upi--2020-08-21--Flu shots for kids protect everybody, study shows

When elementary school students get their annual flu shot , everyone benefits , a new study shows .
An increased vaccination rate among grade schoolers in California was associated with a decrease in flu hospitalizations for folks in every other age bracket , researchers report .
The results come as no surprise to public health experts , given children 's well-earned reputation as a major vector for the spread of viral diseases .
`` It basically correlates with everything we know about public health , about vaccination , and about children and children 's impact on spreading viral illness throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cioe-Pena , director of global health for Northwell Health in New Hyde Park , N.Y .
However , the study does highlight the continuing need to convince reluctant parents of the importance of getting their kids an annual flu shot , Cioe-Pena added .
`` We have an issue of vaccine hesitance in [ the United States ] when it comes to children , '' said Cioe-Pena .
`` To me , if you do n't get to the root cause of the hesitance , it probably wo n't have much of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ researchers led by Jade Benjamin-Chung , from the University of California , Berkeley , tracked a city-wide school flu vaccine program in Oakland , Calif. , and compared its success to rates of flu-associated hospitalizations .
After four years , the program had improved vaccination coverage by 11 % among children attending more than 95 preschools and elementary schools in Oakland , the researchers reported .
The increased vaccination rate was associated with 37 fewer flu-related hospitalizations per 100,000 people among all other people in the community -- children aged 4 and younger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ older .
There were also 160 fewer influenza hospitalizations per 100,000 among people aged 65 and older , the results showed .
The elementary school children also benefited researchers observed a decrease in illness-related school absences during the flu season .
The findings were published online Aug. 18 in the journal PLOS Medicine .
`` We know that children magnify influenza , '' said Dr. Amesh Adalja , a senior scholar with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore .
`` Trying to increase children 's vaccination rates can be expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flu season .
Making it easy for children to get vaccinated is one way to improve our ability to deal with influenza . ''
Children tend to benefit more from the flu vaccine , because their immune systems are fresher and more responsive , Adalja added .
`` In younger people , the vaccine induces more antibodies than in individuals 70 years or older , '' Adalja explained .
`` Older people 's immune systems do not respond to the vaccine as well as a younger individual does .
That 's why we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Given these results , it might make sense to promote flu shots for children as much as they are promoted for the elderly and health care workers , said Dr. Waleed Javaid , director of infection prevention and control at Mount Sinai Downtown in New York City .
`` When we can enhance our protection of any aspect of society where we have congregational settings and people are going to mingle with each other -- like [ the ] military or hospitals or schools -- that protects society in general , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the United States is to vaccinate everybody above the age of 6 months with influenza vaccine .
That should still be the goal , '' Adalja said .
`` If you 're trying to prioritize within that group , then children should be a major priority group to be vaccinated because they do drive it , but I do think you also have to vaccinate the vulnerable -- the elderly and people with other medical conditions .
They have to be a priority group as well . ''
The U.S. Centers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influenza .

When elementary school students get their annual flu shot, everyone benefits, a new study shows.
An increased vaccination rate among grade schoolers in California was associated with a decrease in flu hospitalizations for folks in every other age bracket, researchers report.
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The results come as no surprise to public health experts, given children's well-earned reputation as a major vector for the spread of viral diseases.
"It basically correlates with everything we know about public health, about vaccination, and about children and children's impact on spreading viral illness throughout a community," said Dr. Eric Cioe-Pena, director of global health for Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, N.Y.
However, the study does highlight the continuing need to convince reluctant parents of the importance of getting their kids an annual flu shot, Cioe-Pena added.
"We have an issue of vaccine hesitance in [the United States] when it comes to children," said Cioe-Pena. "To me, if you don't get to the root cause of the hesitance, it probably won't have much of an impact."
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For this study, researchers led by Jade Benjamin-Chung, from the University of California, Berkeley, tracked a city-wide school flu vaccine program in Oakland, Calif., and compared its success to rates of flu-associated hospitalizations.
After four years, the program had improved vaccination coverage by 11% among children attending more than 95 preschools and elementary schools in Oakland, the researchers reported.
The increased vaccination rate was associated with 37 fewer flu-related hospitalizations per 100,000 people among all other people in the community -- children aged 4 and younger as well as people aged 13 and older.
There were also 160 fewer influenza hospitalizations per 100,000 among people aged 65 and older, the results showed.
The elementary school children also benefited researchers observed a decrease in illness-related school absences during the flu season.
The findings were published online Aug. 18 in the journal PLOS Medicine.
"We know that children magnify influenza," said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore. "Trying to increase children's vaccination rates can be expected to have a cascading impact on the flu season. Making it easy for children to get vaccinated is one way to improve our ability to deal with influenza."
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Children tend to benefit more from the flu vaccine, because their immune systems are fresher and more responsive, Adalja added.
"In younger people, the vaccine induces more antibodies than in individuals 70 years or older," Adalja explained. "Older people's immune systems do not respond to the vaccine as well as a younger individual does. That's why we use high-dose vaccines with the elderly population."
Given these results, it might make sense to promote flu shots for children as much as they are promoted for the elderly and health care workers, said Dr. Waleed Javaid, director of infection prevention and control at Mount Sinai Downtown in New York City.
"When we can enhance our protection of any aspect of society where we have congregational settings and people are going to mingle with each other -- like [the] military or hospitals or schools -- that protects society in general," Javaid said.
Adalja agreed.
"Our goal in the United States is to vaccinate everybody above the age of 6 months with influenza vaccine. That should still be the goal," Adalja said. "If you're trying to prioritize within that group, then children should be a major priority group to be vaccinated because they do drive it, but I do think you also have to vaccinate the vulnerable -- the elderly and people with other medical conditions. They have to be a priority group as well."
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More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about influenza.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-08-21--Tropical Storm Genevieve moves away from Baja California Peninsula

Aug. 20 ( UPI ) -- Tropical Storm Genevieve gradually weakened Friday as it moved north away from the Baja California Peninsula , forecasters said .
The storm is expected to become a tropical depression later Friday as it moved away from the coast .
It will likely maintain that strength through the weekend .
In its 9 a.m. MDT update , the National Hurricane Center said the center of the storm was about 155 miles west of Cabo San Lazaro , Mexico .
It was moving northwest at 10 mph and had 45 mph maximum sustained winds .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect .
Genevieve strengthened into the second major hurricane in the eastern Pacific basin of the 2020 season on Monday night as it rapidly intensified into Category 4 storm .
The storm has been churning up the water along Mexico 's Pacific coast since it formed over the past weekend , and as the week progresses , tropical downpours and huge swells will continue to extend outward from the powerful center of the storm .
`` Total rainfall amounts of 2-4 inches with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 6 inches and wind gusts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ StormMax wind gust of 70 mph will impact the southern Baja Peninsula , '' AccuWeather hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski said Thursday night .
Favorable conditions , including very warm water and weak wind shear in the area , helped Genevieve become a monstrous storm earlier this week .
A huge eye was visible on satellite images on Tuesday morning .
Genevieve was born first as Tropical Depression 12-E when it emerged in the warm waters just off the coast of El Salvador and Nicaragua Sunday morning .
As a result of the favorable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strengthened to hurricane status just one day later .
The only other storm to achieve major hurricane status so far in the East Pacific was Hurricane Douglas .
Douglas went on to track along the north side of the Hawaiian Islands in the central Pacific during the second half of July , bringing tropical downpours and gusty winds to the island chain .
Genevieve will not take a path similar to Douglas in the coming days , as the storm is expected to bring the bulk of the impactful weather to waters just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even on relatively tranquil days , the shore break along Mexico 's west coast can feature large waves , posing dangerous conditions for swimmers .
As Genevieve churns just off the coast through the week , very large and dangerous swells are expected .
The hurricane 's most significant impacts along the coast and waters offshore will be dangerous surf and heavy seas .
Forecasters urge people to avoid the surf and avoid watching the storm from adjacent coastal areas .
Large breaking waves can lead to substantial overwash along the coast with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to vessels .
Small craft should remain in port and larger ships should avoid the region and the path of the hurricane .
Outer bands of Genevieve will also bring along tropical downpours to coastal cities through the coming days , especially over the southern portion of the Baja California Peninsula .
Enough rain can fall to cause flash flooding and debris flows .
Cities along the west coast of Mexico that are forecast to experience impact from Genevieve include in line to possibly deal with wet weather from Genevieve include Cabo San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rainfall from Genevieve 's outer bands can and likely will track into the higher terrain just inland of the aforementioned cities .
The mountainous terrain across this region can act to wring out ample amounts of moisture from the atmosphere , enhancing rainfall totals .
As this rain funnels into small streams and rivers , towns along their path could face flooding .
As the storm continues to parallel the coast , it will begin to track into cooler water off Baja California , into late week .
This interaction will undoubtedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but that does n't mean the impacts will end there .
Genevieve is forecast to take a slightly curved path that takes the center of the storm progressively farther away from the west coast of Mexico and California later this weekend to early next week .
During this time , Genevieve is expected to transition into a non-tropical storm .
But it is possible that some of the residual moisture from the storm could stream into the southwestern United States in the form of clouds with a slight chance of spotty thunderstorm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of moisture , increased swells , especially across Southern California , will be possible early next week .

