upi--2020-02-13--Attorney General William Barr calls on President Donald Trump to stop tweeting about cases

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- U.S. Attorney General William Barr said Thursday that President Donald Trump has never asked him to take certain action in a case but said the president 's tweets about the Justice Department make it difficult for him to do his job .
In an interview with ABC News , Barr said that the president 's early-morning tweet regarding the sentencing recommendation for Trump associate Roger Stone placed him in a difficult position in which he was forced to weigh whether his actions would be perceived has having been guided by Trump .
`` Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the right decision or do you pull back because of a tweet ?
And that just sort of illustrates how disruptive these tweets can be , '' Barr said .
He also said he believes it 's time for Trump `` to stop the tweeting about Department of Justice criminal cases . ''
`` I 'm not going to be bullied or influenced by anybody ... whether it 's Congress , a newspaper editorial board or the president , '' Barr said .
`` I 'm going to do what I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can not do my job here at the department with a constant background commentary that undercuts me . ''
The Justice Department on Tuesday announced plans to lower prosecutor 's guidelines seeking to sentence Stone , 67 , to up to nine years in prison for obstructing a congressional investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election .
The announcement came after Trump expressed his displeasure with the nine-year sentencing guidelines , calling them `` horrible and very unfair '' and a `` miscarriage of justice . ''
Hours after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommendation , four of the federal prosecutors working on the case -- Adam Jed , Jonathan Kravis , Michael Marando and Aaron S.J .
Zelinsky -- quit , while Kravis and Zelinsky resigned entirely as employees of the U.S. Attorney 's Office in Washington , D.C. Barr said he supported the decision to convict Stone but said he thought the sentencing recommendation of seven years to nine years in prison was excessive .
He added that he was surprised the prosecution team withdrew from the case and that it was `` preposterous '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying instead that he acted to resolve a dispute within the department over the sentencing recommendation .
`` I think the essential role of the attorney general is to keep law enforcement , the attorney general is to keep law enforcement , the criminal process sacrosanct to make sure there is no political interference in it .
And I have done that and will continue to do that , '' he said .
`` And I 'm happy to say that , in fact , the president has never asked me to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

Feb. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. Attorney General William Barr said Thursday that President Donald Trump has never asked him to take certain action in a case but said the president's tweets about the Justice Department make it difficult for him to do his job.
In an interview with ABC News, Barr said that the president's early-morning tweet regarding the sentencing recommendation for Trump associate Roger Stone placed him in a difficult position in which he was forced to weigh whether his actions would be perceived has having been guided by Trump.
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"Do you go forward with what you think is the right decision or do you pull back because of a tweet? And that just sort of illustrates how disruptive these tweets can be," Barr said.
He also said he believes it's time for Trump "to stop the tweeting about Department of Justice criminal cases."
"I'm not going to be bullied or influenced by anybody ... whether it's Congress, a newspaper editorial board or the president," Barr said. "I'm going to do what I think is right. And you know ... I cannot do my job here at the department with a constant background commentary that undercuts me."
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The Justice Department on Tuesday announced plans to lower prosecutor's guidelines seeking to sentence Stone, 67, to up to nine years in prison for obstructing a congressional investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
The announcement came after Trump expressed his displeasure with the nine-year sentencing guidelines, calling them "horrible and very unfair" and a "miscarriage of justice."
Hours after the Justice Department's announcement to lower the recommendation, four of the federal prosecutors working on the case -- Adam Jed, Jonathan Kravis, Michael Marando and Aaron S.J. Zelinsky -- quit, while Kravis and Zelinsky resigned entirely as employees of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C.
Barr said he supported the decision to convict Stone but said he thought the sentencing recommendation of seven years to nine years in prison was excessive.
He added that he was surprised the prosecution team withdrew from the case and that it was "preposterous" to suggest he intervened in the case, saying instead that he acted to resolve a dispute within the department over the sentencing recommendation.
"I think the essential role of the attorney general is to keep law enforcement, the attorney general is to keep law enforcement, the criminal process sacrosanct to make sure there is no political interference in it. And I have done that and will continue to do that," he said. "And I'm happy to say that, in fact, the president has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case."


upi--2020-02-13--Steelers GM Kevin Colbert: Ben Roethlisberger not 'at the end of the road'

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert remains optimistic that Ben Roethlisberger will make a full recovery from his elbow injury , saying `` all signs are good at this point . ''
Roethlisberger , who turns 38 next month , underwent surgery Sept. 23 to repair a season-ending elbow injury that he suffered in Week 2 .
Colbert did n't reveal whether the veteran quarterback had Tommy John surgery , but said he remains on schedule in his rehab and has a checkup Feb. 21 in Los Angeles .
`` All signs are good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopeful that he can make a complete recovery , '' Colbert told the team 's official website Thursday .
`` As of right now , he 's on schedule for that .
Where it goes from here remains to be seen . ''
Roethlisberger , who was selected in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft , is the last quarterback out of that draft class to remain with his longtime team .
Former New York Giants signal-caller Eli Manning announced his retirement from football last month , and veteran gunslinger Philip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles Chargers this week .
Colbert believes Roethlisberger , a two-time Super Bowl champion , can still perform at a high level .
`` The only correlation is all three players were drafted in the same year , '' Colbert said .
`` Whenever one player moves on or becomes injured , it varies by player .
We 're just really focused on where Ben is at this point .
Unfortunately , he had a season-ending injury that we think he can and will recover from moving forward .
It 's just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injury to his right arm , but other than that , he 's relatively healthy .
We 're not minimizing the right arm injury to a right arm quarterback , but we do n't think he 's at the end of the road . ''
In Roethlisberger 's absence , the Steelers relied on unproven backup quarterbacks Mason Rudolph and Devlin `` Duck '' Hodges .
The team posted an 8-6 record without `` Big Ben '' and finished outside the postseason with an 8-8 mark .
Despite uneven play from the position @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steelers are comfortable with their quarterback room going into training camp this year .
`` We have to be realistic , '' Colbert said .
`` [ Ben ] is a great quarterback who suffered a season-ending injury to his right arm .
Optimistically , he is on schedule to return and we hope to return a better Ben than he was previous to the injury .
In the meantime , we understand who those backups are .
`` We are comfortable with who those backups are .
I thought they did a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had surgery in September to repair a season-ending elbow injury that he sustained in Week 2. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert remains optimistic that Ben Roethlisberger will make a full recovery from his elbow injury, saying "all signs are good at this point." Roethlisberger, who turns 38 next month, underwent surgery Sept. 23 to repair a season-ending elbow injury that he suffered in Week 2. Colbert didn't reveal whether the veteran quarterback had Tommy John surgery, but said he remains on schedule in his rehab and has a checkup Feb. 21 in Los Angeles. Advertisement
"All signs are good at this point, and we're hopeful that he can make a complete recovery," Colbert told the team's official website Thursday. "As of right now, he's on schedule for that. Where it goes from here remains to be seen."
Roethlisberger, who was selected in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft, is the last quarterback out of that draft class to remain with his longtime team. Former New York Giants signal-caller Eli Manning announced his retirement from football last month, and veteran gunslinger Philip Rivers agreed to part ways with the Los Angeles Chargers this week.
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Colbert believes Roethlisberger, a two-time Super Bowl champion, can still perform at a high level.
"The only correlation is all three players were drafted in the same year," Colbert said. "Whenever one player moves on or becomes injured, it varies by player. We're just really focused on where Ben is at this point. Unfortunately, he had a season-ending injury that we think he can and will recover from moving forward. It's just a wait-and-see.
"He had an injury to his right arm, but other than that, he's relatively healthy. We're not minimizing the right arm injury to a right arm quarterback, but we don't think he's at the end of the road."
.@missi_matthews sits down with GM Kevin Colbert to discuss drafting Devin Bush, acquiring Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ben Roethlisberger's progression, and more. pic.twitter.com/FeDQxQuvd6— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) February 13, 2020
In Roethlisberger's absence, the Steelers relied on unproven backup quarterbacks Mason Rudolph and Devlin "Duck" Hodges. The team posted an 8-6 record without "Big Ben" and finished outside the postseason with an 8-8 mark.
Despite uneven play from the position throughout last season, Colbert said the Steelers are comfortable with their quarterback room going into training camp this year.
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"We have to be realistic," Colbert said. "[Ben] is a great quarterback who suffered a season-ending injury to his right arm. Optimistically, he is on schedule to return and we hope to return a better Ben than he was previous to the injury. In the meantime, we understand who those backups are.
"We are comfortable with who those backups are. I thought they did a representative job in 2019 under the circumstances."


upi--2020-02-13--Parents of Parkland shooting victim Meadow Pollack sue federal government

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- The parents of a teenage girl who died in the Parkland , Fla. , school shooting in 2018 have filed a new lawsuit against the federal government .
Andrew Pollack and Shara Kaplan , parents of Meadow Pollack , filed the complaint Wednesday in federal court in Florida .
They accused the government of failing `` to take any action whatsoever '' to prevent the Feb. 14 , 2018 , shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School .
The shooting killed 17 people , including 14 students and three teachers .
Meadow Pollack was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The FBI knew that Nikolas Cruz had the desire and capability to carry out a mass school shooting , '' on or before the date of the shooting , the lawsuit states .
`` The FBI had non-discretionary obligations , governed by established protocols , to handle and investigate tips concerning potential school shootings in a reasonable manner -- at minimum not ignore the information entirely -- and to act against Cruz to prevent him from committing the mass shooting that took the life of Meadow Pollack , '' the document @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that had the FBI investigated Cruz , he would n't `` have succeeded in carrying out his attack . ''
The lawsuit seeks damages for wrongful death , and pain and suffering .
Andrew Pollack and Kaplan previously sued Scot Peterson , the former Broward County Sheriff deputy who failed to enter the school building during the shooting .
A 33-year law enforcement veteran , Peterson resigned from his post after video emerged showing he never entered the building after the shooting started .
Peterson faces seven counts of child neglect , three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of perjury after an investigation into the shooting .
Cruz faces 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder for the shooting .
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty .
His trial will likely begin in the summer .

