upi--2020-02-12--COVID-19 death toll climbs as rate of infection appears to slow

Feb. 12 ( UPI ) -- The number of deaths from a deadly coronavirus outbreak continued to climb on Wednesday amid signs the disease may be slowing down , according to officials .
China 's National Health Commission announced early Wednesday that 97 people had died in the previous 24 hours , raising the national death toll to 1,113 .
The figures released for Tuesday show that all but three of the deaths occurred in Hubei province , the epicenter of the outbreak that began in early December .
They also represent the first daily decline since late January when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , China posted a 24-hour record of 108 deaths .
The number of infected also climbed by 2,015 cases over Tuesday , reaching 44,653 cases nationwide with more than 30,000 reported in Hubei .
However , the increase was the smallest since the beginning of the month when there were fewer than 12,000 confirmed cases total , and was a continuation of an overall downward trend from a peak of 3,887 cases recorded on Feb. 4 .
Amid indications that the virus may be slowing , Chinese scientists said it could peak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state-run Global Times .
Globally , there have been two deaths from COVID-19 outside mainland China -- one in Hong Kong and one in the Philippines -- with 393 confirmed cases in 24 countries , according to the WHO .
The disease was officially named COVID-19 on Tuesday by the World Health Organization `` to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatizing , '' said the organization 's director-general , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus .
`` With 99 percent of cases in China , this remains very much an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that holds a very grave threat for the rest of the world , '' he said .
In Japan , more passengers of a quarantined cruise ship tested positive for the coronavirus , the Ministry of Health said Wednesday .
A Princess Cruises ' vessel has been stationed off Yokohama since Feb. 4 after a passenger who disembarked from the ship was diagnosed with COVID-19 .
Since then , Japanese health officials discovered more and more confirmed cases among the ship named Diamond Princess ' passengers .
On Wednesday , the ministry said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus , increasing the total number of infected to 174 , the largest number of confirmed cases outside of China .
Singapore has the next highest number of infections with fewer than 50 , according to the WHO .
The ministry said it has tested 492 of its more than 3,700 quarantined passengers and crew .
Those who have tested positive include the elderly and foreign nationals , it said , adding that they are now being treated at hospitals on the mainland .
The ministry also said one of its officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease and has since been hospitalized and has begun treatment .
Diamond Princess is scheduled to complete its 14-day quarantine next Wednesday .

A passenger of the Diamond Princess cruise ship stands on cabin balconies near the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, Japan, on Tuesday. Photo by Franck Robichon/EPA-EFE
Feb. 12 (UPI) -- The number of deaths from a deadly coronavirus outbreak continued to climb on Wednesday amid signs the disease may be slowing down, according to officials. China's National Health Commission announced early Wednesday that 97 people had died in the previous 24 hours, raising the national death toll to 1,113. Advertisement
The figures released for Tuesday show that all but three of the deaths occurred in Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak that began in early December. They also represent the first daily decline since late January when deaths began to exponentially climb. On Monday, China posted a 24-hour record of 108 deaths.
The number of infected also climbed by 2,015 cases over Tuesday, reaching 44,653 cases nationwide with more than 30,000 reported in Hubei.
However, the increase was the smallest since the beginning of the month when there were fewer than 12,000 confirmed cases total, and was a continuation of an overall downward trend from a peak of 3,887 cases recorded on Feb. 4.
Amid indications that the virus may be slowing, Chinese scientists said it could peak by late this month, according to state-run Global Times.
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Globally, there have been two deaths from COVID-19 outside mainland China -- one in Hong Kong and one in the Philippines -- with 393 confirmed cases in 24 countries, according to the WHO.
The disease was officially named COVID-19 on Tuesday by the World Health Organization "to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatizing," said the organization's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
"With 99 percent of cases in China, this remains very much an emergency for that country, but one that holds a very grave threat for the rest of the world," he said.
In Japan, more passengers of a quarantined cruise ship tested positive for the coronavirus, the Ministry of Health said Wednesday.
A Princess Cruises' vessel has been stationed off Yokohama since Feb. 4 after a passenger who disembarked from the ship was diagnosed with COVID-19.
Since then, Japanese health officials discovered more and more confirmed cases among the ship named Diamond Princess' passengers.
On Wednesday, the ministry said an additional 39 passengers tested positive for the virus, increasing the total number of infected to 174, the largest number of confirmed cases outside of China. Singapore has the next highest number of infections with fewer than 50, according to the WHO.
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The ministry said it has tested 492 of its more than 3,700 quarantined passengers and crew. Those who have tested positive include the elderly and foreign nationals, it said, adding that they are now being treated at hospitals on the mainland.
The ministry also said one of its officers on the ship has also contracted the disease and has since been hospitalized and has begun treatment.
Diamond Princess is scheduled to complete its 14-day quarantine next Wednesday.


upi--2020-02-12--Family members steal painkillers from dying relatives, study says

In another sign of just how bad the U.S. opioid abuse epidemic has become , a new study finds family members often steal painkillers from dying relatives in hospice care .
In a survey of 371 hospices , 31 percent reported at least one case in which drugs were taken from a patient in the past 90 days .
The thieves were most often relatives .
Lead researcher John Cagle said it 's not clear if those who steal the drugs are addicted , financially struggling , or both , though he assumes that is the case .
No matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to manage their pain is cruel , he said .
`` Where medications are being taken from patients , those patients are probably suffering , '' said Cagle , an associate professor of social work at the University of Maryland in Baltimore .
He added that the `` drug diversion '' problem may be bigger than these numbers suggest .
The majority of reported thefts took place in small facilities , and when the patient was receiving in-home hospice care , the researchers found .
The most frequent culprits were the main @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 38 percent of thefts by another relative and 34 percent by other patients , the findings showed .
Hospices are taking steps to curb drug diversion , Cagle said .
They 're storing medications in lockboxes , counting pills and finding other ways to monitor opioid use .
But Cagle fears that the thefts will lead to a crackdown on prescribing opioids to dying patients who need them .
`` Perhaps regulators and policymakers will overreact and limit opioid prescribing for hospice providers , and that 's a major concern because it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are hoping to alleviate suffering , '' he said .
Hospice providers increasingly share that concern , the researchers said .
Linda Richter is director of policy research and analysis at the Center on Addiction in New York City .
She said , `` The findings from this analysis highlight the need for a more comprehensive approach to opioid use disorder , and the need for prevention and treatment to be integrated into all aspects of health care , including hospices , nursing homes , hospitals and other medical facilities . ''
Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and recent reductions in prescription drug misuse , drug diversion is still widespread , she said .
`` Diversion thrives in settings where prevention and treatment are insufficient or lacking , '' Richter added .
The burden of caring for a loved one at the end of life can create a situation ripe for drug abuse , she suggested .
Family members of hospice patients are often under tremendous stress and need a broad range of supports to deal with the emotional , physical and financial toll of caring for a loved one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed out .
For people at risk of drug abuse , easy access to prescription opioids in the absence of other ways of relieving stress is a recipe for diversion and addiction , she added .
`` First , reducing access to prescription medications by not overprescribing and carefully accounting for medication that was prescribed ; and two , reducing demand for the prescribed medication by addressing substance use risk in patients and families , and connecting those with substance use disorders to effective treatment , '' Richter said .
The report was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American Medical Association .
RTI International has more on the opioid crisis and hospices .

In another sign of just how bad the U.S. opioid abuse epidemic has become, a new study finds family members often steal painkillers from dying relatives in hospice care.
In a survey of 371 hospices, 31 percent reported at least one case in which drugs were taken from a patient in the past 90 days. The thieves were most often relatives.
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Lead researcher John Cagle said it's not clear if those who steal the drugs are addicted, financially struggling, or both, though he assumes that is the case. No matter what, swiping drugs that dying patients need to manage their pain is cruel, he said.
"Where medications are being taken from patients, those patients are probably suffering," said Cagle, an associate professor of social work at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.
He added that the "drug diversion" problem may be bigger than these numbers suggest.
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The majority of reported thefts took place in small facilities, and when the patient was receiving in-home hospice care, the researchers found.
The most frequent culprits were the main family caregiver, at 39 percent, with 38 percent of thefts by another relative and 34 percent by other patients, the findings showed.
Hospices are taking steps to curb drug diversion, Cagle said. They're storing medications in lockboxes, counting pills and finding other ways to monitor opioid use.
But Cagle fears that the thefts will lead to a crackdown on prescribing opioids to dying patients who need them.
"Perhaps regulators and policymakers will overreact and limit opioid prescribing for hospice providers, and that's a major concern because it can tie the hands of providers who are hoping to alleviate suffering," he said.
Hospice providers increasingly share that concern, the researchers said.
Linda Richter is director of policy research and analysis at the Center on Addiction in New York City. She said, "The findings from this analysis highlight the need for a more comprehensive approach to opioid use disorder, and the need for prevention and treatment to be integrated into all aspects of health care, including hospices, nursing homes, hospitals and other medical facilities."
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Despite efforts to rein in the opioid epidemic and recent reductions in prescription drug misuse, drug diversion is still widespread, she said.
"Diversion thrives in settings where prevention and treatment are insufficient or lacking," Richter added.
The burden of caring for a loved one at the end of life can create a situation ripe for drug abuse, she suggested.
Family members of hospice patients are often under tremendous stress and need a broad range of supports to deal with the emotional, physical and financial toll of caring for a loved one nearing the end of life, Richter pointed out. For people at risk of drug abuse, easy access to prescription opioids in the absence of other ways of relieving stress is a recipe for diversion and addiction, she added.
Richter said reducing diversion will require a two-pronged approach.
"First, reducing access to prescription medications by not overprescribing and carefully accounting for medication that was prescribed; and two, reducing demand for the prescribed medication by addressing substance use risk in patients and families, and connecting those with substance use disorders to effective treatment," Richter said.
The report was published Feb. 11 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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More information
RTI International has more on the opioid crisis and hospices.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-02-12--One in seven Americans in a family struggling to pay medical bills