Tropical Storm Genevieve was expected to weaken to a depression Friday. Photo courtesy of NOAA
Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Genevieve gradually weakened Friday as it moved north away from the Baja California Peninsula, forecasters said. The storm is expected to become a tropical depression later Friday as it moved away from the coast. It will likely maintain that strength through the weekend. Advertisement
In its 9 a.m. MDT update, the National Hurricane Center said the center of the storm was about 155 miles west of Cabo San Lazaro, Mexico. It was moving northwest at 10 mph and had 45 mph maximum sustained winds.
There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
Genevieve strengthened into the second major hurricane in the eastern Pacific basin of the 2020 season on Monday night as it rapidly intensified into Category 4 storm.
The storm has been churning up the water along Mexico's Pacific coast since it formed over the past weekend, and as the week progresses, tropical downpours and huge swells will continue to extend outward from the powerful center of the storm.
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"Total rainfall amounts of 2-4 inches with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 6 inches and wind gusts of 50-60 mph with an AccuWeather Local StormMax wind gust of 70 mph will impact the southern Baja Peninsula," AccuWeather hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski said Thursday night.
Favorable conditions, including very warm water and weak wind shear in the area, helped Genevieve become a monstrous storm earlier this week. A huge eye was visible on satellite images on Tuesday morning.
Genevieve was born first as Tropical Depression 12-E when it emerged in the warm waters just off the coast of El Salvador and Nicaragua Sunday morning. As a result of the favorable conditions in the area, Genevieve had strengthened to hurricane status just one day later.
The only other storm to achieve major hurricane status so far in the East Pacific was Hurricane Douglas. Douglas went on to track along the north side of the Hawaiian Islands in the central Pacific during the second half of July, bringing tropical downpours and gusty winds to the island chain.
Genevieve will not take a path similar to Douglas in the coming days, as the storm is expected to bring the bulk of the impactful weather to waters just west of Mexico's Pacific coast.
Advertisement
Even on relatively tranquil days, the shore break along Mexico's west coast can feature large waves, posing dangerous conditions for swimmers. As Genevieve churns just off the coast through the week, very large and dangerous swells are expected.
The hurricane's most significant impacts along the coast and waters offshore will be dangerous surf and heavy seas.
Forecasters urge people to avoid the surf and avoid watching the storm from adjacent coastal areas. Large breaking waves can lead to substantial overwash along the coast with the risk of coastal flooding and damage to vessels. Small craft should remain in port and larger ships should avoid the region and the path of the hurricane.
Outer bands of Genevieve will also bring along tropical downpours to coastal cities through the coming days, especially over the southern portion of the Baja California Peninsula. Enough rain can fall to cause flash flooding and debris flows. Cities along the west coast of Mexico that are forecast to experience impact from Genevieve include in line to possibly deal with wet weather from Genevieve include Cabo San Lucas, La Paz and San Carlos.
Rainfall from Genevieve's outer bands can and likely will track into the higher terrain just inland of the aforementioned cities. The mountainous terrain across this region can act to wring out ample amounts of moisture from the atmosphere, enhancing rainfall totals. As this rain funnels into small streams and rivers, towns along their path could face flooding.
Advertisement
As the storm continues to parallel the coast, it will begin to track into cooler water off Baja California, into late week. This interaction will undoubtedly begin a weakening trend of the hurricane, but that doesn't mean the impacts will end there.
Genevieve is forecast to take a slightly curved path that takes the center of the storm progressively farther away from the west coast of Mexico and California later this weekend to early next week. During this time, Genevieve is expected to transition into a non-tropical storm.
But it is possible that some of the residual moisture from the storm could stream into the southwestern United States in the form of clouds with a slight chance of spotty thunderstorm activity. Along with a potential influx of moisture, increased swells, especially across Southern California, will be possible early next week.


upi--2020-08-21--Yankees-Mets Subway Series postponed due to COVID-19 positives

Aug. 21 ( UPI ) -- The remainder of the New York Mets-New York Yankees series was postponed Friday due to the coronavirus .
The first game of the series was postponed Thursday after two members of the Mets organization tested positive .
`` Out of an abundance of caution and to allow for additional testing and contact tracing to be performed within the New York Mets ' organization , the games between the Mets and New York Yankees at Citi Field on Saturday and Sunday have been postponed , '' Major League Baseball said in a statement .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ updates as necessary . ''
The Mets ' game against the Miami Marlins on Thursday also was postponed due to the coronavirus .
Most of the Mets ' travel party flew back to New York City on Thursday , but those who tested positive remained in Miami .
MLB and the players union announced Friday that seven out of 12,485 tests from the past week have returned new positive COVID-19 results .
The positives included three players and four staff members .
The 30-team league also said 0.1 % of all samples collected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nineteen teams have had a player or staff member test positive for COVID-19 .
Thirty-six games have been postponed due to the coronavirus since the season started .
The Mets ' next scheduled game is against the Marlins on Tuesday at Citi Field in New York City .

Manager Luis Rojas and the New York Mets aren't scheduled to play until Tuesday after two members of the organization tested positive for the coronavirus. File Photo by Corey Sipkin/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 21 (UPI) -- The remainder of the New York Mets-New York Yankees series was postponed Friday due to the coronavirus. The first game of the series was postponed Thursday after two members of the Mets organization tested positive. "Out of an abundance of caution and to allow for additional testing and contact tracing to be performed within the New York Mets' organization, the games between the Mets and New York Yankees at Citi Field on Saturday and Sunday have been postponed," Major League Baseball said in a statement. Advertisement
"Major League Baseball will continue to provide updates as necessary."
The Mets' game against the Miami Marlins on Thursday also was postponed due to the coronavirus. Most of the Mets' travel party flew back to New York City on Thursday, but those who tested positive remained in Miami.
MLB and the players union announced Friday that seven out of 12,485 tests from the past week have returned new positive COVID-19 results. The positives included three players and four staff members.
The 30-team league also said 0.1% of all samples collected this season have returned positive results. Nineteen teams have had a player or staff member test positive for COVID-19. Thirty-six games have been postponed due to the coronavirus since the season started.
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The Mets' next scheduled game is against the Marlins on Tuesday at Citi Field in New York City.
This week in Major League Baseball


upi--2020-08-21--Look: Netherlands fights 'wild peeing' with hemp-filled public urinals

Aug. 21 ( UPI ) -- The capital of the Netherlands has installed hemp-filled urinals in public outdoor locations around the city as a means of combating the longtime problem of `` wild peeing . ''
Dutch company Urban Senses installed 12 GreenPee urinals in locations around Amsterdam that were identified by local officials as hotspots for public urination .
Richard de Vries , inventor of the GreenPee urinals , said the city initially installed four of the urinals in 2018 , and they have now added eight more after determining the pilot program was a success .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduction in wild peeing , '' De Vries told CNN of the initial toilet installation .
`` It was a great success . ''
The GreenPee urinals resemble planters and are filled with hemp .
De Vries said the urinals offer a sustainable alternative to traditional public urinals , as they use less water and create green spaces for bees and other insects .
The urinals produce organic fertilizer and water for the plants , the inventor said .
He said the benefits of the GreenPees also include reducing erosion on historic buildings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even save lives , as several young men die each year by falling into canals at night while looking for a place to urinate .
The city of Amsterdam said officials are considering future research into whether the urinals could be made usable by women .
De Vries said he is hoping to spread the GreenPees to other cities around the world and he is researching technology that would convert human urine into electricity to power lights .

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Aug. 21 (UPI) -- The capital of the Netherlands has installed hemp-filled urinals in public outdoor locations around the city as a means of combating the longtime problem of "wild peeing."
Dutch company Urban Senses installed 12 GreenPee urinals in locations around Amsterdam that were identified by local officials as hotspots for public urination.
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Richard de Vries, inventor of the GreenPee urinals, said the city initially installed four of the urinals in 2018, and they have now added eight more after determining the pilot program was a success.
"The result was there was a 50% reduction in wild peeing," De Vries told CNN of the initial toilet installation. "It was a great success."
The GreenPee urinals resemble planters and are filled with hemp. De Vries said the urinals offer a sustainable alternative to traditional public urinals, as they use less water and create green spaces for bees and other insects. The urinals produce organic fertilizer and water for the plants, the inventor said.
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He said the benefits of the GreenPees also include reducing erosion on historic buildings often targeted by public urination and could even save lives, as several young men die each year by falling into canals at night while looking for a place to urinate.
The city of Amsterdam said officials are considering future research into whether the urinals could be made usable by women.
De Vries said he is hoping to spread the GreenPees to other cities around the world and he is researching technology that would convert human urine into electricity to power lights.


upi--2020-08-22--Taylor Swift's 'Folklore' tops album chart for third week

Aug. 22 ( UPI ) -- Pop star Taylor Swift 's Folklore is the No .
1 album in the @ @ @ @ @ week .
Coming in at No .
2 on the Billboard 200 chart dated Saturday @ @ @ @ @ Never Die , followed by Pop Smoke 's Shoot For the Stars Aim For the @ @ @ @ @ , Rod Wave 's Pray 4 Love at No .
4 and Luke Bryan 's @ @ @ @ @ Here at No .
5 .
Rounding out the top tier are the Hamilton soundtrack @ @ @ @ @ Glass Animals ' Dreamland at No .
7 , DaBaby 's Blame It On Baby @ @ @ @ @ Lil Baby 's My Turn at No .
9 and NLE Choppa 's Top Shotta @ @ @ @ @

Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Pop star Taylor Swift's Folklore is the No. 1 album in the United States for a third week.
Coming in at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart dated Saturday is Juice WRLD's Legends Never Die, followed by Pop Smoke's Shoot For the Stars Aim For the Moon at No. 3, Rod Wave's Pray 4 Love at No. 4 and Luke Bryan's Born Here Live Here Die Here at No. 5.


upi--2020-08-22--House to vote on  $25B bill to fund USPS, block operational changes