Andrew Pollack (C), whose daughter Meadow Pollack was killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, is suing the federal government. File Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- The parents of a teenage girl who died in the Parkland, Fla., school shooting in 2018 have filed a new lawsuit against the federal government. Andrew Pollack and Shara Kaplan, parents of Meadow Pollack, filed the complaint Wednesday in federal court in Florida. They accused the government of failing "to take any action whatsoever" to prevent the Feb. 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Advertisement
The shooting killed 17 people, including 14 students and three teachers. Meadow Pollack was 17 at the time of her death.
"The FBI knew that Nikolas Cruz had the desire and capability to carry out a mass school shooting," on or before the date of the shooting, the lawsuit states.
"The FBI had non-discretionary obligations, governed by established protocols, to handle and investigate tips concerning potential school shootings in a reasonable manner -- at minimum not ignore the information entirely -- and to act against Cruz to prevent him from committing the mass shooting that took the life of Meadow Pollack," the document continued.
Meadow Pollack's parents said that had the FBI investigated Cruz, he wouldn't "have succeeded in carrying out his attack."
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The lawsuit seeks damages for wrongful death, and pain and suffering.
Andrew Pollack and Kaplan previously sued Scot Peterson, the former Broward County Sheriff deputy who failed to enter the school building during the shooting. A 33-year law enforcement veteran, Peterson resigned from his post after video emerged showing he never entered the building after the shooting started.
Peterson faces seven counts of child neglect, three counts of culpable negligence and one count of perjury after an investigation into the shooting.
Cruz faces 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder for the shooting. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. His trial will likely begin in the summer.


upi--2020-02-13--Los Angeles Clippers' Paul George fined $35K for criticizing NBA officials

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George was fined $ 35,000 for publicly criticizing officials earlier this week .
NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Kiki VanDeWeghe announced the discipline Thursday .
George 's public remarks came after the Clippers ' 110-103 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night .
`` There was some home-court cooking tonight to say the least , '' George told reporters after the game .
`` I mean it was 19 to 11 .
You all figure out what those numbers are .
It was 19 to 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of personal fouls called in Tuesday night 's matchup .
The Clippers were whistled for eight more personal fouls than the 76ers .
VanDeWeghe said the amount of George 's fine reflects his multiple prior violations of the same offense .
League rules prohibit public criticism of the officiating .
In his NBA career , George has been fined by the league eight times for a total of $ 185,000 because of his public criticism of the league 's referees .
The amount of Thursday 's fine equals the $ 35,000 that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George , playing in his first season with the Clippers , has averaged 22.3 points , 6.2 rebounds , four assists and 1.4 steals per game this year .

Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George was fined for his comments after the Clippers' loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George was fined $35,000 for publicly criticizing officials earlier this week. NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Kiki VanDeWeghe announced the discipline Thursday. George's public remarks came after the Clippers' 110-103 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night. Advertisement
"There was some home-court cooking tonight to say the least," George told reporters after the game. "I mean it was 19 to 11. You all figure out what those numbers are. It was 19 to 11."
George's comments referenced the number of personal fouls called in Tuesday night's matchup. The Clippers were whistled for eight more personal fouls than the 76ers.
VanDeWeghe said the amount of George's fine reflects his multiple prior violations of the same offense. League rules prohibit public criticism of the officiating.
In his NBA career, George has been fined by the league eight times for a total of $185,000 because of his public criticism of the league's referees. The amount of Thursday's fine equals the $35,000 that he was fined in December 2015.
George, playing in his first season with the Clippers, has averaged 22.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, four assists and 1.4 steals per game this year.


upi--2020-02-13--Elizabeth Warren announces plan to collect demographic data on Asian communities

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren introduced a plan Thursday that would collect demographic data on specific ethnicities within the Asian American , Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities .
Under the plan dubbed the `` Working Agenda for Asian Americans , Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders '' Warren said she would seek data to dispell the `` model minority myth '' surrounding what 's known as the AAPI community which can perpetuate a view of Asians as well-educated and financially well-off and cause the needs of low-income or otherwise underserved groups to be ignored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights issue , '' Warren said .
`` And from the wage gap to the 2020 census , communities that have been perpetually erased are calling to be counted and have their experiences made visible . ''
Warren pledges that within her first term as president she would form a White House task force on data equity to work with AAPI communities to collect comprehensive , disaggregated data in key surveys and implement a more inclusive census to ensure a full and accurate count of the 50 racial and ethnic groups in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measure what you care about -- and I care about building a government that works for everyone in the diverse AAPI community , '' she said .
The plan also outlines Warren 's stances on issues such as affordable housing , disability rights and criminal justice reform and how this data would allow for policies that address these issues according to the needs of the diverse AAPI community .
`` This is my commitment to AAPI communities .
When I 'm president , I will continue to fight and work with the communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the hands of working people , '' Warren said .

Elizabeth Warren introduced a plan Thursday calling for the collection of diversified data on Asian communities to better identify and solve the issues of its many ethnic and racial identities. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren introduced a plan Thursday that would collect demographic data on specific ethnicities within the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. Under the plan dubbed the "Working Agenda for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders" Warren said she would seek data to dispell the "model minority myth" surrounding what's known as the AAPI community which can perpetuate a view of Asians as well-educated and financially well-off and cause the needs of low-income or otherwise underserved groups to be ignored. Advertisement
"Data equity is a civil rights issue," Warren said. "And from the wage gap to the 2020 census, communities that have been perpetually erased are calling to be counted and have their experiences made visible."
Warren pledges that within her first term as president she would form a White House task force on data equity to work with AAPI communities to collect comprehensive, disaggregated data in key surveys and implement a more inclusive census to ensure a full and accurate count of the 50 racial and ethnic groups in the community.
"I believe that you measure what you care about -- and I care about building a government that works for everyone in the diverse AAPI community," she said.
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The plan also outlines Warren's stances on issues such as affordable housing, disability rights and criminal justice reform and how this data would allow for policies that address these issues according to the needs of the diverse AAPI community.
"This is my commitment to AAPI communities. When I'm president, I will continue to fight and work with the communities to put real economic and political power in the hands of working people," Warren said.


upi--2020-02-13--Chronic kidney disease kills more than 1M people annually worldwide

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- Chronic kidney disease has been described as a `` global killer in plain sight '' by the authors of a new analysis estimating prevalence of the condition .
In findings published Thursday in The Lancet , researchers estimate that chronic kidney disease caused 1.23 million deaths worldwide in 2017 .
The percentage of the general population requiring dialysis to manage kidney disease has also increased by 40 percent since 1990 , researchers report .
`` The evidence is clear : Many nations ' health systems can not keep pace with the dialysis demand , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of health metrics sciences at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington 's School of Medicine .
`` Cases far exceed and are well beyond the ability of those systems to handle .
The consequences , literally , are deadly . ''
High blood pressure and diabetes are considered the primary causes of chronic kidney disease , although there are other health conditions that have been linked with its development .
Environmental exposure to toxic substances may also play a role in some cases , experts say .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ found that chronic kidney disease was the 12th leading cause of death globally in 2017 , up from 17th in 1990 .
In all , there were nearly 700 million cases of chronic kidney disease in 2017 , and nearly one third of those patients lived in two countries -- China , which had 132 million cases , and India , which had 115 million .
In addition , another 10 nations -- the United States , Indonesia , Russia , Japan , Brazil , Pakistan , Mexico , Nigeria , Bangladesh and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million cases in 2017 .
In total , 79 of the 195 countries included in the study exceeded 1 million cases The researchers wrote many of these countries are unable to keep pace with the demand for dialysis , due to lack of resources .
There was a more than 15-fold difference in the burden of chronic kidney disease among countries : American Samoa , El Salvador , Federated States of Micronesia , Marshall Islands and Mauritius had the highest estimated rates of years lost to ill health with more than 1,500 per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iceland , and Slovenia had the lowest with fewer than 120 per 100,000 population .
In addition to deaths resulting from organ failure in chronic kidney disease , impaired kidney function increases risk for cardiovascular disease .
Globally , Vos and his team found that an additional 1.36 million deaths were attributable to cardiovascular disease resulting from impaired kidney function .