Feb. 11 ( UPI ) -- One in seven Americans are members of families struggling to pay medical bills , an analysis released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 's National Center for Health Statistics reveals .
While the statistic appears troubling , researchers say it 's actually an improvement -- in 2011 , nearly 20 percent , or one in five , U.S. adults reported having difficulty paying for care .
`` Among persons under age 65 , the percentage having problems paying medical bills was highest among those who were uninsured , followed by those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health insurance , '' researchers wrote in the study .
`` Among adults aged 65 and over , those with Medicare and Medicaid , and Medicare only had similar percentages of having problems paying medical bills ; both were higher than those with Medicare Advantage and private coverage . ''
`` This report does not examine specific reasons that may be driving this decrease , '' the authors , Amy E. Cha and Robin A. Cohen , of NCHS , told UPI via email .
The estimates were derived from responses to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initiative used to track population health status , healthcare access and progress toward achieving national health goals .
The data was collected for an eight-year period , from 2011 through 2018 .
While just over 14 percent of the population overall reported their family having difficulty paying bills , the percentage was slightly higher -- nearly 15 percent -- among women .
In addition , just over 16 percent of children 17 years of age and younger were members of families facing these challenges , and the percentage decreased as the survey participants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-Hispanic black people who reported being part of households having problems paying medical bills was nearly 21 percent , while it was just under 16 percent for Hispanic people and 13 percent for non-Hispanic white people , researchers report .
Meanwhile , nearly 28 percent of uninsured adults and children 65 years of age and younger and 20 percent of adults on Medicaid said their families had problems paying medical bills in the past 12 months , compared to less than 12 percent of those on private insurance .
Finally , among adults @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the percentages of those who were in families having problems paying medical bills in the past 12 months were higher among those with Medicare and Medicaid or Medicaid only , at just over 12 percent , than among those with Medicare Advantage , at 8.3 percent , or private coverage , at 5.6 percent .
`` Significant expenses for one family member may adversely affect the whole family , '' researchers wrote , adding that `` people who are in families with problems paying medical bills may experience serious financial consequences , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , clothing or housing , and filing for bankruptcy . ''

Many Americans struggle with medical bills, even those on Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance, the CDC says. Photo by Thomas Breher /Pixabay
Feb. 11 (UPI) -- One in seven Americans are members of families struggling to pay medical bills, an analysis released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics reveals. While the statistic appears troubling, researchers say it's actually an improvement -- in 2011, nearly 20 percent, or one in five, U.S. adults reported having difficulty paying for care. Advertisement
"Among persons under age 65, the percentage having problems paying medical bills was highest among those who were uninsured, followed by those who were covered with Medicaid and private health insurance," researchers wrote in the study. "Among adults aged 65 and over, those with Medicare and Medicaid, and Medicare only had similar percentages of having problems paying medical bills; both were higher than those with Medicare Advantage and private coverage."
"This report does not examine specific reasons that may be driving this decrease," the authors, Amy E. Cha and Robin A. Cohen, of NCHS, told UPI via email.
The estimates were derived from responses to the National Health Interview Survey, a CDC initiative used to track population health status, healthcare access and progress toward achieving national health goals. The data was collected for an eight-year period, from 2011 through 2018.
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While just over 14 percent of the population overall reported their family having difficulty paying bills, the percentage was slightly higher -- nearly 15 percent -- among women. In addition, just over 16 percent of children 17 years of age and younger were members of families facing these challenges, and the percentage decreased as the survey participants' age increased.
The percentage of non-Hispanic black people who reported being part of households having problems paying medical bills was nearly 21 percent, while it was just under 16 percent for Hispanic people and 13 percent for non-Hispanic white people, researchers report.
Meanwhile, nearly 28 percent of uninsured adults and children 65 years of age and younger and 20 percent of adults on Medicaid said their families had problems paying medical bills in the past 12 months, compared to less than 12 percent of those on private insurance.
Finally, among adults 65 years of age and older, the percentages of those who were in families having problems paying medical bills in the past 12 months were higher among those with Medicare and Medicaid or Medicaid only, at just over 12 percent, than among those with Medicare Advantage, at 8.3 percent, or private coverage, at 5.6 percent.
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"Significant expenses for one family member may adversely affect the whole family," researchers wrote, adding that "people who are in families with problems paying medical bills may experience serious financial consequences, such as having problems with paying for food, clothing or housing, and filing for bankruptcy."


upi--2020-02-12--NOAA: dolphins shot, stabbed off Florida's coast

Feb. 11 ( UPI ) -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Tuesday it is offering a reward of $ 20,000 for information that leads to the conviction of those responsible for the violent deaths of two dolphins whose bodies were discovered off Florida 's western coast .
Last week , Florida biologists discovered a dead dolphin off Naples that was fatally wounded from either a bullet or a sharp object , NOAA said in a press release .
That same week , experts with the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge discovered a second dolphin hundreds of miles away from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its left side .
Biologists believe these cases may be the result of people feeding wild dolphins as they come to associate people and boats with food , the NOAA said .
The two deaths followed that of an adult dolphin whose body was recovered near Captiva Island at the end of last May , the NOAA said .
The necropsy revealed that the dolphin was impaled in the head with a spear-like object .
`` The puncture wound indicates this dolphin might have been in a begging posture when he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a July press release .
Since 2002 , at least 29 dolphins have died in the Southeastern United States with evidence that they were either shot with bullets or arrows or were impaled with spears .
At least four dolphins have been attacked within this year , it said .

The NOAA said at least four dolphins have been violently killed in the past year. Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries/ Website
Feb. 11 (UPI) -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Tuesday it is offering a reward of $20,000 for information that leads to the conviction of those responsible for the violent deaths of two dolphins whose bodies were discovered off Florida's western coast. Last week, Florida biologists discovered a dead dolphin off Naples that was fatally wounded from either a bullet or a sharp object, NOAA said in a press release. Advertisement
That same week, experts with the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge discovered a second dolphin hundreds of miles away from Naples along Pensacola Beach with a bullet in its left side.
Biologists believe these cases may be the result of people feeding wild dolphins as they come to associate people and boats with food, the NOAA said.
The two deaths followed that of an adult dolphin whose body was recovered near Captiva Island at the end of last May, the NOAA said. The necropsy revealed that the dolphin was impaled in the head with a spear-like object.
"The puncture wound indicates this dolphin might have been in a begging posture when he was stabbed," the NOAA said in a July press release.
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Since 2002, at least 29 dolphins have died in the Southeastern United States with evidence that they were either shot with bullets or arrows or were impaled with spears.
At least four dolphins have been attacked within this year, it said.


upi--2020-02-11--Ex-Houston Astros player Marwin Gonzalez 'remorseful' for sign-stealing scandal

Feb. 11 ( UPI ) -- Current Minnesota Twins utility man Marwin Gonzalez became the first position player from the 2017 Houston Astros team to publicly apologize for the club 's illegal sign-stealing scheme .
Gonzalez , who is entering his second season with the Twins , told reporters Tuesday at the team 's spring training facility in Fort Myers , Fla. , that he was `` remorseful '' for the Astros ' actions in the 2017 campaign .
`` I 'm here to tell how I feel and just that I 'm remorseful for everything that happened in 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we did as a group .
And the players that were affected directly by us doing this and other things .
That 's what I feel the most regret over , and I am remorseful . ''
Major League Baseball announced last month that a league investigation confirmed the Astros cheated during the regular season and postseason of their World Series-winning 2017 campaign .
According to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred , the Astros used a camera-based system to steal signs of opposing teams during the 2017 season and parts of the 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the suspension and subsequent firing of Astros manager A.J .
Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow .
The organization was also fined a record $ 5 million and had multiple draft picks taken away .
The Astros hired Dusty Baker on Jan. 29 to replace Hinch .
Houston added former Tampa Bay Rays executive James Click to take the place of Luhnow .
Gonzalez said it 's `` hard to say '' how much the scandal impacts the legacy of the 2017 Astros team .
`` It 's hard to speculate , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we had one of the best teams in the last decade ... great talent .
... You just have to play ball .
That 's hard to know ; you 're never going to know .
That was a great team , great guys too .
It 's hard to answer that question . ''
Gonzalez set career highs in batting average ( .303 ) , hits ( 138 ) , home runs ( 23 ) and RBIs ( 90 ) in the 2017 season .
He batted .264 with 15 homers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Twins last year .
Last month , former Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel was the first non-position player to offer a public apology for the cheating scandal .