Aug. 22 ( UPI ) -- The House of Representatives is set to vote Saturday on a bill to provide $ 25 billion in funding for the U.S .
Postal Service and block operational changes amid a mail-in voting controversy .
House Democratic leaders called the chamber back to Washington , D.C. , to vote on USPS ' request for $ 25 billion in funding amid increased demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic , along with the `` Delivering for America Act , '' which bans any operational changes this year that slow down the mail-in voting process .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail in years past regardless of the postage , meaning it gets delivered faster .
But the agency was planning to treat such mail differently this year , according to documents obtained by CNN .
Though Postmaster General Louis DeJoy declined to specifically address this plan , he told Congress on Friday that the USPS plans to keep established mail practices in place until after the election .
The prohibited changes under the bill include the controversial removal of mail sorting machines and mailboxes , and treating election mail differently than `` first-class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week that they would not support the bill , but with a Democratic support in the majority , the bill is expected to pass along party lines .
It is not likely to be taken up in the Republican-led Senate .
On Friday , the White House threatened to veto the bill .
President Donald Trump has said he opposed funding the financially struggling postal service because it would benefit those who seek to promote mail-in voting in November .
He has repeatedly denounced voting by mail , claiming that it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stanford University 's Democracy and Polarization Lab in April , though , found that mail-in voting does n't favor one political party over another , nor does it invite more frequent incidents of fraud .
Trump himself regularly votes by mail in Florida .
A Gallup poll released in April indicated that 70 % of Americans favor allowing all registered voters to vote by mail .
The Democratic-led House passed the USPS request for $ 25 billion to expand service amid the COVID-19 pandemic in relief legislation three months ago , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The USPS Board of Governors appointed former Republican fundraiser and Trump ally DeJoy to postmaster general in May .
DeJoy told senators Friday he was `` extremely , highly confident , '' that the USPS would be able to process all mail-in ballots despite the agency warning 46 states and Washington , D.C. , earlier this month that some mail ballots might not be counted in time for the election .

1/4
| License Photo Activists rally to support the U.S. Postal Service and call for Postmaster General Lous DeJoy to resign at the Sunset Post Office in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles on Saturday. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
Aug. 22 (UPI) -- The House of Representatives on Saturday passed a bill to provide $25 billion in funding for the U.S. Postal Service and block operational changes amid a mail-in voting controversy. House Democratic leaders called the chamber back to Washington, D.C., to vote on USPS' request for $25 billion in funding amid increased demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the "Delivering for America Act," which bans any operational changes this year that slow down the mail-in voting process. Advertisement
The USPS often treated election ballots as first-class mail in years past regardless of the postage, meaning it gets delivered faster. But the agency was planning to treat such mail differently this year, according to documents obtained by CNN.
Though Postmaster General Louis DeJoy declined to specifically address this plan, he told Congress on Friday that the USPS plans to keep established mail practices in place until after the election.
The prohibited changes under the bill include the controversial removal of mail sorting machines and mailboxes, and treating election mail differently than "first-class mail."
President Donald Trump complained about the vote on Twitter Saturday afternoon, calling it a Democrat "hoax." Trump also criticized Democrats's plans to approve more money to improve postal infrastructure for mail in voting, which he called the the "Universal Mail-In Ballot Scam."
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The bill is not likely to be taken up in the Republican-led Senate.
On Friday, the White House threatened to veto the bill.
Trump has said he opposed funding the financially struggling postal service because it would benefit those who seek to promote mail-in voting in November.
He has repeatedly denounced voting by mail, claiming that it would invite voter fraud. A study by Stanford University's Democracy and Polarization Lab in April, though, found that mail-in voting doesn't favor one political party over another, nor does it invite more frequent incidents of fraud.
Trump himself regularly votes by mail in Florida.
A Gallup poll released in April indicated that 70% of Americans favor allowing all registered voters to vote by mail.
The Democratic-led House passed the USPS request for $25 billion to expand service amid the COVID-19 pandemic in relief legislation three months ago, but the Republican-led Senate has refused to consider it.
The USPS Board of Governors appointed former Republican fundraiser and Trump ally DeJoy to postmaster general in May.
DeJoy told senators Friday he was "extremely, highly confident," that the USPS would be able to process all mail-in ballots despite the agency warning 46 states and Washington, D.C., earlier this month that some mail ballots might not be counted in time for the election.


upi--2020-08-22--Tropical Storm Laura nears Puerto Rico

Tropical Storm Laura nears Puerto Rico

Aug. 21 ( UPI ) -- Tropical Storm Laura neared eastern Puerto Rico on Saturday morning as Tropical Storm Marco developed closer to the Yucatan Peninsula .
The two storms are expected to become the first two tropical systems to be in the Gulf of Mexico at the same in records dating to the 1800s .
The National Hurricane Center said the eye of the storm was about 50 miles south of San Juan , Puerto Rico , as of its 8 a.m. EDT update .
The storm was moving west at 21 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in effect for Vieques and Culebra , Puerto Rico ; U.S. Virgin Islands ; British Virgin Islands ; Sint Maarten ; Saint Martin ; Saint Barhelemy ; the northern coast of the Dominican Republic ; the northern coast of Haiti the southeastern Bahamas ; and the Turks and Caicos Islands .
There was a tropical storm watch for the central Bahamas .
Laura is the ninth storm to set a new early benchmark this season , beating the previous `` L-storm '' record held by Luis , which formed on Aug. 29 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect for the Leeward Islands , Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands , as well as the southeastern Bahamas as Laura races westward at 21 mph .
Accuweather meteorologists have been watching the tropical Atlantic with extra close attention as the anticipated ramp-up of an already record-setting hurricane season begins .
Forecasters are monitoring Tropical Depression 14 , which could soon become Tropical Storm Marco , and they warn that both systems could make U.S. landfalls a day apart early next week .
Another disturbance near the coast of Africa , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to develop , is also being watched closely by AccuWeather meteorologists .
The Leeward Islands are first in the path for impacts from Tropical Storm Laura .
`` Laura will spread gusty winds and the possibility of periodic heavy rainfall westward over parts of the Leeward Islands from Friday to Saturday , '' Lead Tropical Forecaster and Senior Meteorologist Dan Kottlowski said .
With the current forecast for some gusty winds and downpours to the northern Caribbean , Laura will be less than one on the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale for Hurricanes , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than one to 5 based on expected impacts .
People across the northern islands of the Caribbean , as well as the Turks and Caicos , southern Bahamas , the Florida Keys and the southern part of the Florida Peninsula should be prepared for tropical storm conditions , as an average , as the storm moves along with the potential for more significant conditions , depending on the exact track and strength of the feature itself .
Should the system track just north of the northern islands of the Caribbean , conditions there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could allow the center of the storm to strengthen further over warm water with minimal impediment from the high mountains in Puerto Rico and Hispaniola .
Such a scenario could bring damaging conditions to the Turks and Caicos and part of the southern islands of the Bahamas .
`` We expect Laura to move across the Florida Straits and it may strengthen into a hurricane on Sunday or Monday before taking a turn northward in the Gulf of Mexico , '' Kottlowski said .
This forecast is based on the anticipated strengthening and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area .
Should the high fail to strengthen and extend westward , there would be room for an earlier northward turn .
There are also other players on the long-range weather maps with both a southward dip in the jet stream over the South Central states and the Gulf of Mexico and Tropical Depression 14 , which is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Marco and track into the western Gulf of Mexico early next week as well .
This southern U.S. feature is forecast to weaken this weekend to next week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether this jet stream dip tugs the tropical system northward or allows it to continue on a west-northwest path through the Gulf .
A similar effect could be seen on Tropical Depression 14 , either being tugged farther north and east , or turning more westerly in the Gulf .
The circulations of both tropical systems , which are expected to be tropical storms or hurricanes by that time , could also interact with each other , changing their respective tracks and strength .
A third disturbance just emerged from Africa and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming days .
Prior to Laura 's formation , Cristobal , Edouard , Fay , Gonzalo , Hanna , Isaias , Josephine and Kyle had all set new records for their designated letters in 2020 .
With the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season already way ahead of the average pace and surpassing marks left by the notorious 2005 hurricane season , and the height of the hurricane season looming from the end of August to early October , not only are more records likely to be set , but there is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be threatened in the weeks ahead .
The lid could soon come off the Atlantic basin with the potential for multiple named systems spinning at the same time , including multiple threats to lives and property at the same time from the Caribbean to North America .
AccuWeather meteorologists are expecting a hyperactive year for tropical storms and hurricanes -- enough that Greek letters may once again be needed .
Due to 2020 's record pace and upcoming conditions expected in the basin , AccuWeather meteorologists upped their forecast for the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to 24 now predicted and up to 11 hurricanes projected for the season .
Tropical storms are named for most letters of the alphabet , with the exception of Q , U , X , Y and Z .
Beyond that , Greek letters are used to name systems .
The infamous 2005 Atlantic hurricane season holds the record for the greatest number of named storms at 28 , and 2005 was the only year to use Greek letters .