An analysis suggests prevalence of chronic kidney disease is growing globally, leading to more people requiring dialysis. Photo by VSRao /Pixabay
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Chronic kidney disease has been described as a "global killer in plain sight" by the authors of a new analysis estimating prevalence of the condition. In findings published Thursday in The Lancet, researchers estimate that chronic kidney disease caused 1.23 million deaths worldwide in 2017. Advertisement
The percentage of the general population requiring dialysis to manage kidney disease has also increased by 40 percent since 1990, researchers report.
"The evidence is clear: Many nations' health systems cannot keep pace with the dialysis demand," said co-author Theo Vos, professor of health metrics sciences at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington's School of Medicine. "Cases far exceed and are well beyond the ability of those systems to handle. The consequences, literally, are deadly."
High blood pressure and diabetes are considered the primary causes of chronic kidney disease, although there are other health conditions that have been linked with its development. Environmental exposure to toxic substances may also play a role in some cases, experts say.
In their analysis, Vos and colleagues found that chronic kidney disease was the 12th leading cause of death globally in 2017, up from 17th in 1990.
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In all, there were nearly 700 million cases of chronic kidney disease in 2017, and nearly one third of those patients lived in two countries -- China, which had 132 million cases, and India, which had 115 million.
In addition, another 10 nations -- the United States, Indonesia, Russia, Japan, Brazil, Pakistan, Mexico, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Vietnam -- each had more than 10 million cases in 2017. In total, 79 of the 195 countries included in the study exceeded 1 million cases
The researchers wrote many of these countries are unable to keep pace with the demand for dialysis, due to lack of resources.
There was a more than 15-fold difference in the burden of chronic kidney disease among countries: American Samoa, El Salvador, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Mauritius had the highest estimated rates of years lost to ill health with more than 1,500 per 100,000 population. Andorra, Finland, Iceland, and Slovenia had the lowest with fewer than 120 per 100,000 population.
In addition to deaths resulting from organ failure in chronic kidney disease, impaired kidney function increases risk for cardiovascular disease.
Globally, Vos and his team found that an additional 1.36 million deaths were attributable to cardiovascular disease resulting from impaired kidney function.


upi--2020-02-13--Andrew Cuomo, Donald Trump meeting 'productive,' Homeland Security secretary says

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- Department of Homeland Security acting Secretary Chad Wolf said President Donald Trump 's Thursday meeting with New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo about expedited entry programs was `` productive , '' but announced no solution to the impasse .
The three leaders met in the Oval Office to attempt to reach an agreement on federal access to immigrants ' driving records .
New York blocked the U.S. government from having access under the Green Light Law in December .
The law allows migrants to seek driver 's licenses even if they are in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Border Protection from accessing their data from the New York Department of Motor Vehicles without a subpoena or court order .
In retaliation , the U.S. government cut off New York residents from federal programs allowing them to use expedited lanes to cross the border or pass airport security .
Such programs aid , for example , residents who frequently travel between New York and Canada for business purposes .
Cuomo traveled to Washington , D.C. , to discuss a solution to the impasse Thursday .
`` The relationship between New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important but has been made difficult by the unilateral actions of New York State regarding the sharing of security information with DHS , '' Wolf said .
`` New York is the only state that restricts CBP access to their data across the board -- for law enforcement , customs , trade and travel facilitation purposes .
Despite that , we will continue discussions with the state of New York to find a mutually agreeable solution . ''
Trump tweeted about the meeting prior to Cuomo 's arrival .
`` I 'm seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He must understand that National Security far exceeds politics .
New York must stop all of its unnecessary lawsuits & harrassment , start cleaning itself up , and lowering taxes .
Build relationships , but do n't bring Fredo ! ''
It 's unclear what lawsuits and harassment Trump is referring to , though New York state currently has a number of legal actions against Trump , including one investigating his financial records and tax returns .
Rep. Val Demings , D-Fla. , accused Trump of attempting to blackmail New York into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet .
`` He 's holding New York state hostage to try to stop investigations into his prior tax fraud , '' she tweeted .

Neither President Donald Trump nor New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced an agreement on expedited entry programs. File Photo by Louis Lanzano/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Department of Homeland Security acting Secretary Chad Wolf said President Donald Trump's Thursday meeting with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo about expedited entry programs was "productive," but announced no solution to the impasse. The three leaders met in the Oval Office to attempt to reach an agreement on federal access to immigrants' driving records. Advertisement
New York blocked the U.S. government from having access under the Green Light Law in December. The law allows migrants to seek driver's licenses even if they are in the country illegally. It prevents U.S. Customs and Border Protection from accessing their data from the New York Department of Motor Vehicles without a subpoena or court order.
In retaliation, the U.S. government cut off New York residents from federal programs allowing them to use expedited lanes to cross the border or pass airport security. Such programs aid, for example, residents who frequently travel between New York and Canada for business purposes.
Cuomo traveled to Washington, D.C., to discuss a solution to the impasse Thursday.
"The relationship between New York state and the federal government is very important but has been made difficult by the unilateral actions of New York State regarding the sharing of security information with DHS," Wolf said. "New York is the only state that restricts CBP access to their data across the board -- for law enforcement, customs, trade and travel facilitation purposes. Despite that, we will continue discussions with the state of New York to find a mutually agreeable solution."
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Wolf didn't announce any solutions to disagreement.
Trump tweeted about the meeting prior to Cuomo's arrival.
"I'm seeing Governor Cuomo today at The White House. He must understand that National Security far exceeds politics. New York must stop all of its unnecessary lawsuits & harrassment, start cleaning itself up, and lowering taxes. Build relationships, but don't bring Fredo!"
It's unclear what lawsuits and harassment Trump is referring to, though New York state currently has a number of legal actions against Trump, including one investigating his financial records and tax returns.
Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., accused Trump of attempting to blackmail New York into giving him what he wants in the tweet.
"He's holding New York state hostage to try to stop investigations into his prior tax fraud," she tweeted.


upi--2020-02-13--2020 NBA All-Star Game: Suns' Devin Booker replaces injured Damian Lillard

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- Phoenix Suns star guard Devin Booker replaced injured Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard in this weekend 's 2020 NBA All-Star Game and 3-point contest .
The NBA named Booker as Lillard 's replacement in a news release Thursday , one day after Lillard sustained a right groin strain .
Booker , 23 , will make his first All-Star appearance in his fifth season in the league .
The Kentucky product is the NBA 's 10th-leading scorer this season , averaging 26.4 points per game .
Booker will be a member of Team LeBron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is one of the captains alongside Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo , welcomed Booker to his team with a post on social media Thursday .
Booker becomes the Suns ' first All-Star since Steve Nash in 2011-12 .
Although it is his first appearance in the game , Booker has been part of All-Star festivities in each of his five seasons in the league .
The sharpshooter has competed in the 3-point contest three times and won the event in 2018 .
He also participated in the 2016 and 2017 editions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 69th NBA All-Star Game will take place Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. EST in Chicago .

Phoenix Suns star guard Devin Booker (L) has averaged 26.4 points per game this season. File Photo by C.J. Gunther/EPA-EFE
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Phoenix Suns star guard Devin Booker replaced injured Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard in this weekend's 2020 NBA All-Star Game and 3-point contest. The NBA named Booker as Lillard's replacement in a news release Thursday, one day after Lillard sustained a right groin strain. Advertisement
Booker, 23, will make his first All-Star appearance in his fifth season in the league. The Kentucky product is the NBA's 10th-leading scorer this season, averaging 26.4 points per game.
Booker will be a member of Team LeBron in the All-Star matchup. LeBron James, who is one of the captains alongside Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, welcomed Booker to his team with a post on social media Thursday.
Booker becomes the Suns' first All-Star since Steve Nash in 2011-12. Although it is his first appearance in the game, Booker has been part of All-Star festivities in each of his five seasons in the league.
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The sharpshooter has competed in the 3-point contest three times and won the event in 2018. He also participated in the 2016 and 2017 editions of the Rising Stars Game.
The 69th NBA All-Star Game will take place Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. EST in Chicago.


upi--2020-02-13--Judge orders Pentagon to halt work on JEDI cloud computing network

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Pentagon to halt work on the 10-year , $ 10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure cloud computing network amid allegations that President Donald Trump improperly interfered in the bidding process .
The contract for the network , known as JEDI , was awarded to Microsoft in October , beating out Amazon , IBM , Oracle and Google during the selection process .
The Pentagon expressed disappointment with the ruling .
`` We are disappointed in today 's ruling and believe the actions taken in this litigation have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and put our nation 's warfighters in harm 's way , '' Defense Department spokeswoman Rachel VanJohnson said .
Amazon is suing the Department of Defense in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims , arguing that the president 's involvement skewed the playing field in Microsoft 's favor and alleging numerous errors in the Pentagon 's process of weighing bids between the two .
Amazon has also asked to depose President Trump and accused him of launching `` repeated public and behind-the-scenes attacks '' against the company and its founder , Jeff Bezos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In July , Trump drew scrutiny when he said he would look into complaints that the bidding process was tipped in favor of Amazon , of which he is an outspoken critic , and asked Defense Secretary Mark Esper to reexamine the department 's approach .
The contract is meant to create a large , centralized , secure network for the military and upgrade to its computer technology , which in some cases dates back to the 1980s and '90s .
`` We are confident in our award of the JEDI Cloud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting this critical capability into the hands of our warfighters as quickly and efficiently as possible , '' VanJohnson said .

