart disease, specifically.
The researchers calculated that if study participants had replaced 5 percent of their daily calories from animal protein for the same number of calories from plant protein, their odds of dying during that period would have dropped by nearly half.
The second study involved more than 43,000 health professionals, all men, who were followed for about 25 years. More than 4,100 suffered a heart attack at some point -- with the risk inching up as daily red meat intake rose.
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Again, replacing some of those burgers with plant foods could have made a huge difference for some men's hearts, the researchers estimated -- even with other factors, like exercise habits and body weight, taken into account.
Take nuts, for example. If the men had swapped one daily serving of red or processed meat for the same number of calories from nuts, their risk of a fatal heart attack could have been trimmed by 17 percent.
Swapping red meat for whole grains would have been even better, the study suggested -- potentially lowering the risk of heart attack death by 48 percent.
Those are, however, just statistical calculations. Neither study proves cause and effect, noted Connie Diekman, a registered dietitian and former president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
That said, the findings agree with a large body of existing evidence, Diekman pointed out.
"These studies add to the ever-growing number supporting the health benefits of consuming more plant-based proteins, reducing our animal protein intake ...and enjoying more fruits, vegetables and whole grains," she said.
Freeman also pointed to that bigger picture.
"Overall," he said, "the evidence suggests that if you take some portion of the standard American diet and swap it out for more plant foods, people do better."
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Zhilei Shan led the first study and Laila Al-Shaar, the second. Both are post-doctoral fellows at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.
More information
The American Heart Association has advice on heart-healthy eating.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-03-05--Dow Jones falls 970 points, extending wild trading week

March 5 ( UPI ) -- The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell nearly 1,000 points Thursday continuing a volatile week of trading spurred by concerns over COVID-19 .
The Dow slid 969.58 points , or 3.58 percent , the S & P 500 dropped 3.39 percent and the Nasdaq Composite closed down 3.10 percent , erasing gains made Wednesday following the results of the Super Tuesday primaries .
Concerns over the coronavirus continued to affect the market as events throughout the world were canceled or postponed and a trade group on Thursday estimated that the airline industry could lose between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is contained to current markets , and $ 113 billion if it spreads further .
American Airlines had its worst trading day since 2016 as its stock price fell 13.2 percent while United Airlines slid 13.4 .
All three major markets were still on track for a 2 percent gain on the week after falling into correction territory last week .
The week began with a rebound Monday that saw the Dow rise nearly 1,300 points followed by a decline of about 785 points Tuesday despite an emergency rate cut by the Federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
The Dow on Wednesday had it 's second-highest day in history after former Vice President Joe Biden 's Super Tuesday performance before Thursday 's drop .
Bank stocks were affected as the 10-year Treasury yield fell below 0.9 percent , and JPMorgan and Bank of America both fell about 5 percent .

Markets continued a wild week of trading Thursday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 970 points amid ongoing coronavirus fears. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
March 5 (UPI) -- The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell nearly 1,000 points Thursday continuing a volatile week of trading spurred by concerns over COVID-19. The Dow slid 969.58 points, or 3.58 percent, the S&P 500 dropped 3.39 percent and the Nasdaq Composite closed down 3.10 percent, erasing gains made Wednesday following the results of the Super Tuesday primaries. Advertisement
Concerns over the coronavirus continued to affect the market as events throughout the world were canceled or postponed and a trade group on Thursday estimated that the airline industry could lose between $63 billion, if the outbreak is contained to current markets, and $113 billion if it spreads further.
American Airlines had its worst trading day since 2016 as its stock price fell 13.2 percent while United Airlines slid 13.4.
All three major markets were still on track for a 2 percent gain on the week after falling into correction territory last week.
The week began with a rebound Monday that saw the Dow rise nearly 1,300 points followed by a decline of about 785 points Tuesday despite an emergency rate cut by the Federal Reserve in response to concerns about the virus. The Dow on Wednesday had it's second-highest day in history after former Vice President Joe Biden's Super Tuesday performance before Thursday's drop.
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Bank stocks were affected as the 10-year Treasury yield fell below 0.9 percent, and JPMorgan and Bank of America both fell about 5 percent.


upi--2020-03-05--Watchdog: Trump officials ignored warnings about migrant separations