Tropical Storm Laura will continue to batter the islands of the northern Caribbean early this week before delivering another blow to the U.S. Gulf Coast mere days after Marco. Photo courtesy National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Laura will continue to batter the islands of the northern Caribbean early this week before delivering another blow to the U.S. Gulf Coast mere days after Marco. People along the central Gulf Coast may have to deal with two landfalling hurricanes just days apart, following Marco's becoming a hurricane Sunday and landfall along the Louisiana coastline early this week. Advertisement
"Rainfall from Laura may fall across the same places that received tremendous rainfall from Marco, further exacerbating the flooding situation along the Gulf Coast," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rossio said.
Laura developed in the Atlantic just a couple of hundred miles east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands on Friday morning, shattering the record for the earliest L-named storm on record in the basin. The previous "L-storm" record was held by Luis, which formed on Aug. 29, 1995.
As of 8 p.m. EDT Sunday, the National Hurricane Center placed Tropical Storm Laura about 30 miles west of Guantanamo, Cuba, moving west-northwest at 21 mph.
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Tropical storm warnings are in effect for the entire coast of Haiti, Little Cayman and Cayman Braxz and Cuban provinces. A tropical storm watch is in effect for the Florida Keys to Key West and the Dry Tortugas.
Warnings for Inagua and the Ragged Islands in southeastern Bahamas have been discontinued.
Though Laura is expected to maintain its 60 mph winds as it skirts the coast of Cuba, it is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane late Tuesday after strengthening over the Gulf of Mexico.
In the meanwhile, Laura has already unleashed a damaging blow across the islands of the northern Caribbean, with Puerto Rico being especially hard hit.
Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez declared a state of emergency and warned residents to stay inside as downpours and gusty winds drenched the island early this weekend. Nearly 6 inches of rain fell in some areas, prompting flood warnings. The Rio Guanajibo River near Hormigueros has risen about 6 feet as of Saturday night.
As conditions quiet down in Puerto Rico with Laura moving away, rain and gusty winds will continue to spread westward with the storm through Hispaniola, the southern Bahamas, Cuba and the Florida Keys through Monday.
People across these areas should be prepared for tropical storm conditions, as an average, as the storm moves along, along with the risk for flash flooding, power outages and damage.
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With the current forecast for some gusty winds and downpours to the northern Caribbean, Laura will be less than one on the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale for Hurricanes, a scale that rates tropical systems from less than one to 5 based on expected impacts.
Officials in the Florida Keys declared a local State of Emergency at noon on Friday, ordering a mandatory evacuation for local residents living in boats, mobile homes or any recreational vehicles, such as campers. A warning issued by Monroe County encouraged travelers visiting the area to alter their plans so they are not in the Florida Keys by noon on Sunday.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a State of Emergency on Friday evening as well for the state in an effort to allow local governments assistance in preparation at a state level.
"It shouldn't be lost on anyone that in addition to these weather threats, we still have to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic," Edwards tweeted, explaining that personal protective equipment should be new additions to emergency kits, including masks and hand sanitizer.
Ahead of both storms' arrival in Louisiana, President Donald Trump on Sunday approved an emergency declaration and ordered federal assistance to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts.
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Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards had requested the declaration from the White House on Saturday.
"This is unlike anything we have seen, with two hurricanes expected to impact our state nearly back to back," he said. "This may mean that people will have to shelter in place for more than 72 hours and that there may not be time to do things like restore lost power between the two storms."
Tropical-storm-force winds of 40-60 mph with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 70 mph will sweep through Hispaniola and Cuba into Monday.
While Laura may lose some wind intensity due to interaction with land as it continues its journey across the northern Caribbean, forecasters say the impacts of the storm are likely to be the same, regardless of wind intensity.
Heavy rain from the storm can average 4-8 inches with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 12 inches across Hispaniola and Cuba, leading to flash flooding, washouts and mudslides.
"Some tropical-storm-force wind gusts of 40-50 mph can reach the Florida Keys Monday," Rossio said.
"Once the primary circulation of Laura emerges over the waters of the southeastern Gulf of Mexico late Monday into Tuesday, environmental conditions will be more favorable for strengthening, and Laura is expected to become a hurricane prior to reaching the Gulf Coast," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller said.
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The forecast track of Laura is based on the anticipated strengthening and westward extension of the Bermuda-Azores high-pressure area, which will push the storm into the central Gulf of Mexico.
Should the high fail to strengthen and extend westward, there would be room for an earlier northward turn, but forecasters say the chance of this scenario panning out is rather low at this point. In turn, if the high expands farther west than currently forecast, this could push Laura into the western Gulf Coast, and possibly put Houston at risk for more severe impacts.
Tropical-storm-force winds will reach the central Gulf Coast later Tuesday into Wednesday, with wind gusts of 60-80 mph with an AccuWeather Local StormMax wind gust of 90 mph.
"These winds can cause power outages and damage to weak structures and trees," Rossio said.
All residents along the U.S. Gulf Coast will need to closely monitor the progress of Marco and Laura and begin making preparations now, along with following evacuation orders from local officials.
Before Laura's formation, Cristobal, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine and Kyle had all set new records for their designated letters in 2020. With the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season already way ahead of the average pace and surpassing marks left by the notorious 2005 hurricane season, and the height of the hurricane season looming from the end of August to early October, not only are more records likely to be set, but there is also the likelihood that lives and property will be threatened in the weeks ahead.
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The lid could soon come off the Atlantic basin with the potential for multiple named systems spinning at the same time, including multiple threats to lives and property at the same time from the Caribbean to North America.
AccuWeather meteorologists are expecting a hyperactive year for tropical storms and hurricanes -- enough that Greek letters may once again be needed. Due to 2020's record pace and upcoming conditions expected in the basin, AccuWeather meteorologists upped their forecast for the number of tropical storms in late July, with up to 24 now predicted and up to 11 hurricanes projected for the season.
Tropical storms are named for most letters of the alphabet, with the exception of Q, U, X, Y and Z. Beyond that, Greek letters are used to name systems. The infamous 2005 Atlantic hurricane season holds the record for the greatest number of named storms at 28, and 2005 was the only year to use Greek letters.


upi--2020-08-22--Famous birthdays for Aug. 22: Giada De Laurentiis, Dua Lipa

Aug. 22 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Leo .
-- Charles @ @ @ @ @ brakes and the conical drinking cup , in 1867

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Giada De Laurentiis arrives on the red carpet for the 46th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California on May 5, 2019. The celebrity chef turns 50 on August 22. File Photo by Chris Chew/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Leo. They include: Advertisement
-- Pope Leo XII in 1760
-- French composer Claude Debussy in 1862
-- Charles Jenkins, inventor of airplane brakes and the conical drinking cup, in 1867
-- Writer-critic Dorothy Parker in 1893
-- Blues musician John Lee Hooker in 1912 or 1917
-- Heart surgeon Dr. Denton Cooley in 1920
-- Science fiction writer Ray Bradbury in 1920
-- Actor Honor Blackman in 1925
-- French fashion designer Marc Bohan in 1926 (age 94)
-- Retired U.S. Army Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf in 1934
-- Writer E. Annie Proulx in 1935 (age 85)
-- Baseball Hall of Fame member Carl Yastrzemski in 1939 (age 81)
President Ronald Reagan (L) meets with former baseball player Carl Yastrzemski (C) and Rep. Silvio Conte, R-Mass., in the Oval office at the White House on February 27, 1984. File Photo by Don Rypka/UPI
-- Actor Valerie Harper in 1939
-- Football Hall of Fame member Bill Parcells in 1941 (age 79)
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-- Actor Cindy Williams in 1947 (age 73)
-- Swimming Hall of Fame member Diana Nyad in 1949 (age 71)
-- Baseball Hall of Fame member Paul Molitor in 1956 (age 64)
-- Singer/songwriter Tori Amos in 1963 (age 57)
-- Tennis Hall of Fame member Mats Wilander in 1964 (age 56)
-- Actor Ty Burrell in 1967 (age 53)
File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
-- Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis in 1970 (age 50)
-- Actor Richard Armitage in 1971 (age 49)
-- Actor Kristen Wiig in 1973 (age 47)
-- Singer Howie Dorough in 1973 (age 47)
-- Comedian James Corden in 1978 (age 42)
-- Actor Israel Broussard in 1994 (age 26)
-- Singer Dua Lipa in 1995 (age 25)


upi--2020-08-22--On This Day, Aug. 22: Irish revolutionary Michael Collins assassinated

Aug. 22 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1851 , the U.S.-built schooner America outran a fleet of Britain 's finest ships around England 's Isle of Wight in an international race that became known as the America 's Cup .
In 1881 , American humanitarians Clara Barton and Adolphus Solomons founded the National Red Cross .
In 1922 , Michael Collins , a founder of the Irish Republican Army and a key figure in Ireland 's independence movement , was assassinated by political opponents .
In 1968 , Pope Paul VI arrived in Colombia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South America .
In 1986 , Kerr-McGee Corp. agreed to pay the estate of nuclear industry worker Karen Silkwood more than $ 1 million , ending a 10-year legal battle waged by her family over her exposure to radioactive materials at the company 's Oklahoma plant .
In 2004 , two masked robbers stole Edvard Munch 's The Scream and another painting from the Munch Museum in Oslo , Norway .
They were found about two years later and put back on display in 2008 .
The Scream had been stolen once before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovered within three months .
In 2005 , the last Jewish settlers moved peacefully out of the Gaza Strip after carrying Torah scrolls down the main street of Netzarim , last of 21 settlements to be evacuated .
In 2011 , the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in Washington opened to the public .
The $ 120 million memorial , 25 years in the making , is on a four-acre site on the National Mall .
In 2017 , India 's Supreme Court declared the `` instant divorce '' practice among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unconstitutional .
In 2019 , Russia launched launched FEDOR , a humanoid robot , to conduct experiments on the International Space Station .