A judge on Thursday ordered the Pentagon to stop work on its JEDI cloud program, a contract for which was awarded last year to Microsoft, as a lawsuit brought by Amazon questions the contract award process. Pictured, Amazon owner Jeff Bezos. File Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Pentagon to halt work on the 10-year, $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure cloud computing network amid allegations that President Donald Trump improperly interfered in the bidding process. The contract for the network, known as JEDI, was awarded to Microsoft in October, beating out Amazon, IBM, Oracle and Google during the selection process. Advertisement
The Pentagon expressed disappointment with the ruling.
"We are disappointed in today's ruling and believe the actions taken in this litigation have unnecessarily delayed implementing DoD's modernization strategy and put our nation's warfighters in harm's way," Defense Department spokeswoman Rachel VanJohnson said.
Amazon is suing the Department of Defense in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, arguing that the president's involvement skewed the playing field in Microsoft's favor and alleging numerous errors in the Pentagon's process of weighing bids between the two.
Amazon has also asked to depose President Trump and accused him of launching "repeated public and behind-the-scenes attacks" against the company and its founder, Jeff Bezos, who also owns the Washington Post.
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In July, Trump drew scrutiny when he said he would look into complaints that the bidding process was tipped in favor of Amazon, of which he is an outspoken critic, and asked Defense Secretary Mark Esper to reexamine the department's approach.
The contract is meant to create a large, centralized, secure network for the military and upgrade to its computer technology, which in some cases dates back to the 1980s and '90s.
"We are confident in our award of the JEDI Cloud contract to Microsoft and remain focused on getting this critical capability into the hands of our warfighters as quickly and efficiently as possible," VanJohnson said.


upi--2020-02-13--New antibiotics have a unique way of killing bacteria

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- Scientists have discovered a new kind of antibiotics that take a unique approach to attacking and killing bacteria .
The newly discovered antibiotic compound , corbomycin , as well as its relative complestatin , interfere with the functionality of the bacterial cell wall -- a previously unknown method of attack .
Both of the compounds belong to a family of antibiotics known as glycopeptides , which are synthesized by soil bacteria .
In the lab , scientists successfully used the two antibiotics to protect mice from the drug resistant bacteria Staphylococcus aureus .
Researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journal Nature .
`` Bacteria have a wall around the outside of their cells that gives them shape and is a source of strength , '' Beth Culp , the study 's first author and a doctoral candidate in biochemistry and biomedical sciences at McMaster University in Canada , said in a news release .
`` Antibiotics like penicillin kill bacteria by preventing building of the wall , but the antibiotics that we found actually work by doing the opposite -- they prevent the wall from being broken down .
This is critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are programmed to grow , divide and expand .
If cells ca n't break down their walls , they ca n't grow .
In their search for new ways of attacking bacteria , researchers surveyed the genome of the glycopeptides family tree , looking for bacteria without the DNA for known resistance mechanisms -- with the hope their search would turn up antibiotics that use novel ways of attacking bacteria .
`` We hypothesized that if the genes that made these antibiotics were different , maybe the way they killed the bacteria was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In collaboration with researchers at the University of Montreal , Culp and her colleagues at McMaster used advanced imaging to watch the effects of the two antibiotics on drug resistant bacteria cells .
The images confirmed that the two glycopeptide compounds attack the cell wall .
`` This approach can be applied to other antibiotics and help us discover new ones with different mechanisms of action , '' Culp said .
`` We found one completely new antibiotic in this study , but since then , we 've found a few others in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new mechanism . ''

Scientists tested the new antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus, a drug resistant bacteria that can cause a variety of dangerous infections in humans. Photo by Eric Erbe, Christopher Pooley/USDA/ Wikimedia Commons
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Scientists have discovered a new kind of antibiotics that take a unique approach to attacking and killing bacteria. The newly discovered antibiotic compound, corbomycin, as well as its relative complestatin, interfere with the functionality of the bacterial cell wall -- a previously unknown method of attack. Advertisement
Both of the compounds belong to a family of antibiotics known as glycopeptides, which are synthesized by soil bacteria.
In the lab, scientists successfully used the two antibiotics to protect mice from the drug resistant bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Researchers described the breakthrough this week in the journal Nature.
"Bacteria have a wall around the outside of their cells that gives them shape and is a source of strength," Beth Culp, the study's first author and a doctoral candidate in biochemistry and biomedical sciences at McMaster University in Canada, said in a news release. "Antibiotics like penicillin kill bacteria by preventing building of the wall, but the antibiotics that we found actually work by doing the opposite -- they prevent the wall from being broken down. This is critical for cell to divide."
Cells are programmed to grow, divide and expand. If cells can't break down their walls, they can't grow.
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In their search for new ways of attacking bacteria, researchers surveyed the genome of the glycopeptides family tree, looking for bacteria without the DNA for known resistance mechanisms -- with the hope their search would turn up antibiotics that use novel ways of attacking bacteria.
"We hypothesized that if the genes that made these antibiotics were different, maybe the way they killed the bacteria was also different," said Culp.
In collaboration with researchers at the University of Montreal, Culp and her colleagues at McMaster used advanced imaging to watch the effects of the two antibiotics on drug resistant bacteria cells. The images confirmed that the two glycopeptide compounds attack the cell wall.
"This approach can be applied to other antibiotics and help us discover new ones with different mechanisms of action," Culp said. "We found one completely new antibiotic in this study, but since then, we've found a few others in the same family that have this same new mechanism."


upi--2020-02-13--U.S. charges Huawei with racketeering and conspiracy to steal trade secrets

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- U.S. federal prosecutors charged Chinese tech company Huawei and two of its U.S. subsidiaries with racketeering and conspiracy to steal trade secrets on Thursday .
The new charges accuse the company of offering employees bonuses for obtaining confidential information and taking other actions to steal intellectual property from U.S. tech companies for decades , the indictment filed in federal court in Brooklyn states .
Prosecutors said Huawei was able to obtain nonpublic intellectual property about robotics , cellular-antenna technology and internet router source code from at least six U.S. companies , allowing it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Additionally , the indictment states that Huawei shipped goods and services to countries that are subject to U.S. sanctions including Iran and North Korea .
Thursday 's charges build on an indictment brought last year against the Huawei , its chief financial officer , Wanzhou Meng , as well as two affiliates -- Huawei Device USA Inc. and Skycom Tech Co. Ltd. -- accusing them of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran .
Huawei and Skycom were charged with bank fraud , conspiracy to commit bank fraud , wire fraud , conspiracy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International Emergency Economic Powers Act , conspiracy to violate IEEPA and conspiracy to commit money laundering .
The indictment accuses employees of lying about Huawei 's relationship to Skycom , which is based in Iran , by saying it was not an affiliate of Huawei and alleging Meng and other employees falsely claimed that Huawei had sold its interest in Skycom to an unrelated third party in 2007 .

U.S. federal prosecutors on Thursday charged Chinese smartphone company Huawei with racketeering and conspiracy to steal trade secrets. File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. federal prosecutors charged Chinese tech company Huawei and two of its U.S. subsidiaries with racketeering and conspiracy to steal trade secrets on Thursday. The new charges accuse the company of offering employees bonuses for obtaining confidential information and taking other actions to steal intellectual property from U.S. tech companies for decades, the indictment filed in federal court in Brooklyn states. Advertisement
Prosecutors said Huawei was able to obtain nonpublic intellectual property about robotics, cellular-antenna technology and internet router source code from at least six U.S. companies, allowing it to cut down on cost and research-and-development time.
Additionally, the indictment states that Huawei shipped goods and services to countries that are subject to U.S. sanctions including Iran and North Korea.
Thursday's charges build on an indictment brought last year against the Huawei, its chief financial officer, Wanzhou Meng, as well as two affiliates -- Huawei Device USA Inc. and Skycom Tech Co. Ltd. -- accusing them of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.
Huawei and Skycom were charged with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, conspiracy to violate IEEPA and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
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The indictment accuses employees of lying about Huawei's relationship to Skycom, which is based in Iran, by saying it was not an affiliate of Huawei and alleging Meng and other employees falsely claimed that Huawei had sold its interest in Skycom to an unrelated third party in 2007.


upi--2020-02-13--Yosemite's Horsetail 'firefall' may not be visible this year

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- Due to a lack of water , Yosemite 's Horsetail Fall may not flow @ @ @ @ @ `` firefall '' phenomenon may not be visible .
The waterfall falls over the edge @ @ @ @ @ vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park in California .
The water usually only falls @ @ @ @ @ sunset in February , the backlighting from the sun can create a `` firefall '' @ @ @ @ @ trail of water appears gold or orange .
The phenomenon draws thousands of tourists each @ @ @ @ @ put in place measures to prevent damage to surrounding vegetation as hikers get in place @ @ @ @ @ year , the park warned there may be nothing to see at all , as @ @ @ @ @ to no water . ''
Sight of the `` firefall '' can be hit or @ @ @ @ @ `` even some haze or minor cloudiness can greatly diminish or eliminate the effect , @ @ @ @ @ its website .

Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Due to a lack of water, Yosemite's Horsetail Fall may not flow this year meaning the glowing "firefall" phenomenon may not be visible.
The waterfall falls over the edge of El Capitan, a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park in California. The water usually only falls during the winter and during sunset in February, the backlighting from the sun can create a "firefall" effect in which the thin trail of water appears gold or orange.
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The phenomenon draws thousands of tourists each year, requiring Yosemite to put in place measures to prevent damage to surrounding vegetation as hikers get in place for a view.
This year, the park warned there may be nothing to see at all, as Horsetail Fall has "little to no water."
Sight of the "firefall" can be hit or miss each February, as "even some haze or minor cloudiness can greatly diminish or eliminate the effect," the park says on its website.
#FlashbackFriday to this stunning pic of last year's Horsetail Fall @YosemiteNPS glowing like fire https://t.co/hf5aKhyPiR Pic: William Rainey pic.twitter.com/Ux0uNtEeec— US Department of the Interior (@Interior) February 16, 2018


upi--2020-02-13--Survey: Most Americans say diet affects global warming 'a little'

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- A national survey published Thursday suggests most Americans think food production affects global warming `` a little . ''
The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the Earth Day Network released the survey data in a report titled `` Climate Change and the American Diet . ''
`` Food production is among the leading sources of greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming , '' generating up to 30 percent of total global emissions , with livestock generating the highest levels of emissions and fruit and vegetables generating the least , the report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adults surveyed acknowledged that production of beef , pork , dairy and or poultry contributes to global warming at least `` a little , '' but 23 percent said beef does not contribute to global warming at all and 20 percent saying they do not know the impact .
Similarly , 23 percent said that dairy products do not contribute to global warming at all and 23 percent said they did not know the impact .
The report indicated many are interested in plant-based diets , but need more information about environmental impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 51 percent said they would be willing to eat more plant-based foods .
`` Many American consumers are interested in eating a more healthy and climate-friendly diet , '' Yale Program on Climate Change Communication Director Anthony Leiserowitz said in a statement .
`` However , many simply do n't know yet which products are better or worse -- a huge communication opportunity for food producers , distributors and sellers . ''
Cost , taste , and convenience were cited in the report as barriers to a plant-based diet , with lower-income U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say they lack access to fresh fruits and vegetables at nearby grocery stores and more likely to say it costs too much .
Only 4 percent identified as vegetarian or vegan , but 20 percent said they use plant-based alternatives about two to five times a week or more often .
About the same percentage , 21 percent , said they have not bought food products in the last year from food companies not taking steps to reduce their environmental impact .
Half of U.S. adults also said they would be willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends ate more plant-based foods instead of meat , but the majority , 70 percent , rarely or never talk to family of friends about environmental impact of foods .
Still , the top motivation for eating plant-based food was health at 91 percent , compared to how food companies affect the environment at 71 percent and helping to reduce global warming at 64 percent .
The report is based on a survey of 1,043 adults with a margin of error of 3 percentage points .

