upi--2020-03-18--Tornado risk ramps up as severe weather erupts over central U.S.

March 18 ( UPI ) -- A multi-faceted storm system slated to bring blizzard conditions to parts of the northern Plains and record-challenging heat to portions of the mid-Atlantic will also unleash multiple rounds of severe weather in the south-central United States into Thursday evening .
Winter will go out with a bang in terms of severe weather over the Central states as spring officially arrives at 10:50 p.m. CDT on Thursday .
The storm system is the same one responsible for bringing much-needed rainfall to California and burying the Sierra Nevada with feet of snow from this past weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Prior to this system 's arrival , a small pocket of severe thunderstorms erupted in western Texas late on Tuesday into Tuesday night .
These storms were responsible for producing two tornadoes , one in New Mexico and one in Texas , and a few incidents of large hail .
Storms to repeat in Texas into Wednesday night Unfortunately , the same area could get hit with a more widespread severe weather event through Wednesday night as the vigorous storm system moves into the Four Corners region .
There may be few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weather during the daylight hours on Wednesday , but a line of storms will erupt in eastern New Mexico and western Texas shortly before sunset .
The line will quickly intensify as it moves eastward into an environment more conducive for severe weather and will threaten areas from Amarillo to Midland with the full spectrum of severe weather Wednesday evening .
Later Wednesday night , the storms could reach Oklahoma City and the western suburbs of Dallas before weakening Thursday morning .
Residents in Wednesday night 's threat zone should be sure to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enabled with the latest severe weather warnings handy since these alerts may otherwise go unnoticed when many are sleeping .
Nearly 50 million people at risk on Thursday From late Thursday morning through Thursday evening , yet another round of severe weather is expected from eastern Texas , eastern Oklahoma and Arkansas to Missouri , Illinois , southern Iowa and eastern Nebraska .
Unlike what will occur on Wednesday , Thursday 's severe storms are anticipated to be at their peak intensity during the daylight hours .
Still , some gusty to severe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday evening .
`` Thursday poses the greatest risk of tornadoes of the entire multiple-day severe weather risk this week , '' according to AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski .
From eastern Kansas and western Missouri to eastern Oklahoma and east-central Texas , the greatest threat for severe storms will be during Thursday morning as what is left of Wednesday night 's storms moves eastward .
However , a second , and more potent , round of storms will erupt later Thursday afternoon farther north and east , and this is the round @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of tornadoes .
`` It is likely that the greatest threat for more than a couple of isolated tornadoes may exist over parts of eastern Nebraska , southern Iowa and western Illinois close to where a warm front will set up , '' Sosnowski added .
The area at risk for severe weather on Thursday includes approximately 50 million people and includes the major metropolitan areas of St. Louis and Kansas City , Mo .
; Dallas ; Little Rock and Fort Smith , Ark .
; Memphis , Tenn. ; Des @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , La .
; Tulsa , Okla. ; and Springfield , Peoria , Chicago and Rockford , Ill. Because multiple rounds of storms may move from southwest to northeast over the same areas on Thursday , the risk for flash flooding will be higher than on Tuesday and Wednesday .
Some of these areas , especially ones closer to the Mississippi River , have already dealt with flooding and excessive amounts of rainfall so far this year .
The additional rainfall could create new flooding problems on creeks and streams that , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Midwest , could work its way into the larger rivers by the weekend or early next week .
In addition to the risk for flooding this week , localized power outages , as well as tree , roof and property damage , could occur in any areas hit with wind gusts of 50 mph to 60 mph or higher .
Any large hail could damage unprotected vehicles and damage any tender vegetation beginning to bloom across the region .
Because the volume of people driving or taking mass transit to work has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volume of telecommuters related to the COVID-19 pandemic , the risk for widespread travel delays during the afternoon commutes will be lower than usual this week .
However , employees that must travel may encounter difficult , to at times dangerous , travel conditions .
Remember to pull over , if necessary , when driving through hail , strong winds or blinding downpours or reduce speed to minimize the risk for hydroplaning on higher-speed interstates .
By Friday , the risk for severe weather will diminish as the energy supporting the storm system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region and southeastern Canada .
Still , some stronger , gusty storms are forecast to impact areas from the Ohio Valley to the Tennessee River Valley before drier and cooler weather sweeps into the central and eastern United States by the weekend .