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On Aug. 22, 1922, Michael Collins, a founder of the Irish Republican Army and a key figure in Ireland's independence movement, was assassinated by political opponents. File Photo courtesy of Encyclopedia Britannica
Aug. 22 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1851, the U.S.-built schooner America outran a fleet of Britain's finest ships around England's Isle of Wight in an international race that became known as the America's Cup. Advertisement
In 1881, American humanitarians Clara Barton and Adolphus Solomons founded the National Red Cross.
In 1922, Michael Collins, a founder of the Irish Republican Army and a key figure in Ireland's independence movement, was assassinated by political opponents.
In 1968, Pope Paul VI arrived in Colombia, becoming the first pontiff to visit South America.
In 1986, Kerr-McGee Corp. agreed to pay the estate of nuclear industry worker Karen Silkwood more than $1 million, ending a 10-year legal battle waged by her family over her exposure to radioactive materials at the company's Oklahoma plant.
In 2004, two masked robbers stole Edvard Munch's The Scream and another painting from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. They were found about two years later and put back on display in 2008. The Scream had been stolen once before, 10 years earlier, but was recovered within three months.
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File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
In 2005, the last Jewish settlers moved peacefully out of the Gaza Strip after carrying Torah scrolls down the main street of Netzarim, last of 21 settlements to be evacuated.
In 2011, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in Washington opened to the public. The $120 million memorial, 25 years in the making, is on a four-acre site on the National Mall.
In 2017, India's Supreme Court declared the "instant divorce" practice among the nation's Muslim population to be unconstitutional.
In 2019, Russia launched launched FEDOR, a humanoid robot, to conduct experiments on the International Space Station.


upi--2020-08-21--Nationals' Stephen Strasburg has carpal tunnel in hand, could need surgery

Aug. 21 ( UPI ) -- Washington Nationals star pitcher Stephen Strasburg was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome in his pitching hand and may need to undergo season-ending surgery .
Nationals manager Dave Martinez made the announcement Friday , a day after Strasburg visited with a hand specialist .
Martinez said the reigning World Series MVP could have surgery to fix the issue , but no final decisions have been made .
`` Now we 're going to sit back and discuss what the plans are moving forward , '' Martinez told reporters before the Nationals opened their series against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think it 's something that 's going to have to be fixed .
`` ...
It helps us all knowing that we can have a plan going forward .
But my concern is always Stephen and hope that he recovers as quick as possible -- regardless of whether he pitches again this year or not . ''
The Nationals placed Strasburg on the injured list Aug. 15 after he threw only 16 pitches in his last start against the Baltimore Orioles .
Over two starts this season , he has a 0-1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Since making his MLB debut with the Nationals in 2010 , Strasburg has posted a 112-59 record and 3.19 ERA in 241 starts .
The 32-year-old right-hander is a three-time All-Star selection and was named to the All-MLB First Team in 2019 .

The Washington Nationals placed starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg on the injured list Aug. 15 after he threw only 16 pitches in his last start against the Baltimore Orioles. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Washington Nationals star pitcher Stephen Strasburg was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome in his pitching hand and may need to undergo season-ending surgery. Nationals manager Dave Martinez made the announcement Friday, a day after Strasburg visited with a hand specialist. Advertisement
Martinez said the reigning World Series MVP could have surgery to fix the issue, but no final decisions have been made.
"Now we're going to sit back and discuss what the plans are moving forward," Martinez told reporters before the Nationals opened their series against the Miami Marlins on Friday. "I think it's something that's going to have to be fixed.
"... It helps us all knowing that we can have a plan going forward. But my concern is always Stephen and hope that he recovers as quick as possible -- regardless of whether he pitches again this year or not."
The Nationals placed Strasburg on the injured list Aug. 15 after he threw only 16 pitches in his last start against the Baltimore Orioles. Over two starts this season, he has a 0-1 record and 10.80 ERA in five innings.
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Since making his MLB debut with the Nationals in 2010, Strasburg has posted a 112-59 record and 3.19 ERA in 241 starts. The 32-year-old right-hander is a three-time All-Star selection and was named to the All-MLB First Team in 2019.
This week in Major League Baseball


upi--2020-08-22--Trump approves disaster declaration for California wildfires

Aug. 22 ( UPI ) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday approved a major disaster declaration for California releasing federal aid for recovery in areas scorched by wildfires .
Areas including Lake , Napa , San Mateo , Santa Cruz , Solano , Sonoma , and Yolo counties , will receive expedited aid , the White House said .
Meanwhile , a Santa Cruz shelter site reached capacity Saturday as wildfires raged in California , killing at least five people and burning down hundreds of homes .
One of the evacuation centers for the CZU August Lightning Complex fires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 79 evacuees living in tents inside the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium .
`` It 's really been nice here , it 's the unknown that hurts , '' evacuee Michael Martyn said .
`` It 's going to be bad ... when you really get down to the nitty gritty and find out the results of this fire , it 's going to be devastating , devastating . ''
The CZU August Lightning Complex fires in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties is the third-largest group of fires among hundreds of wildfires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Forestry and Fire Protection .
It has injured two people and burned through 63,000 acres with 5 % containment .
It has destroyed nearly 100 structures and forced approximately 77,000 people to evacuate .
The CZU August Lightning Complex fires also caused extensive damage to California 's oldest state park , Big Basin Redwoods State Park , including damaging the headquarters , historic core and campgrounds , leading to closure of the park , a California Department of Parks and Recreation statement said .
Elsewhere in the state , the largest active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LNU Lightning Complex Fire in north and the SCU Lightning Complex in the south .
Cal Fire said four people have died in the LNU Lightning Complex Fire , three in Napa County and another in Solano County .
The deaths included three bodies found in a burned down home in Napa County , The New York Times reported , and a Pacific Gas and Electric worker , who died Wednesday while clearing electric poles and lines in the Gates Canyon area to make it safe for firefighters .
Cal Fire data .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ also resulted in four injuries and damaged 560 structures , as tens of thousands remain under evacuation orders .
according toThe LNU Lightning Complex has grown to 314,207 acres with 15 % containment , making it the second-largest wildfire in state history , '' At this early stage , we 're just now getting the damage assessment crews out there and on the ground , '' Cal Fire spokesman Scott Ross told weather.com .
`` I think it 'd be safe to say they 're mostly homes . ''
`` I 'm sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really have words , '' a Solano County resident Laura Souza told CBS Sacramento .
`` I do n't really have words . ''
The second largest active fire , the SCU Lightning Complex , has burned through 291,968 acres in Santa Clara , Alameda , and Stanislaus counties over three days with 10 % containment .
It has resulted in two injuries and five structures destroyed .
Cal Fire spokeswoman Christine McMorrow told NPR there were several of protocols in place to protect hundreds of people in the firefighting crew from getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks and providing more space at base camps for firefighters to practice physical distancing .
McMorrow added that the state is falling short of nearly 200 inmate crews that usually battle brush fires in the state due to early release programs being expedited because of the pandemic .
A fifth death was reported was in the Hills Fire , which has burned through 1,900 acres .
A pilot of a helicopter that crashed Wednesday died while fighting a wildfire in Fresno County , Calif. , authorities said .
The fire has burned 1,900 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gavin Newsom announced earlier in the week that an additional 830 seasonal firefighters have been hired to offset the losses and more help is expected to arrive from Texas in the coming days California Gov .
Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Tuesday as extreme heat overtook the state , fueling dozens of wildfires .

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A firefighter keeps a eye on a back fire to burn off fuel near a home in Boulder Creek, Calif., as the CZU Lightning Complex fire continues to burn into its fourth day. Photo by Peter DaSilva/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday approved a major disaster declaration for California releasing federal aid for recovery in areas scorched by wildfires. Areas including Lake, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo counties, will receive expedited aid, the White House said. Advertisement
Meanwhile, a Santa Cruz shelter site reached capacity Saturday as wildfires raged in California, killing at least five people and burning down hundreds of homes.
One of the evacuation centers for the CZU August Lightning Complex fires has reached capacity, KGO-TV reported, with 79 evacuees living in tents inside the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium.
"It's really been nice here, it's the unknown that hurts," evacuee Michael Martyn said. "It's going to be bad ... when you really get down to the nitty gritty and find out the results of this fire, it's going to be devastating, devastating."
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The CZU August Lightning Complex fires in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties is the third-largest group of fires among hundreds of wildfires statewide, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It has injured two people and burned through 63,000 acres with 5% containment. It has destroyed nearly 100 structures and forced approximately 77,000 people to evacuate.
The CZU August Lightning Complex fires also caused extensive damage to California's oldest state park, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, including damaging the headquarters, historic core and campgrounds, leading to closure of the park, a California Department of Parks and Recreation statement said.
Elsewhere in the state, the largest active fires burning in the state are the LNU Lightning Complex Fire in north and the SCU Lightning Complex in the south.
LNU Lightning Complex Fire
Cal Fire said four people have died in the LNU Lightning Complex Fire, three in Napa County and another in Solano County. The deaths included three bodies found in a burned down home in Napa County, The New York Times reported, and a Pacific Gas and Electric worker, who died Wednesday while clearing electric poles and lines in the Gates Canyon area to make it safe for firefighters.
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Cal Fire data. Over four days, the fire has also resulted in four injuries and damaged 560 structures, as tens of thousands remain under evacuation orders. according toThe LNU Lightning Complex has grown to 314,207 acres with 15% containment, making it the second-largest wildfire in state history,
"At this early stage, we're just now getting the damage assessment crews out there and on the ground," Cal Fire spokesman Scott Ross told weather.com. "I think it'd be safe to say they're mostly homes."
"I'm sick to may stomach and I don't really have words," a Solano County resident Laura Souza told CBS Sacramento. "I don't really have words."
SCU Lightning Complex
The second largest active fire, the SCU Lightning Complex, has burned through 291,968 acres in Santa Clara, Alameda, and Stanislaus counties over three days with 10% containment. It has resulted in two injuries and five structures destroyed.
Cal Fire spokeswoman Christine McMorrow told NPR there were several of protocols in place to protect hundreds of people in the firefighting crew from getting sick from COVID-19, including requiring face masks and providing more space at base camps for firefighters to practice physical distancing.
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McMorrow added that the state is falling short of nearly 200 inmate crews that usually battle brush fires in the state due to early release programs being expedited because of the pandemic.
Hills Fire
A fifth death was reported was in the Hills Fire, which has burned through 1,900 acres. A pilot of a helicopter that crashed Wednesday died while fighting a wildfire in Fresno County, Calif., authorities said.
The fire has burned 1,900 and is 60% contained.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced earlier in the week that an additional 830 seasonal firefighters have been hired to offset the losses and more help is expected to arrive from Texas in the coming days
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Tuesday as extreme heat overtook the state, fueling dozens of wildfires.