A national survey released Thursday found that Americans think if everyone ate a more plant-based died it would reduce global warming "a little." File Photo by Justin Lane/EPA-EFE
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- A national survey published Thursday suggests most Americans think food production affects global warming "a little." The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the Earth Day Network released the survey data in a report titled "Climate Change and the American Diet." Advertisement
"Food production is among the leading sources of greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming," generating up to 30 percent of total global emissions, with livestock generating the highest levels of emissions and fruit and vegetables generating the least, the report said.
More than half of U.S. adults surveyed acknowledged that production of beef, pork, dairy and or poultry contributes to global warming at least "a little," but 23 percent said beef does not contribute to global warming at all and 20 percent saying they do not know the impact. Similarly, 23 percent said that dairy products do not contribute to global warming at all and 23 percent said they did not know the impact.
The report indicated many are interested in plant-based diets, but need more information about environmental impact. In light of such information, 51 percent said they would be willing to eat more plant-based foods.
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"Many American consumers are interested in eating a more healthy and climate-friendly diet," Yale Program on Climate Change Communication Director Anthony Leiserowitz said in a statement. "However, many simply don't know yet which products are better or worse -- a huge communication opportunity for food producers, distributors and sellers."
Cost, taste, and convenience were cited in the report as barriers to a plant-based diet, with lower-income U.S. adults in particular being more likely to say they lack access to fresh fruits and vegetables at nearby grocery stores and more likely to say it costs too much.
Only 4 percent identified as vegetarian or vegan, but 20 percent said they use plant-based alternatives about two to five times a week or more often. About the same percentage, 21 percent, said they have not bought food products in the last year from food companies not taking steps to reduce their environmental impact.
Half of U.S. adults also said they would be willing to eat more plant-based foods if family and friends ate more plant-based foods instead of meat, but the majority, 70 percent, rarely or never talk to family of friends about environmental impact of foods.
Still, the top motivation for eating plant-based food was health at 91 percent, compared to how food companies affect the environment at 71 percent and helping to reduce global warming at 64 percent.
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The report is based on a survey of 1,043 adults with a margin of error of 3 percentage points.


upi--2020-02-13--Senators grill Trump's Federal Reserve nominee in hearing

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- Senators across the political aisle grilled President Donald Trump 's Federal Reserve nominee Judy Shelton Thursday in a confirmation hearing over her past writings on the gold standard and foreign exchange .
Shelton , a former economic adviser to Trump 's 2016 presidential campaign , has faced criticism even from conservative commentators for writing an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal in 2009 urging the United States to `` go back to the gold standard , '' a policy of linking the U.S. dollar to gold , which few economists support .
Since then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I would not advocate going back to prior historical monetary arrangement , '' she told the Senate Banking Committee confirmation hearing Thursday , regarding the gold standard .
`` I have looked at historical systems going back to the beginning of our country , because I think you can gain valuable insights by comparing economic performance under one set of monetary rules versus another .
But money only moves forward . ''
Still , Republican Sen. Richard Shelby , R-Ala. , said he was `` troubled '' over her previous writings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an outlier '' and `` not mainstream '' in her thinking .
Sen. Sherrod Brown , D-Ohio , the leading Democrat on the panel , voiced concern not only about her ideas , but also the shift in views .
`` The bottom line is , Ms. Shelton has too many alarming ideas and has flip-flopped on too many important issues to be confirmed for this job , '' Brown said .
Republican Sen. Patrick Toomey , R-Pa. , questioned Shelton about her views on foreign exchange .
`` We do n't get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I 'm concerned about the extent to which you advocate for our monetary policy to be influenced and reactive to the foreign exchange behavior of other countries , '' Toomey said .
`` It would be anathema to me to suggest that we devalue our money to gain a trade advantage , '' Shelton responded .
`` What I 'm saying is that within the context for the framework for monetary policy , we also have to look at the impact on employment and on stable prices .
And if other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it can effect employment . ''
Shelton could reportedly become Trump 's fifth Fed nominee to not to get confirmed by the GOP-controlled senate if she loses even two Republican votes in committee with Democrats strong opposition .

The Federal Reserve building is seen in Washington. File Photo by Alexis C. Glenn/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Senators across the political aisle grilled President Donald Trump's Federal Reserve nominee Judy Shelton Thursday in a confirmation hearing over her past writings on the gold standard and foreign exchange. Shelton, a former economic adviser to Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, has faced criticism even from conservative commentators for writing an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal in 2009 urging the United States to "go back to the gold standard," a policy of linking the U.S. dollar to gold, which few economists support. Advertisement
Since then, she has shifted her views.
"I would not advocate going back to prior historical monetary arrangement," she told the Senate Banking Committee confirmation hearing Thursday, regarding the gold standard. "I have looked at historical systems going back to the beginning of our country, because I think you can gain valuable insights by comparing economic performance under one set of monetary rules versus another. But money only moves forward."
Still, Republican Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said he was "troubled" over her previous writings, and further questioned whether she is "an outlier" and "not mainstream" in her thinking.
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Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, the leading Democrat on the panel, voiced concern not only about her ideas, but also the shift in views.
"The bottom line is, Ms. Shelton has too many alarming ideas and has flip-flopped on too many important issues to be confirmed for this job," Brown said.
Republican Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., questioned Shelton about her views on foreign exchange.
"We don't get to control other countries' monetary behavior, and I'm concerned about the extent to which you advocate for our monetary policy to be influenced and reactive to the foreign exchange behavior of other countries," Toomey said.
"It would be anathema to me to suggest that we devalue our money to gain a trade advantage," Shelton responded. "What I'm saying is that within the context for the framework for monetary policy, we also have to look at the impact on employment and on stable prices. And if other central banks engage in those unfair practices, it can effect employment."
Shelton could reportedly become Trump's fifth Fed nominee to not to get confirmed by the GOP-controlled senate if she loses even two Republican votes in committee with Democrats strong opposition.


upi--2020-02-13--DoD looks to divert $3.8B from weapons programs to border wall

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- The Department of Defense has asked to divert $ 3.8 billion from weapons procurement to construction of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border .
According to a reprogramming request , the Pentagon would shift $ 2.02 billion in fiscal 2020 defense appropriations and $ 1.6 billion in fiscal 2020 overseas contingency operations in order to fund construction of the wall .
On the chopping block are aircraft purchases , including some F-35 joint strike fighters , C-130J cargo aircraft , MQ-9 Reaper drones and P-8 maritime surveillance planes , as well as ground vehicles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Navy and Marine Corps would go down by $ 558 million if the request is honored , and by $ 861 million for the Air Force .
President Donald Trump 's 2016 presidential campaign was fueled in part by promises to expand the border wall , which began construction in 2006 , and continuing construction has been a key priority as he faces re-election in November .
A joint statement from House Appropriations Committee Chair Rep. Nita M. Lowey , D-N.Y. , and Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Rep. Pete Visclosky , D-Ind.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vanity project '' and called on congressional Republicans to stand up to the president .
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith , D-Wash. , said the project would have a negative effect on national security .
`` The President loves to take credit for 'rebuilding ' the military , but today 's reprogramming decision does the exact opposite -- it will prevent the acquisition of critical ships , vehicles , and aircraft , '' Smith wrote .
`` Of the $ 3.8 billion that the President will raid for the wall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account , robbing every state and territory of critical funds specifically added by Congress to address dual-purpose equipment shortfalls -- such as fire-fighting , engineering , and communications equipment -- to support local authorities for public safety and natural disaster response . ''
He also wrote that the administration 's practice of diverting defense funds to pay for the border wall `` does not match their rhetoric '' of prioritizing the `` great power competition with Russia and China . ''
In September 2019 , the Pentagon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding for 127 military construction projects to fund 11 border wall construction projects .