March 18 (UPI) -- A multi-faceted storm system slated to bring blizzard conditions to parts of the northern Plains and record-challenging heat to portions of the mid-Atlantic will also unleash multiple rounds of severe weather in the south-central United States into Thursday evening.
Winter will go out with a bang in terms of severe weather over the Central states as spring officially arrives at 10:50 p.m. CDT on Thursday.
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The storm system is the same one responsible for bringing much-needed rainfall to California and burying the Sierra Nevada with feet of snow from this past weekend into the first part of this week.
Prior to this system's arrival, a small pocket of severe thunderstorms erupted in western Texas late on Tuesday into Tuesday night. These storms were responsible for producing two tornadoes, one in New Mexico and one in Texas, and a few incidents of large hail.
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Storms to repeat in Texas into Wednesday night
Unfortunately, the same area could get hit with a more widespread severe weather event through Wednesday night as the vigorous storm system moves into the Four Corners region.
There may be few, if any, incidents of severe weather during the daylight hours on Wednesday, but a line of storms will erupt in eastern New Mexico and western Texas shortly before sunset.
The line will quickly intensify as it moves eastward into an environment more conducive for severe weather and will threaten areas from Amarillo to Midland with the full spectrum of severe weather Wednesday evening.
Later Wednesday night, the storms could reach Oklahoma City and the western suburbs of Dallas before weakening Thursday morning.
Residents in Wednesday night's threat zone should be sure to keep a weather radio or cell phone enabled with the latest severe weather warnings handy since these alerts may otherwise go unnoticed when many are sleeping.
Nearly 50 million people at risk on Thursday
From late Thursday morning through Thursday evening, yet another round of severe weather is expected from eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma and Arkansas to Missouri, Illinois, southern Iowa and eastern Nebraska.
Unlike what will occur on Wednesday, Thursday's severe storms are anticipated to be at their peak intensity during the daylight hours. Still, some gusty to severe storms will likely survive after dark during Thursday evening.
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"Thursday poses the greatest risk of tornadoes of the entire multiple-day severe weather risk this week," according to AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
From eastern Kansas and western Missouri to eastern Oklahoma and east-central Texas, the greatest threat for severe storms will be during Thursday morning as what is left of Wednesday night's storms moves eastward.
However, a second, and more potent, round of storms will erupt later Thursday afternoon farther north and east, and this is the round of storms that will produce the highest risk of tornadoes.
"It is likely that the greatest threat for more than a couple of isolated tornadoes may exist over parts of eastern Nebraska, southern Iowa and western Illinois close to where a warm front will set up," Sosnowski added.
The area at risk for severe weather on Thursday includes approximately 50 million people and includes the major metropolitan areas of St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo.; Dallas; Little Rock and Fort Smith, Ark.; Memphis, Tenn.; Des Moines and Davenport, Iowa; Shreveport, La.; Tulsa, Okla.; and Springfield, Peoria, Chicago and Rockford, Ill.
Because multiple rounds of storms may move from southwest to northeast over the same areas on Thursday, the risk for flash flooding will be higher than on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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Some of these areas, especially ones closer to the Mississippi River, have already dealt with flooding and excessive amounts of rainfall so far this year. The additional rainfall could create new flooding problems on creeks and streams that, when combined with heavy rainfall farther upstream across the Midwest, could work its way into the larger rivers by the weekend or early next week.
In addition to the risk for flooding this week, localized power outages, as well as tree, roof and property damage, could occur in any areas hit with wind gusts of 50 mph to 60 mph or higher. Any large hail could damage unprotected vehicles and damage any tender vegetation beginning to bloom across the region.
Because the volume of people driving or taking mass transit to work has dropped off significantly due to the increased volume of telecommuters related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk for widespread travel delays during the afternoon commutes will be lower than usual this week. However, employees that must travel may encounter difficult, to at times dangerous, travel conditions.
Remember to pull over, if necessary, when driving through hail, strong winds or blinding downpours or reduce speed to minimize the risk for hydroplaning on higher-speed interstates.
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By Friday, the risk for severe weather will diminish as the energy supporting the storm system lifts well northward into the Great Lakes region and southeastern Canada. Still, some stronger, gusty storms are forecast to impact areas from the Ohio Valley to the Tennessee River Valley before drier and cooler weather sweeps into the central and eastern United States by the weekend.