upi--2020-08-22--Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny arrives in Germany for treatment

Aug. 22 ( UPI ) -- An emergency medical plane carrying Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny arrived in Germany on Saturday so he can receive treatment for a mysterious condition .
His transfer to Berlin 's Charite hospital came after waffling by his doctors at Omsk Emergency Hospital No .
1 in Russia on Friday .
They initially refused to allow him to be moved , insisting he was too unstable to travel .
They reversed their decision later in the day .
Navalny was in a coma and `` critical condition '' when he arrived in Germany , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin , has been in an induced coma after taking ill Thursday while traveling from Tomsk to Moscow .
After landing at an airport in Tegel , the 44-year-old was rushed to the Berlin hospital by an ambulance accompanied by police vehicles , The Guardian reported .
The hospital said it would provide an update on his condition after testing .
Navalny 's spokeswoman , Kira Yarmysh , who was traveling with him when he became sick , said doctors believe he was poisoned but the chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was first taken said they could find `` no trace '' of poison in his system so far , raising suspicion about the reluctance to transfer him to a facility in Germany .
Alexander Murakhovsky , chief of medicine at Omsk hospital , said Navalny 's condition may be caused by a metabolic disorder .
`` Today we have some working diagnoses .
The main one we are arriving at is the disorder in the carbohydrate balance , that is , a metabolic disorder .
It may have been caused by a sudden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Navalny is an anti-corruption activist and member of the Progress Party .
He unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Moscow in 2013 , president of Russia in 2018 and a member of the Duma in 2019 .
He 's been arrested multiple times , something his supporter believe is in retaliation for his opposition to Putin 's regime .

Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny arrives at Charite clinic in Berlin on Saturday. Photo by Clemens Bilan/EPA-EFE
Aug. 22 (UPI) -- An emergency medical plane carrying Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny arrived in Germany on Saturday so he can receive treatment for a mysterious condition. His transfer to Berlin's Charite hospital came after waffling by his doctors at Omsk Emergency Hospital No. 1 in Russia on Friday. They initially refused to allow him to be moved, insisting he was too unstable to travel. Advertisement
They reversed their decision later in the day. Navalny was in a coma and "critical condition" when he arrived in Germany, the Washington Post reported.
Navalny, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been in an induced coma after taking ill Thursday while traveling from Tomsk to Moscow.
After landing at an airport in Tegel, the 44-year-old was rushed to the Berlin hospital by an ambulance accompanied by police vehicles, The Guardian reported. The hospital said it would provide an update on his condition after testing.
Navalny's spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, who was traveling with him when he became sick, said doctors believe he was poisoned but the chief physician in the Siberian hospital where he was first taken said they could find "no trace" of poison in his system so far, raising suspicion about the reluctance to transfer him to a facility in Germany.
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Alexander Murakhovsky, chief of medicine at Omsk hospital, said Navalny's condition may be caused by a metabolic disorder.
"Today we have some working diagnoses. The main one we are arriving at is the disorder in the carbohydrate balance, that is, a metabolic disorder. It may have been caused by a sudden drop in blood sugar levels," he said.
Navalny is an anti-corruption activist and member of the Progress Party. He unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Moscow in 2013, president of Russia in 2018 and a member of the Duma in 2019.
He's been arrested multiple times, something his supporter believe is in retaliation for his opposition to Putin's regime.


upi--2020-08-22--Pennsylvania congressman tests positive for COVID-19

Aug. 22 ( UPI ) -- A Pennsylvania lawmaker announced Saturday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus and would n't be participating in a special U.S. House vote on a $ 25 billion bill to bolster the United States Postal Service .
Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser issued a statement Saturday that he was following CDC health guidelines .
`` I will be taking all necessary actions , including postponing upcoming public events and working from home in quarantine until I receive a negative test result , '' Meuser wrote .
`` I am thankful to God that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that my wife Shelley has tested negative . ''
Meuser said he would miss the vote on the $ 25 billion bill passed Saturday by a Democrat majority .
`` Because of this , I will not be present or voting today on H.R .
8015 .
I will , however , submit for the record that I would have voted 'NAY , ' '' Meuser wrote .
Meuser appeared at multiple public events in his district last week before learning he tested positive , the Reading Eagle reported .
Meuser is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test positive for the virus .
In July , North Carolina 's Rep. Tom Rice , a Republican , announced that he , his wife and son had tested positive for the virus , calling it the `` Wuhan Flu '' on his Facebook page .
Several other U.S. politicians and government officials have contracted COVID-19 , including Sen. Rand Paul , who contracted the virus in March , and Sen. Tim Kaine and his wife , Anne Holton , who tested positive for COVID-19 in June .

Pennsylvania GOP lawmaker Rep. Dan Meuser said Saturday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and would not be attending a special U.S. House vote on the U.S. Postal Service. Photo courtesy of U.S. House of Representatives
Aug. 22 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania lawmaker announced Saturday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus and wouldn't be participating in a special U.S. House vote on a $25 billion bill to bolster the United States Postal Service. Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser issued a statement Saturday that he was following CDC health guidelines. Advertisement
"I will be taking all necessary actions, including postponing upcoming public events and working from home in quarantine until I receive a negative test result," Meuser wrote. "I am thankful to God that my grown children were not at home and that my wife Shelley has tested negative."
Meuser said he would miss the vote on the $25 billion bill passed Saturday by a Democrat majority.
"Because of this, I will not be present or voting today on H.R. 8015. I will, however, submit for the record that I would have voted 'NAY,'" Meuser wrote.
Meuser appeared at multiple public events in his district last week before learning he tested positive, the Reading Eagle reported.
Meuser is one of several members of Congress to test positive for the virus.
In July, North Carolina's Rep. Tom Rice, a Republican, announced that he, his wife and son had tested positive for the virus, calling it the "Wuhan Flu" on his Facebook page.
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Several other U.S. politicians and government officials have contracted COVID-19, including Sen. Rand Paul, who contracted the virus in March, and Sen. Tim Kaine and his wife, Anne Holton, who tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies in June.


upi--2020-08-22--Video captures fatal officer-involved shooting of Trayford Pellerin, 31, in Lafayette, La.

Aug. 22 ( UPI ) -- State police and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation are investigating the officer-involved fatal shooting of 31-year-old Trayford Pellerin , a Black man whose last encounter with Lafayette police was captured on cell phone video .
Pellerin was killed after he reportedly fled officers who arrived at a convenience store around 8 p.m. responding to reports of a man in the parking lot with a knife , a statement from Trooper Derek Senegal at the Louisiana State Police said .
Officers chasing Pellerin on foot shot at him with Tasers but `` they were ineffective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still carrying a knife , tried to enter a gas station convenience store on NW Evangeline Thruway when officers fired at him .
Pellerin was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead Friday night , the news announcement said .
No officers were injured .
The investigation is active and ongoing , Senegal said .
A spokesperson for the Lafayette Police Department told KATC that the officers involved have been placed on administrative leave .
A video on social media was widely shared showed police opening fire at a man walking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At least 10 shots are heard in the video .
The shooting comes as protest and unrest have roiled the nation following police-involved deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville , Ky. '' Once again , video footage has captured a horrific and deadly incident of police violence against a Black person who was brutally killed in front of our eyes , '' said Alanah Odoms Hebert , executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana .
`` While we need to know much more about what occurred last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a routine 'disturbance ' call and cell phone video from the scene clearly shows Mr. Pellerin moving away - not towards - police officers , only to be tased and then brutally shot dead .
Trayford Pellerin should be alive today .
Instead , a family is mourning and a community is grieving , '' Odoms Hebert added .
Investigators said body cam video from the officers will be analyzed .