People in El Paso wave through the border wall to their families in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, in October 2019. The Pentagon has asked to divert $3.8 billion in funding for weapons procurement to expand construction of a wall along the southern border of the United States. File Photo by Justin Hamel/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- The Department of Defense has asked to divert $3.8 billion from weapons procurement to construction of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. According to a reprogramming request, the Pentagon would shift $2.02 billion in fiscal 2020 defense appropriations and $1.6 billion in fiscal 2020 overseas contingency operations in order to fund construction of the wall. Advertisement
On the chopping block are aircraft purchases, including some F-35 joint strike fighters, C-130J cargo aircraft, MQ-9 Reaper drones and P-8 maritime surveillance planes, as well as ground vehicles and naval equipment.
Aircraft procurement for the Navy and Marine Corps would go down by $558 million if the request is honored, and by $861 million for the Air Force.
President Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign was fueled in part by promises to expand the border wall, which began construction in 2006, and continuing construction has been a key priority as he faces re-election in November.
Congressional Democrats immediately condemned the potential diversion of funds.
A joint statement from House Appropriations Committee Chair Rep. Nita M. Lowey, D-N.Y., and Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., called the wall "a political vanity project" and called on congressional Republicans to stand up to the president.
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House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., said the project would have a negative effect on national security.
"The President loves to take credit for 'rebuilding' the military, but today's reprogramming decision does the exact opposite -- it will prevent the acquisition of critical ships, vehicles, and aircraft," Smith wrote. "Of the $3.8 billion that the President will raid for the wall, $1.5 billion will come from the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account, robbing every state and territory of critical funds specifically added by Congress to address dual-purpose equipment shortfalls -- such as fire-fighting, engineering, and communications equipment -- to support local authorities for public safety and natural disaster response."
He also wrote that the administration's practice of diverting defense funds to pay for the border wall "does not match their rhetoric" of prioritizing the "great power competition with Russia and China."
In September 2019, the Pentagon approved reallocation of $3.6 billion in funding for 127 military construction projects to fund 11 border wall construction projects.


upi--2020-02-13--Dramatic temp plunge, snow clamp an icy grip on northern U.S.

Temperatures crashed by dozens of degrees in portions of the northern and central Plains as snow and wind whipped across the region at midweek -- and forecasters say that dangerous conditions could develop as temperatures take a freefall across the Midwest into Friday night .
Marginally cold conditions have swooped in following storms in the Midwest so far this winter , but the current temperature plunge sweeping across the region has really sunk its teeth in .
Actual temperatures took a freefall to as low as 30 to 10 degrees below zero Fahrenheit in the Dakotas , northwestern Iowa , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday morning .
By Thursday morning , temperatures in Minneapolis dropped 42 degrees , falling to minus 10 degrees .
In Des Moines , Iowa , actual temperatures plummeted from 35 above zero at 4 p.m. EST Wednesday to 10 below zero at 9 a.m. Thursday .
Many schools across Iowa , including Des Moines Public Schools , and Minnesota had two-hour delays due to frigid conditions on Thursday , and some even closed , such as Cedar Rapids Schools .
Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools did not delay Thursday due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ below zero F , which was not met .
In Chicago , the morning rush hour began with temperatures near 32 F , but temperatures had plummeted into the mid-teens by the end of the morning rush Thursday .
The combination of the storm over the Midwest and Arctic air lunging southeastward helped to produce blizzard conditions over the northern Plains on Wednesday , closing portions of highways , including Interstate 29 , across the region .
`` Do not travel '' advisories were issued by the North Dakota Department of Transportation across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grand Forks National Weather Service office said that travel conditions were `` near impossible '' for a time .
Places in North Dakota also experienced some of the most extreme temperature swings on Wednesday .
In Grand Forks , temperatures dropped 81 degrees Fahrenheit within eight hours .
Some unique weather phenomena occurred amid the brutal cold , one of which is known as a sun halo .
Residents in Grand Forks captured this rare occurrence on Thursday morning .
The halos are created through the reflection and dispersion of light from ice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause by freezing weather .
Sea smoke , another spectacle triggered by the painful cold , created an eerie start to the coldest morning of the season in Minnesota .
Although blizzard conditions and the most extreme cold are not anticipated for much of the Midwest , the Arctic blast advancing over the region is expected to produce the lowest temperatures of the season so far for many locations .
As snow plowed eastward , 2-6 inches accumulated from Chicago to Indianapolis and Columbus , Ohio .
Snowy conditions and plunging temperatures have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of arriving and departing flights at Chicago 's O'Hare International Airport as of early afternoon on Thursday , according to FlightAware .
As the leading edge of Arctic air advances across the lower Great Lakes region and part of the Ohio Valley , temperatures will fall several degrees and even plummet 20 degrees or more during the day Thursday .

Temperatures crashed by dozens of degrees in portions of the northern and central Plains as snow and wind whipped across the region at midweek -- and forecasters say that dangerous conditions could develop as temperatures take a freefall across the Midwest into Friday night.
Marginally cold conditions have swooped in following storms in the Midwest so far this winter, but the current temperature plunge sweeping across the region has really sunk its teeth in.
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Actual temperatures took a freefall to as low as 30 to 10 degrees below zero Fahrenheit in the Dakotas, northwestern Iowa, much of Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin on Thursday morning.
Actual temperatures centered on the midwestern United States at 10 a.m. EST Thursday. Image by AccuWeather
By Thursday morning, temperatures in Minneapolis dropped 42 degrees, falling to minus 10 degrees.
In Des Moines, Iowa, actual temperatures plummeted from 35 above zero at 4 p.m. EST Wednesday to 10 below zero at 9 a.m. Thursday.
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Many schools across Iowa, including Des Moines Public Schools, and Minnesota had two-hour delays due to frigid conditions on Thursday, and some even closed, such as Cedar Rapids Schools.
Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools did not delay Thursday due to their threshold for delaying schools being 35 below zero F, which was not met.
In Chicago, the morning rush hour began with temperatures near 32 F, but temperatures had plummeted into the mid-teens by the end of the morning rush Thursday.
The combination of the storm over the Midwest and Arctic air lunging southeastward helped to produce blizzard conditions over the northern Plains on Wednesday, closing portions of highways, including Interstate 29, across the region.
"Do not travel" advisories were issued by the North Dakota Department of Transportation across eastern portions of the state as the Grand Forks National Weather Service office said that travel conditions were "near impossible" for a time.
Places in North Dakota also experienced some of the most extreme temperature swings on Wednesday. In Grand Forks, temperatures dropped 81 degrees Fahrenheit within eight hours.
Some unique weather phenomena occurred amid the brutal cold, one of which is known as a sun halo. Residents in Grand Forks captured this rare occurrence on Thursday morning. The halos are created through the reflection and dispersion of light from ice particles found in cirrus or cirrostratus clouds cause by freezing weather. Sea smoke, another spectacle triggered by the painful cold, created an eerie start to the coldest morning of the season in Minnesota.
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Although blizzard conditions and the most extreme cold are not anticipated for much of the Midwest, the Arctic blast advancing over the region is expected to produce the lowest temperatures of the season so far for many locations.
As snow plowed eastward, 2-6 inches accumulated from Chicago to Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio. Snowy conditions and plunging temperatures have prompted 300 cancellations and nearly 1,000 delays of arriving and departing flights at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport as of early afternoon on Thursday, according to FlightAware.
As the leading edge of Arctic air advances across the lower Great Lakes region and part of the Ohio Valley, temperatures will fall several degrees and even plummet 20 degrees or more during the day Thursday.


upi--2020-02-13--Oklahoma to resume lethal injections 5 years after botched execution of Clayton Lockett

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- Oklahoma officials announced Thursday plans to resume executions in the state nearly six years after the use of an incorrect drug led to the botched execution of a murderer .
Gov .
Kevin Stitt said that after mulling the option of using nitrogen gas to cary out executions , the state has now found a `` reliable supply of drugs '' to resume lethal injections .
`` It is important that the state is implementing our death penalty law with a procedure that is humane and swift for those convicted of the most heinous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a news conference with Attorney General Mike Hunter and Department of Corrections Director Scott Crow .
`` Director Crow and Attorney General Mike Hunter have worked diligently and thoroughly to create a path forward to resume the death penalty in Oklahoma , and the time has come to deliver accountability and justice to the victims who have suffered unthinkable loss and pain . ''
Oklahoma 's lethal injection protocol came under scrutiny in 2014 when Clayton Lockett died of a heart attack amid complications during his execution .
Autopsy reports released a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong drug -- potassium acetate instead of potassium chloride -- during the process .
Lockett complained of a burning sensation and attempted to raise his head and speak after doctors declared he was unconscious .
The same incorrect drug was delivered to corrections officials for use in the planned 2015 execution of Richard Glossip .
Former Gov .
Mary Ballin called off Glossip 's execution with a last-minute , indefinite stay after she learned of the discrepancy .
Oklahoma has carried out only one other execution since Lockett 's , that of Charles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nine-month stay due to the previous botched lethal injection .
Since then , the state had an unofficial moratorium on executions as it attempted to secure a supply of lethal injection drugs .
Oklahoma uses a three-drug cocktail of midazolam , vecuronium bromide and potassium chloride .
Ryan Kiesel , executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma , said the organization disagrees with Oklahoma 's decision to resume executions and points to its past `` miserable and grisly '' failures .
`` The government 's actions remain shrouded in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share important details of the execution protocol .
In short , the government 's stated position is 'trust us , ' '' he said .
`` Combine the random nature of who gets the death penalty , with the state 's repeated failures in carrying out executions , the government 's refusal to share information , and the possibility of Oklahoma executing an innocent person , and it just seems like common sense that we should not trust the government with this awesome and irrevocable power . ''
Executions in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states started running out of the essential lethal injection drug pentobarbital .
The European Union in 2011 voted to prohibit the sale of the drug and seven other barbiturates to the United States for use in torture or executions .
Other pharmaceutical companies have refused to sell drugs for lethal injection purposes outright , and some will only sell if their name is kept confidential .
Now states are being forced to use new drug cocktails , scramble to restock their stores of drugs and review their lethal injection policies .
In 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced it would use nitrogen gas inhalation as its primary method of execution .
Officials , though , had difficulty finding a manufacturer to sell a method for administering the gas for an execution .
Additionally , state law says nitrogen hypoxia may be used for executions only if drugs for lethal injections are unavailable .
`` My commitment to Oklahomans who remain tormented by the loss of their loved ones has been that we would go any route necessary to resume executions as expeditiously as possible within the rule of law , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endured enough through the decades of waiting on the lengthy appeals process and the state 's attempts to get the protocol right .
I appreciate Director Crow and his team for their tireless search to acquire the drugs from a reliable source .
Because of these efforts , we can finally tell the victims their wait for justice is nearly over . ''
Forty-seven people currently sit on death row in Oklahoma , including 30 who have exhausted the appeals process and are eligible for execution dates .

Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Oklahoma officials announced Thursday plans to resume executions in the state nearly six years after the use of an incorrect drug led to the botched execution of a murderer.
Gov. Kevin Stitt said that after mulling the option of using nitrogen gas to cary out executions, the state has now found a "reliable supply of drugs" to resume lethal injections.
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"It is important that the state is implementing our death penalty law with a procedure that is humane and swift for those convicted of the most heinous of crimes," he said during a news conference with Attorney General Mike Hunter and Department of Corrections Director Scott Crow.
"Director Crow and Attorney General Mike Hunter have worked diligently and thoroughly to create a path forward to resume the death penalty in Oklahoma, and the time has come to deliver accountability and justice to the victims who have suffered unthinkable loss and pain."
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Oklahoma's lethal injection protocol came under scrutiny in 2014 when Clayton Lockett died of a heart attack amid complications during his execution.
Autopsy reports released a year later indicated Oklahoma corrections officials used the wrong drug -- potassium acetate instead of potassium chloride -- during the process. Lockett complained of a burning sensation and attempted to raise his head and speak after doctors declared he was unconscious.
The same incorrect drug was delivered to corrections officials for use in the planned 2015 execution of Richard Glossip. Former Gov. Mary Fallin called off Glossip's execution with a last-minute, indefinite stay after she learned of the discrepancy.
Oklahoma has carried out only one other execution since Lockett's, that of Charles Warner in January 2015. He received a nine-month stay due to the previous botched lethal injection.
Since then, the state had an unofficial moratorium on executions as it attempted to secure a supply of lethal injection drugs. Oklahoma uses a three-drug cocktail of midazolam, vecuronium bromide and potassium chloride.
Ryan Kiesel, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma, said the organization disagrees with Oklahoma's decision to resume executions and points to its past "miserable and grisly" failures.
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"The government's actions remain shrouded in secrecy and they continue to refuse to share important details of the execution protocol. In short, the government's stated position is 'trust us,'" he said.
"Combine the random nature of who gets the death penalty, with the state's repeated failures in carrying out executions, the government's refusal to share information, and the possibility of Oklahoma executing an innocent person, and it just seems like common sense that we should not trust the government with this awesome and irrevocable power."
Executions in the United States have undergone changes in recent years after states started running out of the essential lethal injection drug pentobarbital. The European Union in 2011 voted to prohibit the sale of the drug and seven other barbiturates to the United States for use in torture or executions. Other pharmaceutical companies have refused to sell drugs for lethal injection purposes outright, and some will only sell if their name is kept confidential.
Now states are being forced to use new drug cocktails, scramble to restock their stores of drugs and review their lethal injection policies.
In 2018, Oklahoma's attorney general's office announced it would use nitrogen gas inhalation as its primary method of execution. Officials, though, had difficulty finding a manufacturer to sell a method for administering the gas for an execution. Additionally, state law says nitrogen hypoxia may be used for executions only if drugs for lethal injections are unavailable.
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"My commitment to Oklahomans who remain tormented by the loss of their loved ones has been that we would go any route necessary to resume executions as expeditiously as possible within the rule of law," Hunter said.
"They have endured enough through the decades of waiting on the lengthy appeals process and the state's attempts to get the protocol right. I appreciate Director Crow and his team for their tireless search to acquire the drugs from a reliable source. Because of these efforts, we can finally tell the victims their wait for justice is nearly over."
Forty-seven people currently sit on death row in Oklahoma, including 30 who have exhausted the appeals process and are eligible for execution dates.


upi--2020-02-13--'Tough guys' at higher risk for suicide

'Tough guys' at higher risk for suicide

Young men who believe that `` real men do n't cry '' may be more prone to suicide , a new study suggests .
It has long been known that men are more likely than women to end their own lives : In the United States , the suicide death rate among men is about 3.5 times that of women , according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The statistics raise the question of whether traditional norms about masculinity could play some role , said lead researcher Daniel Coleman .
On the face of it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those expectations of `` manly '' men -- which include denying emotions , not reaching out for help , and aggressiveness -- could contribute to suicide risk .
But it 's also a challenging subject to study , said Coleman , an associate professor in the Graduate School of Social Services at Fordham University in New York City .
To start to dig into it , his team used data from a health study that began tracking over 20,700 U.S. teenagers back in 1995 .
By 2014 , 22 of them had died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whom were men .
The researchers found that young men who 'd scored in the `` high traditional masculinity '' range were 2.4 times more likely to die by suicide than other men .
That measure was based on traits like `` not crying , '' a resistance to being `` emotional '' or `` moody , '' staying physically fit , and `` risk-taking . ''
Why would men who strive for those norms be at greater risk of suicide ?
The findings suggest there could be an indirect `` web '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were high in traditional masculinity were also more likely in their youth to have ever used a weapon , been expelled from school or in serious fights , or run away from home .
They were also more likely than other men to have a family member who 'd died by suicide .
And all of those factors , in turn , were related to a higher risk of suicide .
That suggests beliefs about masculine norms could be part of what underlies those other risk factors for suicide .
So if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , it might be possible to sway a number of the things that drive men 's suicide risk .
For example , he noted , it 's common for men to have a generally `` rigid coping style '' -- where they react to situations like a job loss or relationship loss in an unhealthy way , instead of seeking help .
They need to know `` it 's OK to reach out and accept help , '' Coleman said .
`` Do n't get into that shortsighted place where you start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
However , only an association was seen rather than a cause-and-effect link .
And Coleman stressed that his findings are based on a small number of suicide deaths , and more studies are needed to back up the results .
The findings , published online Feb. 12 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry , come amid a rising suicide rate among Americans overall .
A 2019 study , for example , found a 41 percent increase in the U.S. suicide rate between 1999 and 2016 .
Suicide deaths reveal only part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study found that over just one year -- 2017 to 2018 -- the number of Americans coming to the emergency room for help with suicidal thoughts shot up by more than 25 percent .
`` The current suicide rate in this country is very high , '' said Dr. Ken Duckworth , medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness , in Arlington , Va .
He said it 's thought that men have far higher death rates than women because they tend to use more lethal means when they attempt suicide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the question , 'Are certain men more prone than others to attempt suicide by violent means ? '
'' said Duckworth , who was n't part of the research .
He called the findings `` interesting , '' and praised the researchers for tackling a difficult question to study .
But , Duckworth added , it 's not clear how , on an individual basis , mental health professionals could use the information in helping male patients .
On the other hand , he said , the findings do point to broad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are we enculturating our sons about what it is to be a man ? ''
Duckworth said .
To get help for yourself or someone else , visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline .

Young men who believe that "real men don't cry" may be more prone to suicide, a new study suggests.
It has long been known that men are more likely than women to end their own lives: In the United States, the suicide death rate among men is about 3.5 times that of women, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Advertisement
The statistics raise the question of whether traditional norms about masculinity could play some role, said lead researcher Daniel Coleman.
On the face of it, he explained, it makes sense that those expectations of "manly" men -- which include denying emotions, not reaching out for help, and aggressiveness -- could contribute to suicide risk.
But it's also a challenging subject to study, said Coleman, an associate professor in the Graduate School of Social Services at Fordham University in New York City.
Advertisement
To start to dig into it, his team used data from a health study that began tracking over 20,700 U.S. teenagers back in 1995. By 2014, 22 of them had died by suicide -- all but one of whom were men.
The researchers found that young men who'd scored in the "high traditional masculinity" range were 2.4 times more likely to die by suicide than other men.
That measure was based on traits like "not crying," a resistance to being "emotional" or "moody," staying physically fit, and "risk-taking."
Why would men who strive for those norms be at greater risk of suicide? The findings suggest there could be an indirect "web" of influences, Coleman said.
Men who were high in traditional masculinity were also more likely in their youth to have ever used a weapon, been expelled from school or in serious fights, or run away from home. They were also more likely than other men to have a family member who'd died by suicide. And all of those factors, in turn, were related to a higher risk of suicide.
That suggests beliefs about masculine norms could be part of what underlies those other risk factors for suicide. So if those beliefs could be addressed, Coleman said, it might be possible to sway a number of the things that drive men's suicide risk.
Advertisement
For example, he noted, it's common for men to have a generally "rigid coping style" -- where they react to situations like a job loss or relationship loss in an unhealthy way, instead of seeking help.
They need to know "it's OK to reach out and accept help," Coleman said. "Don't get into that shortsighted place where you start to pull away from connections to others."
However, only an association was seen rather than a cause-and-effect link. And Coleman stressed that his findings are based on a small number of suicide deaths, and more studies are needed to back up the results.
The findings, published online Feb. 12 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, come amid a rising suicide rate among Americans overall. A 2019 study, for example, found a 41 percent increase in the U.S. suicide rate between 1999 and 2016.
Suicide deaths reveal only part of the problem, however. A recent study found that over just one year -- 2017 to 2018 -- the number of Americans coming to the emergency room for help with suicidal thoughts shot up by more than 25 percent.
"The current suicide rate in this country is very high," said Dr. Ken Duckworth, medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, in Arlington, Va.
Advertisement
He said it's thought that men have far higher death rates than women because they tend to use more lethal means when they attempt suicide.
"This study starts to get at the question, 'Are certain men more prone than others to attempt suicide by violent means?'" said Duckworth, who wasn't part of the research.
He called the findings "interesting," and praised the researchers for tackling a difficult question to study. But, Duckworth added, it's not clear how, on an individual basis, mental health professionals could use the information in helping male patients.
On the other hand, he said, the findings do point to broad issues to be addressed.
"How are we enculturating our sons about what it is to be a man?" Duckworth said.
More information
To get help for yourself or someone else, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-02-13--Watch: Shark bites the side of New Zealand researcher's boat