upi--2020-03-18--American B-2As, Norwegian F-35s perform joint exercise in North Atlantic

March 18 ( UPI ) -- Two U.S. Air Force B-2A bombers were escorted by three Norwegian F-35 fighter jets over Iceland and the North Atlantic this week .
The mission marks the first time Norwegian F-35s have flown together with B-2A bombers and comes less than a week after Russian strategic bombers were seen flying outside European airspace , the Barents Observer reported .
`` This was indeed a special moment , '' Sigurd Tonning-Olsen , spokesperson with the Joint Headquarters , said .
`` The pilots were really excited . ''
`` The world expects that NATO and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with decisiveness , regardless of any external challenge , '' said U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander , Gen. Jeff Harrigian .
`` Missions like these provide us an opportunity to assure our allies while sending a clear message to any adversary that no matter the challenge , we are ready . ''
The B-2As took off from Fairford Air Force Base in England and were met by three Norwegian F-35s .
Norway currently has four F-35s based at Keflavik as part of NATO 's Air Policing Mission in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ F-35s were in the air for about an hour and a half , with 30 to 45 minutes of that time being in joint training with the B-2As .

F-15C Eagles assigned to the 493rd Fighter Squadron conduct aerial operations with a B-2A Spirit in support of Bomber Task Force Europe 20-2 over the Keflavik, Iceland March 16, 2020. Bomber missions provide opportunities to train and work with NATO allies and theater partners in combined and joint operations and exercises. Photo by Matthew Plew/U.S. Air Force
March 18 (UPI) -- Two U.S. Air Force B-2A bombers were escorted by three Norwegian F-35 fighter jets over Iceland and the North Atlantic this week. The mission marks the first time Norwegian F-35s have flown together with B-2A bombers and comes less than a week after Russian strategic bombers were seen flying outside European airspace, the Barents Observer reported. Advertisement
"This was indeed a special moment," Sigurd Tonning-Olsen, spokesperson with the Joint Headquarters, said. "The pilots were really excited."
"The world expects that NATO and the U.S. continue to execute our mission with decisiveness, regardless of any external challenge," said U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander, Gen. Jeff Harrigian. "Missions like these provide us an opportunity to assure our allies while sending a clear message to any adversary that no matter the challenge, we are ready."
The B-2As took off from Fairford Air Force Base in England and were met by three Norwegian F-35s.
Norway currently has four F-35s based at Keflavik as part of NATO's Air Policing Mission in Iceland.
According to Tonning-Olsen, the F-35s were in the air for about an hour and a half, with 30 to 45 minutes of that time being in joint training with the B-2As.


upi--2020-03-18--FDA officials reassure Americans no food shortages exist

EVANSVILLE , Ind.
, March 18 ( UPI ) -- U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials assured the American public Wednesday that the food supply will remain safe and uninterrupted during the coronavirus pandemic .
`` There are no food shortages , '' Frank Yiannas , the deputy commissioner of the FDA 's Office of Food Policy and Response , said during a conference call with food industry leaders .
`` We , and when I say we , I mean all of us , must continue to reassure and remind the American people that there is no need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy what they need for their families for a week or so , '' Yiannas said .
`` Food production and food manufacturing are widely dispersed through the U.S .
There are currently no widespread disruptions , '' he said .
Yiannas acknowledged that some food manufacturers or distributors could face challenges moving food in areas of strict quarantine .
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will work to ensure food still can be adequately moved across the country , said Susan Mayne , director of the FDA 's Center for Food Safety and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do everything possible to make sure that food and ag continue production , manufacturing , without hindrance , because it is a critical sector , '' Mayne said .
There is no evidence that the coronavirus can be transmitted through food or food packaging , Mayne added .
So , while food processing facilities should carefully guard the health and safety of employees , the FDA does not intend to recall foods because an employee somewhere along the supply chain becomes sick .
`` This is not a foodborne gastrointestinal virus , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known to be transmitted by exposure to food .
It 's much more likely that an infected person will spread the virus through person-to-person transmission , rather than contaminated food or food packaging . ''
Also during the call , Michael Rogers , the assistant commissioner for human and animal food operations , announced that the FDA has suspended all routine surveillance inspections at domestic food production facilities and only will conduct `` mission critical '' inspections for the foreseeable future .
`` The safety of the food supply is a shared responsibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Rogers said .
`` And during this period , quite frankly , I think we 'll be leveraging even more the role that industry has to ensure that the food supply is safe for all consumers . ''