Former Houston Astros outfielder Marwin Gonzalez became the first position player from the 2017 Astros team to publicly apologize for the club's sign-stealing scandal. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Current Minnesota Twins utility man Marwin Gonzalez became the first position player from the 2017 Houston Astros team to publicly apologize for the club's illegal sign-stealing scheme. Gonzalez, who is entering his second season with the Twins, told reporters Tuesday at the team's spring training facility in Fort Myers, Fla., that he was "remorseful" for the Astros' actions in the 2017 campaign. Advertisement
"I'm here to tell how I feel and just that I'm remorseful for everything that happened in 2017," Gonzalez said. "Everything that we did as a group. And the players that were affected directly by us doing this and other things. That's what I feel the most regret over, and I am remorseful."
Major League Baseball announced last month that a league investigation confirmed the Astros cheated during the regular season and postseason of their World Series-winning 2017 campaign.
According to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, the Astros used a camera-based system to steal signs of opposing teams during the 2017 season and parts of the 2018 campaign.
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The sign-stealing scandal led to the suspension and subsequent firing of Astros manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow. The organization was also fined a record $5 million and had multiple draft picks taken away.
The Astros hired Dusty Baker on Jan. 29 to replace Hinch. Houston added former Tampa Bay Rays executive James Click to take the place of Luhnow.
Gonzalez said it's "hard to say" how much the scandal impacts the legacy of the 2017 Astros team.
"It's hard to speculate," Gonzalez said. "I still think we had one of the best teams in the last decade ... great talent. ... You just have to play ball. That's hard to know; you're never going to know. That was a great team, great guys too. It's hard to answer that question."
Gonzalez set career highs in batting average (.303), hits (138), home runs (23) and RBIs (90) in the 2017 season. He batted .264 with 15 homers and 55 RBIs in his first season with the Twins last year.
Last month, former Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel was the first non-position player to offer a public apology for the cheating scandal.


upi--2020-02-11--Report: 113 species require urgent help  after Australia bushfires

Feb. 11 ( UPI ) -- The Australian government has identified more than 100 animal species that will require urgent help due to the devastating bushfires that have ravaged the country .
On Tuesday , Australia 's Department of Agriculture , Water and the Environment released a provisional list of 113 animal species as having `` the highest priority for management intervention '' as most had lost at least 30 percent of their habitat with many having lost `` substantially more . ''
`` Some species were considered threatened before the fires , and the fires have now likely increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summary of the report read .
`` Many other fire-affected animal species were considered secure and not threatened before the fires , but have no lost much of their habitat and may be imperiled . ''
The 113 animals were identified by the government 's Wildlife and Threatened Species Bushfire Recovery Expert Panel based on the devastation to their habitat , their status prior to the fires and their vulnerability to fires due to their physical , behavioral and ecological traits , the report said .
The panel identified 22 spiny crayfish , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frogs , 17 freshwater fish species , 13 birds and five invertebrates as needing the greatest intervention .
`` Some of these species , like the Kangaroo Island dunnart , Pugh 's frog and Blue Mountains water skink , are at imminent risk of extinction because most of their range has been burnt , '' the report read .
`` They were already highly threatened , and they are susceptible to fires and its aftereffects . ''
The smoky mouse , koala and giant burrowing frog are other species that have had substantial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the researchers said .
The researchers said that they are not aware of any extinctions that were caused by the ongoing fires and there have been `` some encouraging sights '' of threatened animals in fire-affected locations , it is unsafe for them to enter many areas and make more detailed assessments .
Plant species were not included in the report but an assessment is underway but more time is required due to the large number of species being assessed , the report said .
However , despite a recent respite due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experienced in the past few months , the fires still burn and other animal species may become priorities .
`` This assessment will need to be updated as data for new fires become available , '' the report read .
Over the 2019-2020 fire season , bushfires of southeastern Australia have destroyed millions of acres of land and killed more than 30 people and a reported 1 billion animals .

An aerial view of a bushfire near Bairnsdale in Victoria's East Gippsland region, Australia, on Dec. 31, 2019. Photo by State Government of Victoria/EPA-EFE
Feb. 11 (UPI) -- The Australian government has identified more than 100 animal species that will require urgent help due to the devastating bushfires that have ravaged the country. On Tuesday, Australia's Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment released a provisional list of 113 animal species as having "the highest priority for management intervention" as most had lost at least 30 percent of their habitat with many having lost "substantially more." Advertisement
"Some species were considered threatened before the fires, and the fires have now likely increased their risk of extinction," a summary of the report read. "Many other fire-affected animal species were considered secure and not threatened before the fires, but have no lost much of their habitat and may be imperiled."
The 113 animals were identified by the government's Wildlife and Threatened Species Bushfire Recovery Expert Panel based on the devastation to their habitat, their status prior to the fires and their vulnerability to fires due to their physical, behavioral and ecological traits, the report said.
The panel identified 22 spiny crayfish, 20 reptiles, 19 mammals, 17 frogs, 17 freshwater fish species, 13 birds and five invertebrates as needing the greatest intervention.
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"Some of these species, like the Kangaroo Island dunnart, Pugh's frog and Blue Mountains water skink, are at imminent risk of extinction because most of their range has been burnt," the report read. "They were already highly threatened, and they are susceptible to fires and its aftereffects."
The smoky mouse, koala and giant burrowing frog are other species that have had substantial portions of their habitat adversely affected, the researchers said.
The researchers said that they are not aware of any extinctions that were caused by the ongoing fires and there have been "some encouraging sights" of threatened animals in fire-affected locations, it is unsafe for them to enter many areas and make more detailed assessments.
Plant species were not included in the report but an assessment is underway but more time is required due to the large number of species being assessed, the report said.
However, despite a recent respite due to rain from the intensity of the fires experienced in the past few months, the fires still burn and other animal species may become priorities.
"This assessment will need to be updated as data for new fires become available," the report read.
Over the 2019-2020 fire season, bushfires of southeastern Australia have destroyed millions of acres of land and killed more than 30 people and a reported 1 billion animals.


upi--2020-02-11--Jaguars to hire ex-Giants head coach Ben McAdoo as quarterbacks coach

Feb. 11 ( UPI ) -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are adding another former head coach to the team 's offensive staff after agreeing to a deal with Ben McAdoo .
League sources told ESPN and the New York Post on Tuesday that Jacksonville is hiring McAdoo to be the Jaguars ' quarterbacks coach .
The team has yet to announce the agreement .
McAdoo , who was fired as the New York Giants ' head coach late in the 2017 campaign , has been out of football for the last two seasons .
He will join recently hired offensive coordinator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Redskins ' head coach for five-plus seasons , on Jaguars coach Doug Marrone 's coaching staff .
McAdoo , 42 , previously interviewed with Marrone to be the Jaguars ' offensive coordinator , according to ESPN .
The position became available when the franchise parted ways with John DeFilippo in January .
In less than two seasons with the Giants , McAdoo posted a 13-15 record in regular-season games .
New York went 11-5 and lost a wild-card playoff game to the Green Bay Packers in his first season .
McAdoo was fired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McAdoo was the Giants ' offensive coordinator from 2014-15 before being promoted to head coach after Tom Coughlin was fired .
He also spent two seasons as the Packers ' quarterbacks coach in 2012-13 .