Video appearing to show Trayford Pellerin, 31, being shot by Lafayette, La., officers Friday night was widely shared on social media. Photo via YouTube
Aug. 22 (UPI) -- State police and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation are investigating the officer-involved fatal shooting of 31-year-old Trayford Pellerin, a Black man whose last encounter with Lafayette police was captured on cell phone video. Pellerin was killed after he reportedly fled officers who arrived at a convenience store around 8 p.m. responding to reports of a man in the parking lot with a knife, a statement from Trooper Derek Senegal at the Louisiana State Police said. Advertisement
Officers chasing Pellerin on foot shot at him with Tasers but "they were ineffective," Senegal said.
Pellerin, still carrying a knife, tried to enter a gas station convenience store on NW Evangeline Thruway when officers fired at him. Pellerin was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead Friday night, the news announcement said. No officers were injured. The investigation is active and ongoing, Senegal said.
A spokesperson for the Lafayette Police Department told KATC that the officers involved have been placed on administrative leave.
A video on social media was widely shared showed police opening fire at a man walking away from officers at a gas station. At least 10 shots are heard in the video.
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The shooting comes as protest and unrest have roiled the nation following police-involved deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ky.
"Once again, video footage has captured a horrific and deadly incident of police violence against a Black person who was brutally killed in front of our eyes," said Alanah Odoms Hebert, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana.
"While we need to know much more about what occurred last night, we know that it began with a routine 'disturbance' call and cell phone video from the scene clearly shows Mr. Pellerin moving away - not towards - police officers, only to be tased and then brutally shot dead. Trayford Pellerin should be alive today. Instead, a family is mourning and a community is grieving," Odoms Hebert added.
Investigators said body cam video from the officers will be analyzed.


upi--2020-08-22--House passes $25B bill to fund USPS, block operational changes

Aug. 22 ( UPI ) -- The House of Representatives on Saturday passed a bill to provide $ 25 billion in funding for the U.S .
Postal Service and block operational changes amid a mail-in voting controversy .
House Democratic leaders called the chamber back to Washington , D.C. , to vote on USPS ' request for $ 25 billion in funding amid increased demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic , along with the `` Delivering for America Act , '' which bans any operational changes this year that slow down the mail-in voting process .
The USPS often treated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past regardless of the postage , meaning it gets delivered faster .
But the agency was planning to treat such mail differently this year , according to documents obtained by CNN .
Though Postmaster General Louis DeJoy declined to specifically address this plan , he told Congress on Friday that the USPS plans to keep established mail practices in place until after the election .
The prohibited changes under the bill include the controversial removal of mail sorting machines and mailboxes , and treating election mail differently than `` first-class mail . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter Saturday afternoon , calling it a Democrat `` hoax . ''
Trump also criticized Democrats 's plans to approve more money to improve postal infrastructure for mail in voting , which he called the the `` Universal Mail-In Ballot Scam . ''
The bill is not likely to be taken up in the Republican-led Senate .
On Friday , the White House threatened to veto the bill .
Trump has said he opposed funding the financially struggling postal service because it would benefit those who seek to promote mail-in voting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by mail , claiming that it would invite voter fraud .
A study by Stanford University 's Democracy and Polarization Lab in April , though , found that mail-in voting does n't favor one political party over another , nor does it invite more frequent incidents of fraud .
Trump himself regularly votes by mail in Florida .
A Gallup poll released in April indicated that 70 % of Americans favor allowing all registered voters to vote by mail .
The Democratic-led House passed the USPS request for $ 25 billion to expand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation three months ago , but the Republican-led Senate has refused to consider it .
The USPS Board of Governors appointed former Republican fundraiser and Trump ally DeJoy to postmaster general in May .
DeJoy told senators Friday he was `` extremely , highly confident , '' that the USPS would be able to process all mail-in ballots despite the agency warning 46 states and Washington , D.C. , earlier this month that some mail ballots might not be counted in time for the election .


upi--2020-08-22--Tropical Storm Laura heads toward Dominican Republic bringing heavy rain to Puerto Rico

Aug. 21 ( UPI ) -- Tropical Storm Laura brought heavy rains to Puerto Rico on Saturday morning as Tropical Storm Marco developed closer to the Yucatan Peninsula .
The two storms are expected to become the first two tropical systems to be in the Gulf of Mexico at the same in records dating to the 1800s .
The National Hurricane Center said the eye of the storm was about 60 miles southwest of Ponce , Puerto Rico , as of its 2 p.m. EDT update .
The storm was moving west at 18 mph with maximum sustained winds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in effect for Vieques and Culebra , Puerto Rico ; U.S. Virgin Islands ; the northern coast of the Dominican Republic ; the northern coast of Haiti the southeastern Bahamas ; and the Turks and Caicos Islands .
There was a tropical storm watch for the central Bahamas and parts of Cuba .
Laura is the ninth storm to set a new early benchmark this season , beating the previous `` L-storm '' record held by Luis , which formed on Aug. 29 , 1995 .
Tropical storm watches are in effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Virgin Islands , as well as the southeastern Bahamas as Laura races westward at 21 mph .
Accuweather meteorologists have been watching the tropical Atlantic with extra close attention as the anticipated ramp-up of an already record-setting hurricane season begins .
Forecasters are monitoring Tropical Depression 14 , which could soon become Tropical Storm Marco , and they warn that both systems could make U.S. landfalls a day apart early next week .
Another disturbance near the coast of Africa , which is expected to take a few more days to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by AccuWeather meteorologists .
The Leeward Islands are first in the path for impacts from Tropical Storm Laura .
`` Laura will spread gusty winds and the possibility of periodic heavy rainfall westward over parts of the Leeward Islands from Friday to Saturday , '' Lead Tropical Forecaster and Senior Meteorologist Dan Kottlowski said .
With the current forecast for some gusty winds and downpours to the northern Caribbean , Laura will be less than one on the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale for Hurricanes , a scale that rates tropical systems from less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
People across the northern islands of the Caribbean , as well as the Turks and Caicos , southern Bahamas , the Florida Keys and the southern part of the Florida Peninsula should be prepared for tropical storm conditions , as an average , as the storm moves along with the potential for more significant conditions , depending on the exact track and strength of the feature itself .
Should the system track just north of the northern islands of the Caribbean , conditions there may not be severe , but it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strengthen further over warm water with minimal impediment from the high mountains in Puerto Rico and Hispaniola .
Such a scenario could bring damaging conditions to the Turks and Caicos and part of the southern islands of the Bahamas .
`` We expect Laura to move across the Florida Straits and it may strengthen into a hurricane on Sunday or Monday before taking a turn northward in the Gulf of Mexico , '' Kottlowski said .
This forecast is based on the anticipated strengthening and westward extension of the Bermuda-Azores high pressure area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and extend westward , there would be room for an earlier northward turn .
There are also other players on the long-range weather maps with both a southward dip in the jet stream over the South Central states and the Gulf of Mexico and Tropical Depression 14 , which is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Marco and track into the western Gulf of Mexico early next week as well .
This southern U.S. feature is forecast to weaken this weekend to next week .
How quickly the weakening occurs may determine whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system northward or allows it to continue on a west-northwest path through the Gulf .
A similar effect could be seen on Tropical Depression 14 , either being tugged farther north and east , or turning more westerly in the Gulf .
The circulations of both tropical systems , which are expected to be tropical storms or hurricanes by that time , could also interact with each other , changing their respective tracks and strength .
A third disturbance just emerged from Africa and is forecast to move westward across the Atlantic in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's formation , Cristobal , Edouard , Fay , Gonzalo , Hanna , Isaias , Josephine and Kyle had all set new records for their designated letters in 2020 .
With the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season already way ahead of the average pace and surpassing marks left by the notorious 2005 hurricane season , and the height of the hurricane season looming from the end of August to early October , not only are more records likely to be set , but there is also the likelihood that lives and property will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lid could soon come off the Atlantic basin with the potential for multiple named systems spinning at the same time , including multiple threats to lives and property at the same time from the Caribbean to North America .
AccuWeather meteorologists are expecting a hyperactive year for tropical storms and hurricanes -- enough that Greek letters may once again be needed .
Due to 2020 's record pace and upcoming conditions expected in the basin , AccuWeather meteorologists upped their forecast for the number of tropical storms in late July , with up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 hurricanes projected for the season .
Tropical storms are named for most letters of the alphabet , with the exception of Q , U , X , Y and Z .
Beyond that , Greek letters are used to name systems .
The infamous 2005 Atlantic hurricane season holds the record for the greatest number of named storms at 28 , and 2005 was the only year to use Greek letters .


upi--2020-08-22--Off-duty Detroit firefighter drowns after two girls rescued from Detroit River

Aug. 22 ( UPI ) -- The Detroit Police Department on Saturday announced divers had recovered the body of missing Detroit Fire Department sergeant , Sivad Johnson , 49 , who drowned Friday night while rescuing two young girls in the Detroit River .
Johnson , a 26-year veteran of the Detroit Fire Department , was off-duty and part of a group of several people near Belle Island who went into the water after two girls fell into the river .
Johnson and his daughter were walking near the Yacht Club when they heard two girls `` screaming from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commissioner of the Detroit Fire Department told the Detroit News .
The girls were pulled out of the river and released to their parents , who took them home .
But around 9 p.m. Johnson 's 10-year-old daughter told police that her father was missing .
`` It is believed [ Johnson ] may have been dragged underwater by the rip-current and no one noticed , '' a tweet from Michigan State Police said .
The Detroit Police Department dive team and Harbor Master searched Friday but gave up because of darkness and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Johnson was awarded the department 's medal of valor in 2017 .
`` He 's a firefighter , he saw the girls in distress and jumped in .
He 's done that his entire career , '' Fire Commissioner Fornell said .
`` Something happened and it 's unfortunate to have lost one of our own that way . ''

Detroit Fire Department Sgt. Sivad Johnson, 49, drowned Friday night in the Detroit River after jumping in while off-duty to rescue two girls from the water, officials said. Photo courtesy of the Detroit Fire Department
Aug. 22 (UPI) -- The Detroit Police Department on Saturday announced divers had recovered the body of missing Detroit Fire Department sergeant, Sivad Johnson, 49, who drowned Friday night while rescuing two young girls in the Detroit River. Johnson, a 26-year veteran of the Detroit Fire Department, was off-duty and part of a group of several people near Belle Island who went into the water after two girls fell into the river. Advertisement
Johnson and his daughter were walking near the Yacht Club when they heard two girls "screaming from the water," Dave Fornell, deputy commissioner of the Detroit Fire Department told the Detroit News.
The girls were pulled out of the river and released to their parents, who took them home. But around 9 p.m. Johnson's 10-year-old daughter told police that her father was missing.
"It is believed [Johnson] may have been dragged underwater by the rip-current and no one noticed," a tweet from Michigan State Police said.
The Detroit Police Department dive team and Harbor Master searched Friday but gave up because of darkness and finally located Johnson's body Saturday afternoon.
Johnson was awarded the department's medal of valor in 2017.
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"He's a firefighter, he saw the girls in distress and jumped in. He's done that his entire career," Fire Commissioner Fornell said. "Something happened and it's unfortunate to have lost one of our own that way."