U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials assured the American public that no food shortages exist. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
EVANSVILLE, Ind., March 18 (UPI) -- U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials assured the American public Wednesday that the food supply will remain safe and uninterrupted during the coronavirus pandemic. "There are no food shortages," Frank Yiannas, the deputy commissioner of the FDA's Office of Food Policy and Response, said during a conference call with food industry leaders. Advertisement
"We, and when I say we, I mean all of us, must continue to reassure and remind the American people that there is no need to hoard food, that they should only buy what they need for their families for a week or so," Yiannas said.
"Food production and food manufacturing are widely dispersed through the U.S. There are currently no widespread disruptions," he said.
Yiannas acknowledged that some food manufacturers or distributors could face challenges moving food in areas of strict quarantine.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will work to ensure food still can be adequately moved across the country, said Susan Mayne, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
"We want to do everything possible to make sure that food and ag continue production, manufacturing, without hindrance, because it is a critical sector," Mayne said.
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There is no evidence that the coronavirus can be transmitted through food or food packaging, Mayne added. So, while food processing facilities should carefully guard the health and safety of employees, the FDA does not intend to recall foods because an employee somewhere along the supply chain becomes sick.
"This is not a foodborne gastrointestinal virus," Yiannas said. "It is not known to be transmitted by exposure to food. It's much more likely that an infected person will spread the virus through person-to-person transmission,rather than contaminated food or food packaging."
Also during the call, Michael Rogers, the assistant commissioner for human and animal food operations, announced that the FDA has suspended all routine surveillance inspections at domestic food production facilities and only will conduct "mission critical" inspections for the foreseeable future.
"The safety of the food supply is a shared responsibility between the regulators and the industry," Rogers said. "And during this period, quite frankly, I think we'll be leveraging even more the role that industry has to ensure that the food supply is safe for all consumers."


upi--2020-03-18--Dante Fowler Jr. to sign three-year, $48M contract with Atlanta Falcons

March 18 ( UPI ) -- The Atlanta Falcons are adding a much-needed upgrade to their defensive line after agreeing to terms with Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. on Wednesday .
League sources told ESPN and NFL Media that Fowler agreed to a three-year , $ 48 million contract with the Falcons .
The team has yet to confirm the agreement .
Fowler , who played for Falcons head coach Dan Quinn while at the University of Florida , will fill a major need for Atlanta 's pass rush .
The Falcons generated only 28 sacks last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the NFL .
Fowler , the No .
3 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft , notched a career-best 11.5 sacks with the Rams last season , his second with the franchise after being traded by the Jacksonville Jaguars midway through the 2018 campaign .
Former first-round pick Takkarist McKinley , who is recovering from shoulder surgery , is expected to work off the other edge opposite Fowler .
Both players provide quickness off the edge to pair with star defensive tackle Grady Jarrett 's push inside .
The Falcons were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free agency after the team parted ways with former sack champ Vic Beasley Jr. , who agreed to a deal with the Tennessee Titans this week .
Atlanta also could look at defensive linemen in the upcoming draft for additional depth .
Fowler , 25 , has notched 141 total tackles , 27.5 sacks , 12 passes defensed , 43 quarterback hits , six forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries in four seasons between the Jaguars and Rams .
He missed the entirety of his rookie season after tearing his ACL on the @ @ @ @ @

Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. (56) recorded 11.5 sacks last season. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
March 18 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Falcons are adding a much-needed upgrade to their defensive line after agreeing to terms with Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. on Wednesday. League sources told ESPN and NFL Media that Fowler agreed to a three-year, $48 million contract with the Falcons. The team has yet to confirm the agreement. Advertisement
Fowler, who played for Falcons head coach Dan Quinn while at the University of Florida, will fill a major need for Atlanta's pass rush. The Falcons generated only 28 sacks last season, tied for the second-lowest total in the NFL.
Fowler, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, notched a career-best 11.5 sacks with the Rams last season, his second with the franchise after being traded by the Jacksonville Jaguars midway through the 2018 campaign.
Former first-round pick Takkarist McKinley, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, is expected to work off the other edge opposite Fowler. Both players provide quickness off the edge to pair with star defensive tackle Grady Jarrett's push inside.
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The Falcons were expected to target a standout pass-rusher in free agency after the team parted ways with former sack champ Vic Beasley Jr., who agreed to a deal with the Tennessee Titans this week. Atlanta also could look at defensive linemen in the upcoming draft for additional depth.
Fowler, 25, has notched 141 total tackles, 27.5 sacks, 12 passes defensed, 43 quarterback hits, six forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries in four seasons between the Jaguars and Rams. He missed the entirety of his rookie season after tearing his ACL on the first day of minicamp.