Former New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo was fired by the Giants late in the 2017 season. He has been out of football the past two seasons. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 11 (UPI) -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are adding another former head coach to the team's offensive staff after agreeing to a deal with Ben McAdoo. League sources told ESPN and the New York Post on Tuesday that Jacksonville is hiring McAdoo to be the Jaguars' quarterbacks coach. The team has yet to announce the agreement. Advertisement
McAdoo, who was fired as the New York Giants' head coach late in the 2017 campaign, has been out of football for the last two seasons. He will join recently hired offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, who was the Washington Redskins' head coach for five-plus seasons, on Jaguars coach Doug Marrone's coaching staff.
McAdoo, 42, previously interviewed with Marrone to be the Jaguars' offensive coordinator, according to ESPN. The position became available when the franchise parted ways with John DeFilippo in January.
In less than two seasons with the Giants, McAdoo posted a 13-15 record in regular-season games. New York went 11-5 and lost a wild-card playoff game to the Green Bay Packers in his first season. McAdoo was fired after a 2-10 start in 2017.
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McAdoo was the Giants' offensive coordinator from 2014-15 before being promoted to head coach after Tom Coughlin was fired. He also spent two seasons as the Packers' quarterbacks coach in 2012-13.


upi--2020-02-12--CDC expects COVID-19 to take a 'foothold' in the U.S. before end of outbreak

Feb. 12 ( UPI ) -- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said Wednesday they expect the 2019 novel coronavirus , or COVID-19 , outbreak to `` take a foothold '' in the United States before it is contained .
`` At some point , we are likely to see community spread in the U.S. or in other countries , '' Nancy Messonnier , director of the agency 's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , said during a briefing with reporters .
`` This will trigger a change in our response strategy . ''
The response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of test kits capable of identifying COVID-19 to public health laboratories across the country , which began last week .
In the near future , the CDC plans to update its guidance to healthcare workers on proper management of patients with the virus and coordinate with manufacturers of personal protective equipment , or PPE , including face masks and respirators , to address shortages .
At this point , the agency is still recommending against the use of face masks and respirators by the general public .
The equipment should be reserved for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close contacts -- such as immediate family members -- of confirmed cases .
Unfortunately , the rollout of the testing kits to labs nationwide has n't gone as smoothly as planned , due to some unexpected problems with the assays used in the protocol .
Messonnier acknowledged that some of the COVID-19 test kits have yielded `` inconclusive '' results during routine quality control checks at the individual facilities .
The problems have not adversely affected testing of possible COVID-19 cases , and samples collected from people suspected of having the virus are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for confirmation and validation .
`` Obviously , ideally , we 'd want tests done as quickly as possible , '' she added .
`` But accuracy is more important . ''
The agency is currently re-evaluating the test kits and working with state labs to correct problems , Messonnier said .
She also confirmed that there were some errors involved during testing of the 13th confirmed case of the virus in the United States , which was announced over the weekend .
The case involves an American citizen evacuated from China 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week and placed on 14-day quarantine at Marine Corp Air Station Miramar in California .
According to Messonnier , the blood and mucus samples collected from the patient were `` misidentified '' and thus not initially included among those `` prioritized '' for testing at the agency 's lab in Atlanta .
The error was spotted and the sample was subsequently tested and found to be positive for COVID-19 , she added .
The patient was sent from Miramar to a local hospital in the San Diego area for evaluation , awaiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Diego County public health officials , he was initially sent back to the base because there was no positive test result .
When the sample was finally tested , he was returned to the hospital .
He remained in isolation or quarantine throughout , health officials said .
The patient is currently in isolation at a California hospital and , to date , has only mild disease , Messonnier said .
In a briefing with reporters , she emphasized that the problems in the sample collection process that led to the confusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken -- including the implementation of additional quality controls -- to prevent similar errors from happening in the future .
She did not elaborate on the specific steps .
Officials at the World Health Organization , meanwhile , said Wednesday they are cautiously optimistic the global COVID-19 outbreak may be contained by the spring .
Michael Ryan , executive director of WHO 's health emergencies program , said he would love to be able to predict the future , `` but we need to be cautious . ''
Although he noted during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 in China , epicenter of the outbreak , appears to be stabilizing , `` we 're not going to talk about numbers or dates ...
It 's way too early to predict the beginning the middle or the end of this epidemic . ''
If the end of the outbreak is in the offing , Messonnier said it was likely down to the `` aggressive actions '' -- including travel restrictions and quarantines -- taken by China , the United States and other affected countries .
Since the CDC implemented its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 11 U.S. airports in January , more than 30,000 people have been evaluated for COVID-19 , with no new cases identified .
`` We are seeing fewer and fewer travelers because of travel restrictions '' implemented here and in China , Messonnier said .
Still , the agency is asking all travelers arriving from mainland China to effectively place themselves in quarantine at home -- and limit outside activities -- for a minimum of 14 days , while monitoring for symptoms of the virus .
Meanwhile , United Airlines announced Wednesday evening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and out of mainland China and Hong Kong .
The company , which first announced measures to halt the spread of COVID-19 on Jan. 31 , extended the restrictions from March 28 to April 24 .
The suspension affects all flights between United 's U.S. hubs and Beijing , Chengdu , Shanghai and Hong Kong .
The airline normally operates about 12 flights between the United States and China each day .
American Airlines announced its own extension of flight suspensions Tuesday , with plans to resume flights April 23 and 24 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 30 .

A woman wears a face mask outside after the Michael Kors FW20 Runway Show on Wednesday, in New York City. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 12 (UPI) -- A second person evacuated from the epicenter of a deadly coronavirus outbreak in China to a California military base has tested positive for the disease, U.S. health officials said on Wednesday, raising the number of confirmed cases in the United States to 14. In a statement emailed to UPI, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the patient was among a group of people who were airlifted from Wuhan, China, to the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar base in San Diego on Feb. 7 and was under a federal-imposed quarantine. Advertisement
The United States' 13th confirmed case of COVID-19 was discovered among a group of evacuees at the San Diego site and reported Monday. The CDC said Wednesday that the two patients had arrived on different flights and were housed in separate facilities.
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"At this time, there is no indication of person-to-person spread of this virus at the quarantine facility, but CDC will carry out a thorough contact investigation as part of its current response strategy to detect and contain any cases of infection with this virus," said CDC on-site team lead Dr. Chris Braden.
The CDC said that while this is the 14th confirmed cases there will likely be more in the coming days, including among recent evacuees from Wuhan where the disease that has killed 1,113 people in mainland China and infected tens of thousands more believed to have emerged.
Since Jan. 29, the United States has airlifted some 800 people from China on five chartered flights to sites in California, Nebraska and Texas where they are subjected to a 14-day quarantine.
As of Tuesday, there were more than 600 evacuees under quarantine including 232 people at the San Diego site after 195 Americans were released from the March Air Reserve base in California following the completion of their 14-day quarantine with none testing positive for COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the two Miramar base patients were being treated at the University of California San Diego Health along with a third who developed symptoms and was under investigation, the university said.
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"The three patients are doing well," it said in a statement, adding they were being treated in negative-pressure isolation rooms.
News of the United States' 14th confirmed COVID-19 infection follows CDC officials saying they expect the outbreak to "take a foothold" in the United States before it is contained.
"At some point, we are likely to see community spread in the U.S. or in other countries," Nancy Messonnier, director of the agency's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said during a briefing with reporters. "This will trigger a change in our response strategy."
The response, to date, has included the distribution of test kits capable of identifying COVID-19 to public health laboratories across the country, which began last week. In the near future, the CDC plans to update its guidance to healthcare workers on proper management of patients with the virus and coordinate with manufacturers of personal protective equipment, or PPE, including face masks and respirators, to address shortages.
At this point, the agency is still recommending against the use of face masks and respirators by the general public. The equipment should be reserved for healthcare personnel treating patients with COVID-19 and close contacts -- such as immediate family members -- of confirmed cases.
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Unfortunately, the rollout of the testing kits to labs nationwide hasn't gone as smoothly as planned, due to some unexpected problems with the assays used in the protocol. Messonnier acknowledged that some of the COVID-19 test kits have yielded "inconclusive" results during routine quality control checks at the individual facilities. The problems have not adversely affected testing of possible COVID-19 cases, and samples collected from people suspected of having the virus are still being sent to the CDC lab for confirmation and validation.
"Obviously, ideally, we'd want tests done as quickly as possible," she added. "But accuracy is more important."
The agency is currently re-evaluating the test kits and working with state labs to correct problems, Messonnier said.
She also confirmed that there were some errors involved during testing of the 13th confirmed case of the virus in the United States.
According to Messonnier, the blood and mucus samples collected from the patient were "misidentified" and thus not initially included among those "prioritized" for testing at the agency's lab in Atlanta. The error was spotted and the sample was subsequently tested and found to be positive for COVID-19, she added.
The patient was sent from Miramar to a local hospital in the San Diego area for evaluation, awaiting test results. However, according to San Diego County public health officials, he was initially sent back to the base because there was no positive test result.
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When the sample was finally tested, he was returned to the hospital. He remained in isolation or quarantine throughout, health officials said.
The patient is currently in isolation at a California hospital and, to date, has only mild disease, Messonnier said.
In a briefing with reporters, she emphasized that the problems in the sample collection process that led to the confusion have been identified and steps have been taken -- including the implementation of additional quality controls -- to prevent similar errors from happening in the future. She did not elaborate on the specific steps.
Officials at the World Health Organization, meanwhile, said Wednesday they are cautiously optimistic the global COVID-19 outbreak may be contained by the spring. Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO's health emergencies program, said he would love to be able to predict the future, "but we need to be cautious."
Although he noted during a press briefing that the number of cases of COVID-19 in China, epicenter of the outbreak, appears to be stabilizing, "we're not going to talk about numbers or dates ... It's way too early to predict the beginning, the middle or the end of this epidemic."
If the end of the outbreak is in the offing, Messonnier said it was likely down to the "aggressive actions" -- including travel restrictions and quarantines -- taken by China, the United States and other affected countries.
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Since the CDC implemented its screening protocols of travelers arriving from China at 11 U.S. airports in January, more than 30,000 people have been evaluated for COVID-19, with no new cases identified.
"We are seeing fewer and fewer travelers because of travel restrictions" implemented here and in China, Messonnier said.
Still, the agency is asking all travelers arriving from mainland China to effectively place themselves in quarantine at home -- and limit outside activities -- for a minimum of 14 days, while monitoring for symptoms of the virus.
Meanwhile, United Airlines announced Wednesday evening it extended its own travel restrictions into and out of mainland China and Hong Kong. The company, which first announced measures to halt the spread of COVID-19 on Jan. 31, extended the restrictions from March 28 to April 24.
The suspension affects all flights between United's U.S. hubs and Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Hong Kong. The airline normally operates about 12 flights between the United States and China each day.
American Airlines announced its own extension of flight suspensions Tuesday, with plans to resume flights April 23 and 24. Delta canceled all flights to China through April 30.