upi--2020-08-22--Former U.S. Army Green Beret accused of spying for Russian intelligence

Aug. 22 ( UPI ) -- Federal agents on Friday arrested a Virginia former U.S. Army Green Beret accused of spying for Russia for years , alleging he visited the country and met with Russian intelligence officer to give away top-secret information .
Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins , 45 , of Gainesville , Va. , was accused of conspiring with the Russian intelligence service between December , 1996 and January , 2011 .
Debbins is accused of providing classified information to foreign adversaries .
Debbins allegedly provided Russian intelligence with information about his Special Forces unit and passed on names @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Berets so that agents could approach them to see if they wanted to cooperate with the Russian intelligence service , a statement from U.S. Attorney for the Easter District of Virginia said .
`` When service members collude to provide classified information to our foreign adversaries , they betray the oaths they swore to their country and their fellow service members , '' U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger said in a statement .
`` We will be steadfast and dogged in holding such individuals accountable . ''
Debbins , whose mother was born @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top-security clearance during his stint with the Green Berets , which ended with an honorable discharge in 2005 , the federal indictment said .
Debbins allegedly contacted Russian agents , saying he was a `` son of Russia '' in 1996 when he was participating in ROTC at University of Minnesota .
He operated under the code name `` Ikar Lesnikov . ''
Debbins married a Russian woman in 1997 who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2010 , the indictment said .
His father-in-law was a member of the Russian military , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pass information to the Russians while working for a Ukrainian steel manufacturer in Minnesota until 2011 .
According to the indictment , Debbins was once paid $ 1,000 as a gift of `` gratitude '' by Russian agents , and initially refused , but then accepted the payment .
`` Debbins violated his oath as a U.S. Army officer , betrayed the Special Forces and endangered our country 's national security by revealing classified information to Russian intelligence officers , providing details of his unit , and identifying Special Forces team members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a spy , '' said John C. Demers , assistant attorney general for national security in a statement .
`` Our country put its highest trust in this defendant , and he took that trust and weaponized it against the United States . ''

Former U.S. Army Green Beret Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins, 45, was arrested Friday and charged with spying for Russian intelligence agents. Photo courtesy of Alexandria Sheriff's Office
Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Federal agents on Friday arrested a Virginia former U.S. Army Green Beret accused of spying for Russia for years, alleging he visited the country and met with Russian intelligence officer to give away top-secret information. Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins, 45, of Gainesville, Va., was accused of conspiring with the Russian intelligence service between December, 1996 and January, 2011. Debbins is accused of providing classified information to foreign adversaries. Advertisement
Debbins allegedly provided Russian intelligence with information about his Special Forces unit and passed on names and contact information for his fellow Green Berets so that agents could approach them to see if they wanted to cooperate with the Russian intelligence service, a statement from U.S. Attorney for the Easter District of Virginia said.
"When service members collude to provide classified information to our foreign adversaries, they betray the oaths they swore to their country and their fellow service members," U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger said in a statement. "We will be steadfast and dogged in holding such individuals accountable."
Debbins, whose mother was born in the Soviet Union, was issued top-security clearance during his stint with the Green Berets, which ended with an honorable discharge in 2005, the federal indictment said. Debbins allegedly contacted Russian agents, saying he was a "son of Russia" in 1996 when he was participating in ROTC at University of Minnesota. He operated under the code name "Ikar Lesnikov."
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Debbins married a Russian woman in 1997 who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2010, the indictment said. His father-in-law was a member of the Russian military, the charging document said.
Debbins continued to pass information to the Russians while working for a Ukrainian steel manufacturer in Minnesota until 2011. According to the indictment, Debbins was once paid $1,000 as a gift of "gratitude" by Russian agents, and initially refused, but then accepted the payment.
"Debbins violated his oath as a U.S. Army officer, betrayed the Special Forces and endangered our country's national security by revealing classified information to Russian intelligence officers, providing details of his unit, and identifying Special Forces team members for Russian intelligence to try to recruit as a spy," said John C. Demers, assistant attorney general for national security in a statement. "Our country put its highest trust in this defendant, and he took that trust and weaponized it against the United States."
If convicted, Debbins will face a lifetime prison sentence.


upi--2020-08-22--West African leaders arrive in Mali to negotiate for coup reversal

Aug. 22 ( UPI ) -- Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan arrived in Mali Saturday with a convoy of West African leaders to negotiate for reversal of a coup that ousted President Ibrahim Keita .
Jonathan , who is leading the Economic Community of West African States delegation , announced the delegation 's arrival in Mali 's capital Bamako in a tweet Saturday . '
'' We arrived in Bamako this afternoon to continue with ( our ) mediation and peace talks towards resolving Mali 's political crisis and restoring normalcy in this beautiful West African country , '' Jonathan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late Tuesday after he was arrested along with Prime Minister Boubou Cisse in a military coup at an army outpost on the outskirts of the capital city of Bamako that followed months of protests .
Cisse was among at least a dozen other officials seized Tuesday by the junta , called the National Committee for the Salvation of the People , and taken to an army officer 's training facility in Kati town , about 9 miles outside of the capital , Voice of America reported .
Since then , Keita has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , relatives and diplomats .
He has been transferred back to the capital where he has been under house arrest .
The United Nations condemned Keita 's overthrow , along with the African Union , the European Union , the former majority Rally for Mali party , and civil society groups .
On Thursday , Nigerian President Mahamadou Issoufou called for reversal of the coup after a meeting of regional heads of state .
The delegation 's goal is to make the military junta `` understand that our sub-region no longer accepts the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
On Friday , thousands crowded into Mali 's capital to show support for the military junta , which had reopened air and land borders .
The demonstrators denounced the West African states delegation for condemning the coup and for closing Mali 's borders to the regional bloc 's 14 other member nations .
The junta 's leader , Colonel Assimi Goita , previously participated in U.S. Africa Command training , the Pentagon said , but the Pentagon still condemned the mutiny .
`` Colonel Goita and many other Malians have participated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violent extremist organizations , the rule of law in armed conflict , professionalism , and the primacy of civilian authority , '' U.S. Africa Command spokesman Col. Christopher Karns told VOA .
Junta leaders have pledged to hold elections in nine months .
`` They are working with the people , '' opposition leader Yeah Samake said .
`` The people of Mali are going to remain mobilized and vigilant , making sure that the power belongs to the people -- and that power is for the well-being and welfare of the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mali 's 19 million people live in poverty and the country also faces threats from Islamist jihadists in the country 's north .
The coup `` wo n't mean very much in terms of addressing the fundamental problems that Mali faces , '' said John Campbell , Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow and former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria twice , in a blog post .

Coup leaders meet Saturday with a delegation of West African States in Bamako, Mali. The delegation is attempting to reverse the coup's ouster of Mali's president. Photo by H. Diakite/EPA-EFE
Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan arrived in Mali Saturday with a convoy of West African leaders to negotiate for reversal of a coup that ousted President Ibrahim Keita. Jonathan, who is leading the Economic Community of West African States delegation, announced the delegation's arrival in Mali's capital Bamako in a tweet Saturday. Advertisement
'"We arrived in Bamako this afternoon to continue with (our) mediation and peace talks towards resolving Mali's political crisis and restoring normalcy in this beautiful West African country," Jonathan tweeted.
Keita, 75, resigned late Tuesday after he was arrested along with Prime Minister Boubou Cisse in a military coup at an army outpost on the outskirts of the capital city of Bamako that followed months of protests.
Cisse was among at least a dozen other officials seized Tuesday by the junta, called the National Committee for the Salvation of the People, and taken to an army officer's training facility in Kati town, about 9 miles outside of the capital, Voice of America reported. Since then, Keita has been allowed to meet with his personal doctor, relatives and diplomats. He has been transferred back to the capital where he has been under house arrest. The United Nations condemned Keita's overthrow, along with the African Union, the European Union, the former majority Rally for Mali party, and civil society groups.
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On Thursday, Nigerian President Mahamadou Issoufou called for reversal of the coup after a meeting of regional heads of state.
The delegation's goal is to make the military junta "understand that our sub-region no longer accepts the forceful takeover of power," Issoufou said.
On Friday, thousands crowded into Mali's capital to show support for the military junta, which had reopened air and land borders.
The demonstrators denounced the West African states delegation for condemning the coup and for closing Mali's borders to the regional bloc's 14 other member nations.
The junta's leader, Colonel Assimi Goita, previously participated in U.S. Africa Command training, the Pentagon said, but the Pentagon still condemned the mutiny.
"Colonel Goita and many other Malians have participated in Flintlock training exercises focused on countering violent extremist organizations, the rule of law in armed conflict, professionalism, and the primacy of civilian authority," U.S. Africa Command spokesman Col. Christopher Karns told VOA.
Junta leaders have pledged to hold elections in nine months.
"They are working with the people," opposition leader Yeah Samake said. "The people of Mali are going to remain mobilized and vigilant, making sure that the power belongs to the people -- and that power is for the well-being and welfare of the people of Mali."
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About half of Mali's 19 million people live in poverty and the country also faces threats from Islamist jihadists in the country's north.
The coup "won't mean very much in terms of addressing the fundamental problems that Mali faces," said John Campbell, Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow and former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria twice, in a blog post.