upi--2020-03-18--Dow closes below 20,000 for first time since 2017, oil prices hit 18-year low

March 18 ( UPI ) -- A day after posting major gains on Wall Street following the Trump administration 's robust stimulus proposal , U.S. indexes slid into the negative at the end of trading Wednesday .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 1,338.39 or 6.3 percent , to 19,898.92 , its first close below 20,000 since February 2017 .
An emergency circuit breaker halting trading for 15 minutes went into effect for the fourth time in a week on Wednesday after stocks fell early in the day .
The S & P 500 fell 5.18 percent down 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while the Nasdaq Composite slid 4.7 percent , erasing the previous day 's gains .
Tuesday , the Dow gained more than 1,000 after the administration announced planned stimulus to help address the coronavirus outbreak .
Tom Essaye , founder of The Sevens Report , said the volatility in the market is not yet over and said the market changes await events such as final approval of the stimulus package .
`` We also need to see more progress on the pharma side of things and above all else we need the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming weeks , '' Essaye said .
U.S. oil prices plunged to an 18-year low in futures trading by the time the markets closed .
`` Oil is by far one of the biggest casualties from the novel coronavirus outbreak , '' FXTM senior research analyst Lukman Otunuga said .
`` WTI crude and Brent have both depreciated a staggering 60 percent since the start of 2020 and could extend losses as the pandemic darkens the outlook for fuel demand . ''
West Texas Intermediate crude for April delivery was down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lowest level since April 2003 .
Brent crude slid more than 4 percent to $ 27.46 per barrel , a four-year low .
In addition to travel and social lockdowns worldwide , falling oil prices have resulted from Saudi Arabia and Russia declining to end their price war , which has flooded the market with supply .
Goldman Sachs on Wednesday projected Brent crude will fall to as low as $ 20 per barrel in the second quarter , which would be its lowest level in nearly 20 years .
Vienna-based analysts JBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borders Tuesday and assembly-line shutdowns by major automakers are factors in the oil price decline .
New York Stock Exchange President Stacey Cunningham announced the trading floor will temporarily move to all-electronic trading after two people tested positive for COVID-19 in an NYSE medical screening .
`` We have been informed that a member of the trading floor community and a NYSE employee have tested positive for COVID-19 , '' NYSE Chief Operating Officer Michael Blaugrund said .
`` Both individuals were screened at the NYSE security checkpoint , administered a test by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a precautionary measure , not permitted to enter the building this week .
They will be treated and recuperate away from the exchange facility . ''
While the NYSE said it had been taking action including practicing social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus , Cunningham reiterated her stance that trading should not shut down entirely as markets have plummetted due to the outbreak .
`` While we are taking the precautionary step of closing the trading floors , we continue to firmly believe the markets should remain open and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` All NYSE markets will continue to operate under normal trading hours despite the closure of the trading floors . ''