upi--2020-02-12--Bob Melvin: A's contacted MLB about Astros' sign-stealing before Mike Fiers interview

Feb. 12 ( UPI ) -- The Oakland Athletics filed a formal complaint to Major League Baseball about the Houston Astros ' sign-stealing scheme before pitcher Mike Fiers came forward with the allegations .
A 's manager Bob Melvin and general manager David Forst told the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday the club called the league about the Astros ' illegal operation before Fiers spoke to The Athletic in November .
Melvin , who supported Fiers ' decision to blow the whistle on the Astros , said that `` everyone was fed up with it '' at the time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this point right now , and obviously Mike had a lot to do with that , '' Melvin said .
`` The game 's better for it from this point going forward .
I think it 's all about moving past right now and getting through a lot of the issues that you saw .
It 's supposed to be an equal playing field , and it was n't . ''
Melvin said no steps were taken after the organization filed its complaint to MLB .
Melvin 's remarks echo recent comments made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCarthy about the league 's initial `` lack of action '' on the matter .
`` MLB does a great job of monitoring these things , but it 's very difficult if a team calls in and complains about something .
They can only do so much , '' Melvin said .
`` It took a player and a player who was on that team to put it over the top .
And I think MLB is handling it very well right now . ''
Major League Baseball announced last month that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the regular season and postseason of their World Series-winning 2017 campaign .
According to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred , the Astros used a camera-based system to steal signs of opposing teams during the 2017 season and parts of the 2018 campaign .
The sign-stealing scandal led to the suspension and subsequent firing of Astros manager A.J .
Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow .
The organization was also fined a record $ 5 million and had multiple draft picks taken away .
The league 's investigation also impacted other MLB franchises .
Former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job as manager of the Boston Red Sox , and ex-Astros player Carlos Beltran was removed from his managerial position with the New York Mets .

Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin (pictured) told reporters the team filed a complaint to Major League Baseball about the 2017 Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal long before Mike Fiers revealed the scheme in an interview with The Athletic. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 12 (UPI) -- The Oakland Athletics filed a formal complaint to Major League Baseball about the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scheme before pitcher Mike Fiers came forward with the allegations. A's manager Bob Melvin and general manager David Forst told the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday the club called the league about the Astros' illegal operation before Fiers spoke to The Athletic in November. Melvin, who supported Fiers' decision to blow the whistle on the Astros, said that "everyone was fed up with it" at the time. Advertisement
"I'm glad we're at this point right now, and obviously Mike had a lot to do with that," Melvin said. "The game's better for it from this point going forward. I think it's all about moving past right now and getting through a lot of the issues that you saw. It's supposed to be an equal playing field, and it wasn't."
Melvin said no steps were taken after the organization filed its complaint to MLB. Melvin's remarks echo recent comments made by former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brandon McCarthy about the league's initial "lack of action" on the matter.
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"MLB does a great job of monitoring these things, but it's very difficult if a team calls in and complains about something. They can only do so much," Melvin said. "It took a player and a player who was on that team to put it over the top. And I think MLB is handling it very well right now."
Major League Baseball announced last month that a league investigation confirmed the Astros cheated during the regular season and postseason of their World Series-winning 2017 campaign.
According to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, the Astros used a camera-based system to steal signs of opposing teams during the 2017 season and parts of the 2018 campaign.
The sign-stealing scandal led to the suspension and subsequent firing of Astros manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow. The organization was also fined a record $5 million and had multiple draft picks taken away.
The league's investigation also impacted other MLB franchises. Former Astros bench coach Alex Cora lost his job as manager of the Boston Red Sox, and ex-Astros player Carlos Beltran was removed from his managerial position with the New York Mets.


upi--2020-02-12--Inspector general: FAA's ineffective oversight of Southwest airlines put passengers at risk

Feb. 12 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation 's inspector general said the Federal Aviation Administration has not effectively overseen Southwest Airlines ' risk management system , in a new report .
The report released Tuesday states that the FAA has allowed Southwest to operate aircraft that do not meet U.S. aviation standards .
It also accused the agency of failing to provide its inspectors with proper training to ensure the highest degree of safety while overseeing Southwest , putting 17.2 million passengers at risk .
`` As a result , FAA can not provide assurance that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of safety in the public 's interest , as required by law , '' the report states .
The inspector general 's office said it received a hotline report detailing issues with FAA 's oversight of Southwest in 2018 and operational issues at the airline .
Later that year Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 experienced an engine failure that resulted in the first U.S. passenger death in nine years .
The Department of Transportation initiated an audit into the FAA 's oversight of the airline .
Upon completing the review , the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unresolved safety concerns , the airline regularly and frequently communicated incorrect aircraft weight and balance data to pilots , and it operates previously owned aircraft that do not meet U.S. aviation standards .
In these instances , FAA accepted the air carrier 's justification that the issues identified were low safety risks and its inspectors did not properly evaluate the risk assessment of the safety culture of the airline , allowing the unsafe flights to continue .
The inspector issued 11 recommendations to the FAA , calling on the agency to retrain its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with regulatory requirements for its aircraft and ensure that safety management systems put in place by airlines are n't used as a substitute for regulatory compliance .
`` FAA concurred with all 11 of our recommendations to improve its oversight of Southwest Airlines ' systems for managing risk and provided appropriate planned actions and completion dates , '' the inspector general said .

The Federal Aviation Administration's ineffective oversight of Southwest Airlines has put millions of passengers at risk, a report by the U.S. Department of Transportation's inspector general said. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 12 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's inspector general said the Federal Aviation Administration has not effectively overseen Southwest Airlines' risk management system, in a new report. The report released Tuesday states that the FAA has allowed Southwest to operate aircraft that do not meet U.S. aviation standards. It also accused the agency of failing to provide its inspectors with proper training to ensure the highest degree of safety while overseeing Southwest, putting 17.2 million passengers at risk. Advertisement
"As a result, FAA cannot provide assurance that the carrier operates at the highest degree of safety in the public's interest, as required by law," the report states.
The inspector general's office said it received a hotline report detailing issues with FAA's oversight of Southwest in 2018 and operational issues at the airline. Later that year Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 experienced an engine failure that resulted in the first U.S. passenger death in nine years. The Department of Transportation initiated an audit into the FAA's oversight of the airline.
Upon completing the review, the Department of Transportation found that Southwest flies aircraft with unresolved safety concerns, the airline regularly and frequently communicated incorrect aircraft weight and balance data to pilots, and it operates previously owned aircraft that do not meet U.S. aviation standards.
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In these instances, FAA accepted the air carrier's justification that the issues identified were low safety risks and its inspectors did not properly evaluate the risk assessment of the safety culture of the airline, allowing the unsafe flights to continue.
The inspector issued 11 recommendations to the FAA, calling on the agency to retrain its inspectors and managers, guarantee Southwest complies with regulatory requirements for its aircraft and ensure that safety management systems put in place by airlines aren't used as a substitute for regulatory compliance.
"FAA concurred with all 11 of our recommendations to improve its oversight of Southwest Airlines' systems for managing risk and provided appropriate planned actions and completion dates," the inspector general said.