March 5 ( UPI ) -- Senior Health and Human Services Department officials did n't act on staff 's warnings of an increase in family separations at the border , leaving the department unable to provide adequate care for separated migrant children , a watchdog report released Thursday said .
The HHS inspector general 's office conducted the study in response to the Trump administration 's so-called zero-tolerance policy implemented in spring 2018 in which all adults accused of illegally crossing the southern border were prosecuted .
Because of that , officials separated children from their detained parents and housed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Court battles later required the federal government to reunify migrant children with their parents .
The inspector general 's office said it investigated how the government responded to the zero-tolerance policy and the order to reunite families .
It found that a lack of communication across interagency channels meant there was a lack of planning for how to handle a larger number of children separated from their parents .
This `` left the department unable to provide prompt and appropriate care for separated children when the zero-tolerance policy was implemented , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because no procedures or systems had been established to track separated families across HHS and [ the Department of Homeland Security ] for later reunification , HHS struggled to identify separated children . ''
One Office of Refugee Resettlement staff member told inspector general investigators they noticed an increase in children being separated from their parents a full year before zero-tolerance became the Trump administration 's official policy .
`` I said ORR was seeing much higher levels of separation , and that those separations were impacting particularly babies and young children , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said this so many times that I was called a broken record .
Another ORR staffer told the inspector general : `` I told them it was going to traumatize children to separate them unnecessarily .
I said that to anyone I could . ''
HHS officials declined to act on the warnings , though , the inspector general report said .
During the reunification process , the inspector general report said it found `` significant operational challenges , '' which were complicated by poor guidance from the HHS .
Manual processes made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report said .
The report recommended that the HHS take steps to prioritize children 's interests and well-being .
The agency also recommended the department enter into formal agreements with the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice to ensure better communication going forward .
The inspector general based its findings on case reviews , more than 5,000 documents , and interviews with staff , officials and provider facilities .

The inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services said senior Trump administration officials failed to prepare for migrant family separations, making the reunification process more complicated. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
March 5 (UPI) -- Senior Health and Human Services Department officials didn't act on staff's warnings of an increase in family separations at the border, leaving the department unable to provide adequate care for separated migrant children, a watchdog report released Thursday said. The HHS inspector general's office conducted the study in response to the Trump administration's so-called zero-tolerance policy implemented in spring 2018 in which all adults accused of illegally crossing the southern border were prosecuted. Because of that, officials separated children from their detained parents and housed them at facilities across the United States. Advertisement
Court battles later required the federal government to reunify migrant children with their parents. The inspector general's office said it investigated how the government responded to the zero-tolerance policy and the order to reunite families.
It found that a lack of communication across interagency channels meant there was a lack of planning for how to handle a larger number of children separated from their parents.
This "left the department unable to provide prompt and appropriate care for separated children when the zero-tolerance policy was implemented," the report said.
"Further, because no procedures or systems had been established to track separated families across HHS and [the Department of Homeland Security] for later reunification, HHS struggled to identify separated children."
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One Office of Refugee Resettlement staff member told inspector general investigators they noticed an increase in children being separated from their parents a full year before zero-tolerance became the Trump administration's official policy.
"I said ORR was seeing much higher levels of separation, and that those separations were impacting particularly babies and young children," the staffer said. "I said this so many times that I was called a broken record.
Another ORR staffer told the inspector general: "I told them it was going to traumatize children to separate them unnecessarily. I said that to anyone I could."
HHS officials declined to act on the warnings, though, the inspector general report said.
During the reunification process, the inspector general report said it found "significant operational challenges," which were complicated by poor guidance from the HHS. Manual processes made the reunification vulnerable to error, the report said.
The report recommended that the HHS take steps to prioritize children's interests and well-being. The agency also recommended the department enter into formal agreements with the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice to ensure better communication going forward.
The inspector general based its findings on case reviews, more than 5,000 documents, and interviews with staff, officials and provider facilities.


upi--2020-03-05--Look: Dog rescued from 20 feet up in Kansas tree

March 5 ( UPI ) -- Animal services officers in Kansas said they had to climb a tree to rescue @ @ @ @ @ exceeded his descending abilities .
Kansas City Animal Services said officers responded Wednesday when a @ @ @ @ @ 20 feet up into a tree and could n't get back down .
The officers @ @ @ @ @ carry Waldo back down to safety .
`` Once Waldo knew he was safe , @ @ @ @ @ officer 's arms as he was completing intake paperwork , '' the agency said .

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March 5 (UPI) -- Animal services officers in Kansas said they had to climb a tree to rescue a dog whose climbing abilities exceeded his descending abilities.
Kansas City Animal Services said officers responded Wednesday when a dog named Waldo climbed about 20 feet up into a tree and couldn't get back down.
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The officers climbed the tree themselves to carry Waldo back down to safety.
"Once Waldo knew he was safe, he fell asleep in our officer's arms as he was completing intake paperwork," the agency said.