Traders work on the the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Tuesday at the opening bell on Wall Street in New York City. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
March 18 (UPI) -- A day after posting major gains on Wall Street following the Trump administration's robust stimulus proposal, U.S. indexes slid into the negative at the end of trading Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 1,338.39 or 6.3 percent, to 19,898.92, its first close below 20,000 since February 2017. An emergency circuit breaker halting trading for 15 minutes went into effect for the fourth time in a week on Wednesday after stocks fell early in the day. Advertisement
The S&P 500 fell 5.18 percent down 30 percent from a record set last month, while the Nasdaq Composite slid 4.7 percent, erasing the previous day's gains.
Tuesday, the Dow gained more than 1,000 after the administration announced planned stimulus to help address the coronavirus outbreak.
Tom Essaye, founder of The Sevens Report, said the volatility in the market is not yet over and said the market changes await events such as final approval of the stimulus package.
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"We also need to see more progress on the pharma side of things and above all else we need the growth rate of the virus to peak in the coming weeks," Essaye said.
U.S. oil prices plunged to an 18-year low in futures trading by the time the markets closed.
"Oil is by far one of the biggest casualties from the novel coronavirus outbreak," FXTM senior research analyst Lukman Otunuga said. "WTI crude and Brent have both depreciated a staggering 60 percent since the start of 2020 and could extend losses as the pandemic darkens the outlook for fuel demand."
West Texas Intermediate crude for April delivery was down to $24.55 per barrel -- its lowest level since April 2003. Brent crude slid more than 4 percent to $27.46 per barrel, a four-year low.
In addition to travel and social lockdowns worldwide, falling oil prices have resulted from Saudi Arabia and Russia declining to end their price war, which has flooded the market with supply.
Goldman Sachs on Wednesday projected Brent crude will fall to as low as $20 per barrel in the second quarter, which would be its lowest level in nearly 20 years.
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Vienna-based analysts JBC Energy said the European Union closing its borders Tuesday and assembly-line shutdowns by major automakers are factors in the oil price decline.
New York Stock Exchange President Stacey Cunningham announced the trading floor will temporarily move to all-electronic trading after two people tested positive for COVID-19 in an NYSE medical screening.
"We have been informed that a member of the trading floor community and a NYSE employee have tested positive for COVID-19," NYSE Chief Operating Officer Michael Blaugrund said. "Both individuals were screened at the NYSE security checkpoint, administered a test by medical personnel at the Exchange and, as a precautionary measure, not permitted to enter the building this week. They will be treated and recuperate away from the exchange facility."
While the NYSE said it had been taking action including practicing social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus, Cunningham reiterated her stance that trading should not shut down entirely as markets have plummetted due to the outbreak.
"While we are taking the precautionary step of closing the trading floors, we continue to firmly believe the markets should remain open and accessible to investors," she said. "All NYSE markets will continue to operate under normal trading hours despite the closure of the trading floors."


upi--2020-03-18--Republican Bill Weld ends 2020 presidential bid

March 18 ( UPI ) -- Former Massachusetts Gov .
Bill Weld dropped out of the 2020 Republican presidential primary Wednesday after President Donald Trump earned enough delegates to become the presumptive nominee .
Weld announced the suspension of his campaign in an Instagram post Wednesday afternoon after Trump earned enough delegates to secure a nomination following primary elections in Florida , Arizona and Illinois on Tuesday .
`` Today , I 'm announcing that I am suspending my candidacy for president of the United States , effective immediately , '' Weld wrote .
`` I am immensely grateful to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have stood with me during the past 11 months in our effort to bring better government to Washington , D.C. '' Weld announced his run for president in April 2019 , positioning himself as a moderate alternative to Trump with a history of supporting abortion rights , same-sex marriage and rolling back federal restrictions on marijuana .
He won one delegate in the primary as several states canceled their Republican primaries .
Trump won handily in most of those that held votes .
In his resignation announcement , Weld called on Trump to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on carbon emissions , strengthen relationships with military allies and issue more immigrant work visas .
`` The reason that people all over the world look to the United States for leadership , as they do , is our dedication to the rule of law under our Constitution , '' Weld wrote .
`` It is therefore of the highest importance that the executive branch of the United States and the U.S. Justice Department , observe the rule of law in all cases and do justice without fear or favor .
Without that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld won one delegate in the primary as several states canceled their Republican primaries. File Photo by Gage Skidmore/ Flickr
March 18 (UPI) -- Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld dropped out of the 2020 Republican presidential primary Wednesday after President Donald Trump earned enough delegates to become the presumptive nominee. Weld announced the suspension of his campaign in an Instagram post Wednesday afternoon after Trump earned enough delegates to secure a nomination following primary elections in Florida, Arizona and Illinois on Tuesday. Advertisement
"Today, I'm announcing that I am suspending my candidacy for president of the United States, effective immediately," Weld wrote. "I am immensely grateful to all the patriotic women and men who have stood with me during the past 11 months in our effort to bring better government to Washington, D.C."
Weld announced his run for president in April 2019, positioning himself as a moderate alternative to Trump with a history of supporting abortion rights, same-sex marriage and rolling back federal restrictions on marijuana.
He won one delegate in the primary as several states canceled their Republican primaries. Trump won handily in most of those that held votes.
In his resignation announcement, Weld called on Trump to limit the federal budget, place prices on carbon emissions, strengthen relationships with military allies and issue more immigrant work visas.
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"The reason that people all over the world look to the United States for leadership, as they do, is our dedication to the rule of law under our Constitution," Weld wrote. "It is therefore of the highest importance that the executive branch of the United States and the U.S. Justice Department, observe the rule of law in all cases and do justice without fear or favor. Without that we will truly have lost our compass."