upi--2020-02-12--U.S. shifts AFRICOM strategy as troops are 'overmatched' by militants

Feb. 12 ( UPI ) -- U.S. Africa Command is shifting its strategy to focus on containing al-Qaida and Islamic State affiliates and other militant groups , according to reports and comments from Pentagon officials .
`` The Secretary of Defense has been conducting a comprehensive review of DoD forces , programs and activities within each Combatant Command to ensure alignment with the National Defense Strategy 's priorities .
U.S. Africa Command was the first to present their findings and recommendations , '' Pentagon spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said in a Wednesday statement .
`` As part of this review and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Russia in Africa , the Secretary is directing the deployment of elements of the Army 's 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade ( SFAB ) to the continent to conduct train , advise , and assist missions in spotlight African countries . ''
Farah 's comments come on the heels of a report released earlier this week by the Department of Defense 's lead inspector general on AFRICOM operations in the fourth quarter of 2019 , and on comments from Secretary of Defense Mark Esper , who suggested in January that the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mission in Africa to focus on threats from China and Russia .
`` In West Africa , the U.S. military relies on French and African partner forces to execute most counterterrorism operations , '' the report said .
`` VEOs continue to target civilians and military personnel there , and their attacks are intensifying .
USAFRICOM told the DoD OIG that it has shifted its strategy from 'degrading ' these VEOs to 'containing ' them . ''
In the report 's introduction , lead inspector general Glenn A .
Fine reiterated the concern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but also wrote that `` no final decisions have been made regarding resources for counterterrorism operations in Africa . ''
About 800 U.S. troops are currently stationed in West Africa assisting 4,000 French troops .
According to the report , which describes U.S. forces as being `` overmatched '' in West Africa in particular , at least 230 soldiers were killed by extremist violence in Niger , Burkina Faso and Mali during the quarter .

U.S. Marines and members of the Uganda People's Defence Force restructure a local village road in the vicinity of Camp Jinja, Uganda on Monday. This week the Pentagon announced that U.S. Africa Command is shifting its strategy, though whether the U.S. will retain a presence on the continent is unclear. Photo by Grace Jenkins/U.S. Marine Corps
Feb. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. Africa Command is shifting its strategy to focus on containing al-Qaida and Islamic State affiliates and other militant groups, according to reports and comments from Pentagon officials. "The Secretary of Defense has been conducting a comprehensive review of DoD forces, programs and activities within each Combatant Command to ensure alignment with the National Defense Strategy's priorities. U.S. Africa Command was the first to present their findings and recommendations," Pentagon spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said in a Wednesday statement. "As part of this review and in order to better compete with China and Russia in Africa, the Secretary is directing the deployment of elements of the Army's 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) to the continent to conduct train, advise, and assist missions in spotlight African countries." Advertisement
Farah's comments come on the heels of a report released earlier this week by the Department of Defense's lead inspector general on AFRICOM operations in the fourth quarter of 2019, and on comments from Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, who suggested in January that the United States might pull back on the counterterror mission in Africa to focus on threats from China and Russia.
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"In West Africa, the U.S. military relies on French and African partner forces to execute most counterterrorism operations," the report said. "VEOs continue to target civilians and military personnel there, and their attacks are intensifying. USAFRICOM told the DoD OIG that it has shifted its strategy from 'degrading' these VEOs to 'containing' them."
In the report's introduction, lead inspector general Glenn A. Fine reiterated the concern about threats from the two larger powers, but also wrote that "no final decisions have been made regarding resources for counterterrorism operations in Africa."
About 800 U.S. troops are currently stationed in West Africa assisting 4,000 French troops.
According to the report, which describes U.S. forces as being "overmatched" in West Africa in particular, at least 230 soldiers were killed by extremist violence in Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali during the quarter.


upi--2020-02-12--Ex-Mets infielder Wilmer Flores signs two-year deal with Giants

Feb. 12 ( UPI ) -- Former New York Mets infielder Wilmer Flores and the San Francisco Giants finalized a two-year contract as spring training began , the team announced Wednesday .
League sources told MLB Media that Flores ' two-year deal is worth $ 6.25 million .
He will earn $ 3 million in each of the next two seasons , and the contract also includes a $ 3.5 million club option for the 2022 campaign with a $ 250,000 buyout .
`` The addition of Wilmer Flores gives us great flexibility with his ability to play across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations Farhan Zaidi said in a statement .
`` Offensively , he matches up well against both right-handed and left-handed pitching and adds another bat to the mix that can help lengthen our lineup . ''
Flores , 28 , recorded a .317 batting average with nine home runs , 18 doubles and 37 RBIs in 89 regular-season games with the Arizona Diamondbacks last season .
In six seasons ( 2013-18 ) with the Mets , he had a .262 batting average with 68 homers , 253 RBIs and 488 total hits .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the 60-day injured list with a right shoulder strain to make room on the 40-man roster .

Former New York Mets infielder Wilmer Flores is scheduled to earn $3 million in each of the next two seasons. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Former New York Mets infielder Wilmer Flores and the San Francisco Giants finalized a two-year contract as spring training began, the team announced Wednesday. League sources told MLB Media that Flores' two-year deal is worth $6.25 million. He will earn $3 million in each of the next two seasons, and the contract also includes a $3.5 million club option for the 2022 campaign with a $250,000 buyout. Advertisement
"The addition of Wilmer Flores gives us great flexibility with his ability to play across the infield," Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said in a statement. "Offensively, he matches up well against both right-handed and left-handed pitching and adds another bat to the mix that can help lengthen our lineup."
Flores, 28, recorded a .317 batting average with nine home runs, 18 doubles and 37 RBIs in 89 regular-season games with the Arizona Diamondbacks last season. In six seasons (2013-18) with the Mets, he had a .262 batting average with 68 homers, 253 RBIs and 488 total hits.
Advertisement OFFICIAL: #SFGiants have signed IF Wilmer Flores to a two-year contact. pic.twitter.com/gAJX2qgK6f— SFGiants (@SFGiants) February 12, 2020
The Giants placed right-handed pitcher Reyes Moronta on the 60-day injured list with a right shoulder strain to make room on the 40-man roster.


upi--2020-02-12--Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Troy Price resigns after caucus problems

Feb. 12 ( UPI ) -- The chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party resigned from his position Wednesday in the wake of problems surrounding the state 's caucuses .
Chairman Troy Price said that he will officially resign once a replacement is elected in response to errors in the results of the Feb. 3 caucuses related to an app the party implemented to tally votes .
`` While it is my desire to stay in this role and see this process through to completion , I do believe it is time for the Iowa Democratic Party to begin looking forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes that more difficult , '' Price said .
Price also announced state Democrats would commission an independent investigation of the caucus process .
`` The challenges reporting data and delays of publicizing the results were categorically unacceptable , '' he said .
`` Iowa Democrats demand better of us .
Quite frankly , we demand better of ourselves . ''
Price worked for the Iowa campaigns of former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , and served as executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party before being elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 .
Preliminary results from the caucuses showed former South Bend , Ind.
, Mayor Pete Buttigieg with a slight lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , granting 14 national delegates to Buttigieg and 12 to Sanders after applying revisions from 55 precinct reports .
Both candidates requested a recanvass of 143 precincts on Monday .

Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Troy Price announced his resignation on Wednesday after the state experienced errors with its caucus results. Photo courtesy Troy Price/ Wikimedia Commons
Feb. 12 (UPI) -- The chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party resigned from his position Wednesday in the wake of problems surrounding the state's caucuses. Chairman Troy Price said that he will officially resign once a replacement is elected in response to errors in the results of the Feb. 3 caucuses related to an app the party implemented to tally votes. Advertisement
"While it is my desire to stay in this role and see this process through to completion, I do believe it is time for the Iowa Democratic Party to begin looking forward and my presence in my current role makes that more difficult," Price said.
Price also announced state Democrats would commission an independent investigation of the caucus process.
"The challenges reporting data and delays of publicizing the results were categorically unacceptable," he said. "Iowa Democrats demand better of us. Quite frankly, we demand better of ourselves."
Price worked for the Iowa campaigns of former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and served as executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party before being elected to the chair in 2017 and re-elected in 2018.
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Preliminary results from the caucuses showed former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg with a slight lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., granting 14 national delegates to Buttigieg and 12 to Sanders after applying revisions from 55 precinct reports.
Both candidates requested a recanvass of 143 precincts on Monday.


upi--2020-02-12--House judiciary OKs bill to repeal President Donald Trump's travel ban

Feb. 12 ( UPI ) -- The House judiciary committee voted Wednesday to end President Donald Trump 's executive order banning travel by people from certain countries .
The Democrat-controlled panel voted 22-10 to pass the so-called No Ban Act to repeal Trump 's travel ban , which limits travel from people of six countries the administration said it deemed as security risks .
Trump signed the current version of the executive order in March 2017 and announced an expansion of the ban to include an additional six countries last month .
The 2017 order banned people from Libya and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , travel for some Venezuelan government officials , all entry from people from Iran except for those traveling under student or exchange visitor visas , Somalians traveling under immigrant visas , and travel by all people from North Korea or Syria .
The expansion banned people from Eritrea , Kyrgyzstan , Myanmar and Nigeria from receiving immigrant visas and suspended the visa lottery for people from Sudan and Tanzania .
Critics of the travel ban , including Democratic lawmakers , have accused the ban of targeting Muslim-majority countries .
Advocacy group Amnesty International @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , white supremacy and racism . ''
Republicans say the ban protects Americans from terrorism .
`` This has nothing to do with religion .
This has to do with securing our country , '' Rep. Debbie Lesko , R-Ariz. , said during Wednesday 's markup .
`` If it really was , as you call it , a Muslim ban , why would n't Indonesia be on this ban ?
I mean , they have a lot of Muslims .
This is just inaccurate .
You are just spreading this falsity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pointed to Trump 's own comments in 2016 when he called for a `` total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States . ''
`` How do we know ?
We know because the president , who is occasionally honest , told us so ! ''
Nadler said .
The bill now heads to the House floor for a full chamber vote , but it 's unlikely to pass the Republican-led Senate .

House judiciary committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler voted in favor of repealing the travel ban because President Donald Trump called for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States during his 2016 presidential campaign. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 12 (UPI) -- The House judiciary committee voted Wednesday to end President Donald Trump's executive order banning travel by people from certain countries. The Democrat-controlled panel voted 22-10 to pass the so-called No Ban Act to repeal Trump's travel ban, which limits travel from people of six countries the administration said it deemed as security risks. Trump signed the current version of the executive order in March 2017 and announced an expansion of the ban to include an additional six countries last month. Advertisement
The 2017 order banned people from Libya and Yemen from receiving tourist or business visas, travel for some Venezuelan government officials, all entry from people from Iran except for those traveling under student or exchange visitor visas, Somalians traveling under immigrant visas, and travel by all people from North Korea or Syria.
The expansion banned people from Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar and Nigeria from receiving immigrant visas and suspended the visa lottery for people from Sudan and Tanzania.
Critics of the travel ban, including Democratic lawmakers, have accused the ban of targeting Muslim-majority countries. Advocacy group Amnesty International said it is "rooted in hate, white supremacy and racism."
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Republicans say the ban protects Americans from terrorism.
"This has nothing to do with religion. This has to do with securing our country," Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz., said during Wednesday's markup. "If it really was, as you call it, a Muslim ban, why wouldn't Indonesia be on this ban? I mean, they have a lot of Muslims. This is just inaccurate. You are just spreading this falsity."
Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., pointed to Trump's own comments in 2016 when he called for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States."
"How do we know? We know because the president, who is occasionally honest, told us so!" Nadler said.
The bill now heads to the House floor for a full chamber vote, but it's unlikely to pass the Republican-led Senate.


upi--2020-02-12--Two Ohio State football players dismissed after rape, kidnapping accusations

Feb. 12 ( UPI ) -- Two Ohio State University football players were dismissed from the team after authorities charged them with rape and kidnapping over an incident that occurred off-campus earlier this month .
Records show the accused players -- Amir Riep and Jahsen Wint -- were booked into a Columbus , Ohio , jail early Wednesday .
Riep and Wint were charged late Tuesday at Franklin County Municipal Court in Columbus .
Both are being held without bond and are scheduled for arraignment Thursday on the felony charges .
`` We are aware that two of our students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the university said in a statement Tuesday .
`` They have been suspended from all activities involving the football program .
We will share more information when available . ''
Buckeyes head football coach Ryan Day suspended the players Tuesday before dismissing them Wednesday .
`` I have dismissed Amir Riep and Jahsen Wint from our football program , '' Day said in a statement .
`` I am not making any statement on the criminal charges , but it is clear they did not live up to our standards and my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure they both continue to have access to the health and well-being resources available to students and student-athletes .
Due to the ongoing criminal investigation , I will not be commenting further . ''
Court documents obtained by Fox 19 Cincinnati , CBS 10 Columbus and the Columbus Dispatch said Riep and the alleged victim were having consensual sex before she said she did n't want to continue .
According to the documents , Wint then entered the room and allegedly asked if he could join Riep and the victim .
Riep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grabbing her by the neck before Wint joined .
The documents say Riep made the victim record a video saying the sex was consensual .
Riep later drove the woman home .
Riep , a senior defensive back from Cincinnati , has recorded 33 tackles in 37 games for the Buckeyes .
Wint , a redshirt junior defensive back and former four-star prospect from New York , has 40 total tackles in 35 games for the Buckeyes .

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Former Ohio State Buckeyes safety Jahsen Wint (23) is in a Columbus, Ohio, jail after being charged with rape and kidnapping. File Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Two Ohio State University football players were dismissed from the team after authorities charged them with rape and kidnapping over an incident that occurred off-campus earlier this month. Records show the accused players -- Amir Riep and Jahsen Wint -- were booked into a Columbus, Ohio, jail early Wednesday. Advertisement
Riep and Wint were charged late Tuesday at Franklin County Municipal Court in Columbus. Both are being held without bond and are scheduled for arraignment Thursday on the felony charges.
"We are aware that two of our students have been arrested and criminally charged," the university said in a statement Tuesday. "They have been suspended from all activities involving the football program. We will share more information when available."
Buckeyes head football coach Ryan Day suspended the players Tuesday before dismissing them Wednesday.
"I have dismissed Amir Riep and Jahsen Wint from our football program," Day said in a statement. "I am not making any statement on the criminal charges, but it is clear they did not live up to our standards and my expectations.
"The athletics department will make sure they both continue to have access to the health and well-being resources available to students and student-athletes. Due to the ongoing criminal investigation, I will not be commenting further."
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Court documents obtained by Fox 19 Cincinnati, CBS 10 Columbus and the Columbus Dispatch said Riep and the alleged victim were having consensual sex before she said she didn't want to continue.
According to the documents, Wint then entered the room and allegedly asked if he could join Riep and the victim. Riep then allegedly pinned the woman down by grabbing her by the neck before Wint joined.
The documents say Riep made the victim record a video saying the sex was consensual. Riep later drove the woman home.
Riep, a senior defensive back from Cincinnati, has recorded 33 tackles in 37 games for the Buckeyes. Wint, a redshirt junior defensive back and former four-star prospect from New York, has 40 total tackles in 35 games for the Buckeyes.


upi--2020-02-12--Indiana holds burial ceremony for fetuses found after abortion doctor's death

Feb. 12 ( UPI ) -- Thousands of fetal remains found in Illinois after the death of a former Indiana abortion doctor were buried in a ceremony on Wednesday .
Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill was joined by more than 100 people in South Bend as they buried the 2,411 sets of remains found in the home of Dr. Ulrich Klopfer who performed abortions at clinics in South Bend , Gary and Fort Wayne from 2000 to 2002 .
`` While it would have been preferable to return the remains to each city where the procedure took place , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ degradation of the remains and the unreliability of the records , '' Hill said .
Klopfer 's family members found the remains after he died in September while they went through his possessions at his Will County , Ill. , home .
The remains were stored in small plastic medical bags filled with a chemical preservative called formalin and placed in cardboard boxes .
Hill said his office is examining the records kept by Klopfer , many of which were `` spoiled , destroyed or wet '' but added there was little hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best evidence of the why certainly died with Dr. Klopfer in September , '' he said .
`` There 's no answer for that and I do n't know that we ever will get an answer for that . ''
Hill noted that the state passed a law in 2016 requiring burial or cremation of fetal remains resulting from abortion , but the laws at the time when the remains originated from were unclear .
`` There was certainly a variety of methods .
Burial was an option at that time .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
`` One thing is clear , there was no authority to transport the remains across state lines and there was no authority to store them in the residence , in his garage or in the trunk of his car with rodent feces . ''