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- A New Zealand researcher shared video of the moment a curious mako shark swam @ @ @ @ @ to bite the side of his boat .
Riley Elliot , a marine biologist and @ @ @ @ @ The Shark Man , '' posted a video to Instagram showing the moment the shark @ @ @ @ @ of the boat .
The shark let go after only a brief moment , and @ @ @ @ @ damaged the boat .
Elliot said the shark was not acting aggressively and the bite @ @ @ @ @ to investigate the large object in the water .
He said he later went diving @ @ @ @ @

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Feb. 13 (UPI) -- A New Zealand researcher shared video of the moment a curious mako shark swam up and used its jaws to bite the side of his boat.
Riley Elliot, a marine biologist and shark expert known as "The Shark Man," posted a video to Instagram showing the moment the shark chomped down on the side of the boat.
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The shark let go after only a brief moment, and didn't appear to have damaged the boat.
Elliot said the shark was not acting aggressively and the bite was likely just an attempt to investigate the large object in the water. He said he later went diving with the same shark.


upi--2020-02-13--Senate passes measure curbing Trump's war powers

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. Senate passed a resolution Thursday to limit President Donald Trump 's authority to take military action against Iran .
The 55-45 vote came after Trump 's Jan. 2 order of an airstrike that killed top Iranian general Qassim Soleimani drew condemnation from Democrats and some Republicans , which prompted the War Powers resolution .
The bipartisan War Powers measure , authored by Sen. Tim Kaine , D-Va. , requires the president to cease all hostilities targeting Iran within 30 days unless explicitly approved by Congress .
Along with all 47 Democrats , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Todd Young , R-Ind.
, Jerry Moran , R-Kan. , Mike Lee , R-Utah , Rand Paul , R-Ky. , Lisa Murkowski , R-Alaska , Bill Cassidy , R-La .
and Lamar Alexander , R-Tenn. , supported the measure .
Earlier in the day , Democrats defeated Sen. Tom Cotton 's , R-Ark.
, amendment that would have deflated the resolution through an exemption for military forces in operations targeting foreign designated terrorist groups .
The Democratic majority in the House is expected to pass the measure next , after which it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The White House issued an official veto warning Wednesday .
`` It is very important for our country 's SECURITY that the United States Senate not vote for the Iran War Powers Resolution , '' Trump tweeted .
`` If my hands were tied , Iran would have a field day .
Sends a very bad signal . ''
Sixty-seven votes would be needed in the Senate to override a veto , which is considered unlikely .
The Senate failed last year to override Trump 's veto of a similar resolution that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support for Saudi Arabia 's war in Yemen .
Democrats said Senate approval Thursday would still serve notice that Congress demands a greater say in decisions about taking military action .
`` The president will veto it , but it sends a shot across his bow that the majority of the Senate and the majority of the House do not want the president waging war without congressional approval , '' Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said .
The House passed a similar resolution last month but it lacked legal authority and it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @

President Donald Trump walks at the White House on Wednesday. A short time later, he warned Congress that he would veto a resolution to limit his unilateral war powers. Photo by Alex Wroblewski/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate passed a resolution Thursday to limit President Donald Trump's authority to take military action against Iran. The 55-45 vote came after Trump's Jan. 2 order of an airstrike that killed top Iranian general Qassim Soleimani drew condemnation from Democrats and some Republicans, which prompted the War Powers resolution. Advertisement
The bipartisan War Powers measure, authored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., requires the president to cease all hostilities targeting Iran within 30 days unless explicitly approved by Congress.
Along with all 47 Democrats, eight Republicans, Susan Collins, R-Maine, Todd Young, R-Ind., Jerry Moran, R-Kan., Mike Lee, R-Utah, Rand Paul, R-Ky., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Bill Cassidy, R-La. and Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., supported the measure.
Earlier in the day, Democrats defeated Sen. Tom Cotton's, R-Ark., amendment that would have deflated the resolution through an exemption for military forces in operations targeting foreign designated terrorist groups.
The Democratic majority in the House is expected to pass the measure next, after which it would go to Trump for his signature.
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The White House issued an official veto warning Wednesday.
"It is very important for our country's SECURITY that the United States Senate not vote for the Iran War Powers Resolution," Trump tweeted.
"If my hands were tied, Iran would have a field day. Sends a very bad signal."
Sixty-seven votes would be needed in the Senate to override a veto, which is considered unlikely.
The Senate failed last year to override Trump's veto of a similar resolution that ordered an end to the administration's support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen. Democrats said Senate approval Thursday would still serve notice that Congress demands a greater say in decisions about taking military action.
"The president will veto it, but it sends a shot across his bow that the majority of the Senate and the majority of the House do not want the president waging war without congressional approval," Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said.
The House passed a similar resolution last month but it lacked legal authority and it wasn't taken up by the Senate.


upi--2020-02-13--Watch: Firefighters rescue dog stranded on Pennsylvania roof

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- A Pennsylvania fire department shared video from an unusual rescue involving a dog spotted @ @ @ @ @ a building .
The York City Department of Fire/Rescue Services posted a video to Facebook @ @ @ @ @ the roof of a York residence to rescue a dog seen wandering around on the @ @ @ @ @ .
The video shows the firefighter picking up the Siberian Husky and carrying it to @ @ @ @ @ department said the dog was safely rescued without injury .

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Feb. 13 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania fire department shared video from an unusual rescue involving a dog spotted stranded on the roof of a building.
The York City Department of Fire/Rescue Services posted a video to Facebook showing a firefighter climbing on the roof of a York residence to rescue a dog seen wandering around on the outside of the second floor.
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The video shows the firefighter picking up the Siberian Husky and carrying it to a nearby window.
The department said the dog was safely rescued without injury.


upi--2020-02-13--Former Ohio State football players plead not guilty to rape, kidnapping

Feb. 13 ( UPI ) -- Two former Ohio State University football players pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of rape and kidnapping in an alleged incident that occurred off-campus earlier this month .
Amir Riep and Jahsen Wint , both 21 , appeared in Franklin County Court where they entered their pleas .
Municipal Court Judge Cynthia Ebner set Riep 's bond at $ 75,000 and Wint 's at $ 100,000 .
Court documents indicate the 19-year-old alleged victim told police she was having consensual sex with Riep on Feb. 4 when she changed her mind and said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room and both men raped her , she said .
The documents say Riep made the victim record a video saying the sex was consensual .
Riep later drove the woman home .
Officials said during Thursday 's arraignment that the video recording had been obtained by police .
Ohio State University dismissed both football players from the team after their arrest .
They each were charged with rape and kidnapping , both first-degree felonies .
In addition to setting bond , Ebner ordered both men not to attempt to contact the woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney told WBNS-TV in Columbus , Ohio , that his client was `` wrongly accused , he should n't be in jail and we 're gon na prove it . ''
`` These are some of the most serious and troubling allegations one can face , '' Riep 's attorney said .
`` However , Amir maintains his innocence and is prepared to face these difficult times over the coming weeks and months . ''
Riep , a senior defensive back from Cincinnati , recorded 33 tackles in 37 games for the Buckeyes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back and former four-star prospect from New York , had 40 total tackles in 35 games for the Buckeyes .

Jahsen Wint (L) and Amir Riep were being held on $100,000 and $75,000 bond, respectively. Photos courtesy of Franklin County Sheriff Office
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Two former Ohio State University football players pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of rape and kidnapping in an alleged incident that occurred off-campus earlier this month. Amir Riep and Jahsen Wint, both 21, appeared in Franklin County Court where they entered their pleas. Municipal Court Judge Cynthia Ebner set Riep's bond at $75,000 and Wint's at $100,000. Advertisement
Court documents indicate the 19-year-old alleged victim told police she was having consensual sex with Riep on Feb. 4 when she changed her mind and said she wanted to stop. Wint entered the room and both men raped her, she said. The documents say Riep made the victim record a video saying the sex was consensual. Riep later drove the woman home.
Officials said during Thursday's arraignment that the video recording had been obtained by police.
Ohio State University dismissed both football players from the team after their arrest. They each were charged with rape and kidnapping, both first-degree felonies.
In addition to setting bond, Ebner ordered both men not to attempt to contact the woman who reported the rape.
Went's attorney told WBNS-TV in Columbus, Ohio, that his client was "wrongly accused, he shouldn't be in jail and we're gonna prove it."
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"These are some of the most serious and troubling allegations one can face," Riep's attorney said. "However, Amir maintains his innocence and is prepared to face these difficult times over the coming weeks and months."
Riep, a senior defensive back from Cincinnati, recorded 33 tackles in 37 games for the Buckeyes. Wint, a redshirt junior defensive back and former four-star prospect from New York, had 40 total tackles in 35 games for the Buckeyes.