upi--2020-03-18--Longtime Broncos CB Chris Harris Jr. to sign with division rival Chargers

March 18 ( UPI ) -- Former Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Chargers on Wednesday .
League sources told ESPN and NFL Media that Harris agreed to a two-year , $ 20 million deal with the division rival Chargers .
The team has yet to confirm the agreement .
Harris , who turns 31 in June , was one of the longest-tenured players on the Broncos ' roster , having made the team as an undrafted rookie in 2011 out of Kansas .
Once the deal is finalized , the four-time Pro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the `` No Fly Zone '' secondary , a key part of the Broncos ' Super Bowl 50 championship team , to move on from the franchise .
Harris , a three-time All-Pro choice , has played at least 15 games in eight of his nine seasons in Denver .
From 2015 through 2017 , the Broncos were ranked among the NFL 's top five in pass defense .
In 139 career games with the Broncos , Harris has recorded 518 total tackles , 20 interceptions , 4.5 sacks , 89 passes @ @ @ @ @ @

Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. was one of the longest-tenured players on the team, having made the roster as an undrafted rookie in 2011. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
March 18 (UPI) -- Former Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Chargers on Wednesday. League sources told ESPN and NFL Media that Harris agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal with the division rival Chargers. The team has yet to confirm the agreement. Advertisement
Harris, who turns 31 in June, was one of the longest-tenured players on the Broncos' roster, having made the team as an undrafted rookie in 2011 out of Kansas.
Once the deal is finalized, the four-time Pro Bowl selection will become the final member of the "No Fly Zone" secondary, a key part of the Broncos' Super Bowl 50 championship team, to move on from the franchise.
Harris, a three-time All-Pro choice, has played at least 15 games in eight of his nine seasons in Denver. From 2015 through 2017, the Broncos were ranked among the NFL's top five in pass defense.
In 139 career games with the Broncos, Harris has recorded 518 total tackles, 20 interceptions, 4.5 sacks, 89 passes defensed and four defensive touchdowns.


upi--2020-03-18--Psychotic symptoms possible after one joint, study says

Smoking just one joint of marijuana is enough to trigger psychotic , depressive and anxiety symptoms in otherwise healthy people , British researchers report .
The review of data involved 331 people with no prior history of psychotic or other major psychiatric disorders .
It found that there 's enough THC ( tetrahydrocannabinol ) -- the main psychoactive ingredient in pot -- in one joint to cause serious psychiatric symptoms .
`` Our finding that THC can temporarily induce psychiatric symptoms in healthy volunteers highlights the risks associated with the use of THC-containing cannabis products , '' said study leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ London .
His team also found no evidence that another marijuana component , CBD ( cannabidiol ) , in any way lessened the effects of THC .
On the other hand , CBD appeared to play no role in spurring psychiatric symptoms , the researchers said .
Their conclusions were published March 17 in The Lancet Psychiatry and were based on data from 15 previously published studies .
As Howes ' team pointed out , the link between marijuana and psychotic symptoms -- such as hallucinations and paranoia -- is n't new .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ connection was published more than 150 years ago .
But the new review is one of the first systematic analyses of data collected since then .
Howes ' group studied rates of psychiatric symptoms for people who ingested marijuana in a variety of ways , and compared those rates to those of people who received a placebo .
Symptoms such as depression , anxiety , apathy , delusions and hallucinations were included in the study .
On average , the amount of THC ingested equaled that of a normal smoked joint , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uptick in risk among marijuana users for all the psychiatric symptoms on their list .
Factors such as the user 's gender or age , or the way in which they ingested marijuana , did n't seem to matter .
The review also suggested that tobacco smokers might be less sensitive to the effects of THC .
This finding , however , is preliminary , and tobacco should not be used for this purpose , the researchers said .
In a journal news release , Howes noted that the THC content of marijuana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ THC-to-CBD ratio of street cannabis continues to increase , it is important to clarify whether these compounds can cause psychotic symptoms . ''
It 's also an important point for people considering the use of medical marijuana , he added .
`` This potential risk should be considered in discussions between patients and medical practitioners thinking about using cannabis products with THC , '' Howes said .
None of the findings came as a surprise to Dr. Scott Krakower , who specializes in substance abuse treatment for teens and young adults .
Prior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be linked to future onset of psychotic and other mental health symptoms , '' said Krakower , who is assistant unit chief of psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks , N.Y .
He said the connection is especially strong for younger pot users , those who use the drug frequently , and people at genetic high risk for psychosis .
`` What is especially concerning are the psychotic symptoms , which are least transient in nature , and may be difficult to predict , '' Krakower said , and `` patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of marijuana may cause symptoms . ''
For more on cannabis , head to the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health .