Hundreds of people gathered for a burial ceremony for 2,411 fetuses found at the home of an Indiana abortion doctor on Wednesday. Photo courtesy Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill/Twitter
Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Thousands of fetal remains found in Illinois after the death of a former Indiana abortion doctor were buried in a ceremony on Wednesday. Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill was joined by more than 100 people in South Bend as they buried the 2,411 sets of remains found in the home of Dr. Ulrich Klopfer who performed abortions at clinics in South Bend, Gary and Fort Wayne from 2000 to 2002. Advertisement
"While it would have been preferable to return the remains to each city where the procedure took place, that was not possible, due to the degradation of the remains and the unreliability of the records," Hill said.
Klopfer's family members found the remains after he died in September while they went through his possessions at his Will County, Ill., home.
The remains were stored in small plastic medical bags filled with a chemical preservative called formalin and placed in cardboard boxes.
Hill said his office is examining the records kept by Klopfer, many of which were "spoiled, destroyed or wet" but added there was little hope of discovering his motive.
"The best evidence of the why certainly died with Dr. Klopfer in September," he said. "There's no answer for that and I don't know that we ever will get an answer for that."
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Hill noted that the state passed a law in 2016 requiring burial or cremation of fetal remains resulting from abortion, but the laws at the time when the remains originated from were unclear.
"There was certainly a variety of methods. Burial was an option at that time. They would consider it bio-hazardous waste," he said. "One thing is clear, there was no authority to transport the remains across state lines and there was no authority to store them in the residence, in his garage or in the trunk of his car with rodent feces."


upi--2020-02-12--Bataan ARG and 26th MEU complete passage through Strait of Hormuz

Feb. 12 ( UPI ) -- The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit completed passage through the Strait of Hormuz to the Arabian Gulf Wednesday , according to the Navy .
`` Bataan 's transit of the Strait of Hormuz supports stability and security essential to maritime commerce , '' said Capt .
Greg Leland , commanding officer of Bataan .
`` Our continued commitment to our partner nations lends to the strength of nations here in the Gulf and elsewhere in the region . ''
The Bataan ARG and 26th MEU are operating the U.S. 5th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million square miles of water that includes the Arabian Gulf , Red Sea , Gulf of Oman , Gulf of Aden , Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean .
The 26th MEU is a Marine air-ground task force composed of about 2,500 Marines and sailors with three subordinate elements : the Ground Combat Element , the Aviation Combat ELement and the Logistics Command Element .
The Bataan ARG also includes the amphibious USS New York and the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill , and is supported by elements of Naval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Squadron 22 , Fleet Surgical Team 4 , Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28 and the staff of Amphibious Squadron 8 .
Also embarked with the ARG are elements of Naval Beach Group 2 , Tactical Air Control Squadron 22 , Fleet Surgical Team 4 , Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28 and the staff of Amphibious Squadron 8 .

The amphibious transport dock ship USS New York, left, and the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS William McLean move through the Strait of Hormuz. The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, with embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. Photo by Nathan Reyes/U.S. Marine Corps
Feb. 12 (UPI) -- The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit completed passage through the Strait of Hormuz to the Arabian Gulf Wednesday, according to the Navy. "Bataan's transit of the Strait of Hormuz supports stability and security essential to maritime commerce," said Capt. Greg Leland, commanding officer of Bataan. "Our continued commitment to our partner nations lends to the strength of nations here in the Gulf and elsewhere in the region." Advertisement
The Bataan ARG and 26th MEU are operating the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations with about 2.5 million square miles of water that includes the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.
The 26th MEU is a Marine air-ground task force composed of about 2,500 Marines and sailors with three subordinate elements: the Ground Combat Element, the Aviation Combat ELement and the Logistics Command Element.
The Bataan ARG also includes the amphibious USS New York and the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill, and is supported by elements of Naval Beach Group 2, Tactical Air Control Squadron 22, Fleet Surgical Team 4, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28 and the staff of Amphibious Squadron 8.
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Also embarked with the ARG are elements of Naval Beach Group 2, Tactical Air Control Squadron 22, Fleet Surgical Team 4, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28 and the staff of Amphibious Squadron 8.


upi--2020-02-12--Threat has ended for areas in Australia devastated by catastrophic wildfires

Seven words captured the continued joy being felt by those fighting fires in the Australian state of New South Wales as days of rain continued to pour down on the wildfire-embattled areas .
`` The good news just keeps rolling in ! ''
the New South Wales Rural Fire Service tweeted Tuesday .
The NSW RFS noted that a fire that had been burning for 210 days had been declared out .
That was on top of a previous report that drenching rains across NSW had extinguished 30 fires , including the Gospers Mountain `` mega-blaze , '' which burned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaves four fires not yet contained after wildfires have been blamed for killing at least 28 people and almost a half billion animals in Australia .
Tens of thousands of residents evacuated their homes in New South Wales and Victoria .
As AccuWeather predicted back in mid-January , though , a changing weather pattern benefited firefighting efforts across southeast Australia as cooler air and regular downpours allowed firefighters to get better containment on the larger and more dangerous fires .
The heaviest rainfall in decades was reported in Sydney from Friday into Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rain over this four-day stretch .
That 's more than three times the normal amount of rain for the entire month of February .
The ensuing flooding from the heavy rainfall caused at least 100,000 power outages in the Sydney area , according to the BBC .
More than 200 people were also rescued by emergency services in Sydney during the recent flooding .
However , AccuWeather forecasts more good news for those dealing with wildfires : `` The threat has ended for the parts of New South Wales where they 've had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior meteorologist Eric Leister .
`` The soil is so saturated now that fires are n't really going to spread .
The environment is not favorable for these big , fast-spreading fires that they had at the end of last year . ''
Flooding will continue to be a concern this week as daily showers and thunderstorms drench locations from southeast Queensland southward through eastern New South Wales , including the Sydney area , according to AccuWeather meteorologists .
Additional rainfall of 1 inch to 2 inches will be common into Thursday with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While the rains have soaked parts of Australia , segments of the country remain dry and still at risk , though .
`` South Australia and even a small part of western New South Wales have gotten little to no rainfall this year , '' Leister said .
`` That 's where I think there could still be fire problems the next several months because they have n't received very much rain , it gets really hot there - and the heat builds over the interior and just pours down into these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` But for New South Wales , it 's done now , even though the fires are still burning , '' he added .
`` There 's no further threat so it 's just a matter of letting this stuff extinguish itself . ''

Seven words captured the continued joy being felt by those fighting fires in the Australian state of New South Wales as days of rain continued to pour down on the wildfire-embattled areas.
"The good news just keeps rolling in!" the New South Wales Rural Fire Service tweeted Tuesday. The NSW RFS noted that a fire that had been burning for 210 days had been declared out.
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That was on top of a previous report that drenching rains across NSW had extinguished 30 fires, including the Gospers Mountain "mega-blaze," which burned more than 1.24 million acres.
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That leaves four fires not yet contained after wildfires have been blamed for killing at least 28 people and almost a half billion animals in Australia. Tens of thousands of residents evacuated their homes in New South Wales and Victoria.
As AccuWeather predicted back in mid-January, though, a changing weather pattern benefited firefighting efforts across southeast Australia as cooler air and regular downpours allowed firefighters to get better containment on the larger and more dangerous fires.
The heaviest rainfall in decades was reported in Sydney from Friday into Monday as the city received 15.42 inches of rain over this four-day stretch. That's more than three times the normal amount of rain for the entire month of February.
The ensuing flooding from the heavy rainfall caused at least 100,000 power outages in the Sydney area, according to the BBC. More than 200 people were also rescued by emergency services in Sydney during the recent flooding.
However, AccuWeather forecasts more good news for those dealing with wildfires: "The threat has ended for the parts of New South Wales where they've had so many fires," said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Eric Leister. "The soil is so saturated now that fires aren't really going to spread. The environment is not favorable for these big, fast-spreading fires that they had at the end of last year."
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Flooding will continue to be a concern this week as daily showers and thunderstorms drench locations from southeast Queensland southward through eastern New South Wales, including the Sydney area, according to AccuWeather meteorologists.
Additional rainfall of 1 inch to 2 inches will be common into Thursday with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 6 inches.
While the rains have soaked parts of Australia, segments of the country remain dry and still at risk, though.
"South Australia and even a small part of western New South Wales have gotten little to no rainfall this year," Leister said. "That's where I think there could still be fire problems the next several months because they haven't received very much rain, it gets really hot there - and the heat builds over the interior and just pours down into these areas - and it's still bone-dry.
"But for New South Wales, it's done now, even though the fires are still burning," he added. "There's no further threat so it's just a matter of letting this stuff extinguish itself."