There's enough THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) -- the main psychoactive ingredient in pot -- in one joint to cause serious psychiatric symptoms, a new study found. File Photo by Bill Ross/UPI | License Photo
Smoking just one joint of marijuana is enough to trigger psychotic, depressive and anxiety symptoms in otherwise healthy people, British researchers report. The review of data involved 331 people with no prior history of psychotic or other major psychiatric disorders. It found that there's enough THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) -- the main psychoactive ingredient in pot -- in one joint to cause serious psychiatric symptoms. Advertisement
"Our finding that THC can temporarily induce psychiatric symptoms in healthy volunteers highlights the risks associated with the use of THC-containing cannabis products," said study leader Oliver Howes, of King's College London. His team also found no evidence that another marijuana component, CBD (cannabidiol), in any way lessened the effects of THC. On the other hand, CBD appeared to play no role in spurring psychiatric symptoms, the researchers said.
Their conclusions were published March 17 in The Lancet Psychiatry and were based on data from 15 previously published studies.
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As Howes' team pointed out, the link between marijuana and psychotic symptoms -- such as hallucinations and paranoia -- isn't new. The first study to find such a connection was published more than 150 years ago.
But the new review is one of the first systematic analyses of data collected since then.
Howes' group studied rates of psychiatric symptoms for people who ingested marijuana in a variety of ways, and compared those rates to those of people who received a placebo. Symptoms such as depression, anxiety, apathy, delusions and hallucinations were included in the study.
On average, the amount of THC ingested equaled that of a normal smoked joint, the researchers said.
The study found an uptick in risk among marijuana users for all the psychiatric symptoms on their list. Factors such as the user's gender or age, or the way in which they ingested marijuana, didn't seem to matter.
The review also suggested that tobacco smokers might be less sensitive to the effects of THC. This finding, however, is preliminary, and tobacco should not be used for this purpose, the researchers said.
In a journal news release, Howes noted that the THC content of marijuana keeps rising, and "as the THC-to-CBD ratio of street cannabis continues to increase, it is important to clarify whether these compounds can cause psychotic symptoms."
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It's also an important point for people considering the use of medical marijuana, he added.
"This potential risk should be considered in discussions between patients and medical practitioners thinking about using cannabis products with THC," Howes said.
None of the findings came as a surprise to Dr. Scott Krakower, who specializes in substance abuse treatment for teens and young adults.
Prior studies "have demonstrated that cannabis may be linked to future onset of psychotic and other mental health symptoms," said Krakower, who is assistant unit chief of psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y. He said the connection is especially strong for younger pot users, those who use the drug frequently, and people at genetic high risk for psychosis.
"What is especially concerning are the psychotic symptoms, which are least transient in nature, and may be difficult to predict," Krakower said, and "patients may not realize that even a one-time use of marijuana may cause symptoms."
More information
For more on cannabis, head to the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-03-18--Diarrhea a key symptom in 1 of 4 COVID-19 patients, study finds

March 18 ( UPI ) -- Fever , cough and shortness of breath have been widely acclaimed as the hallmark symptoms of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus , but a new analysis suggests diarrhea may be common as well .
While most patients with the virus present with respiratory symptoms and signs , early experience in China reveals that as many as one in four patients experiences digestive symptoms as their chief complain .
The finding comes from a descriptive , cross-sectional multicenter study in China by investigators at the Wuhan Medical Treatment Expert Group for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Journal of Gastroenterology .
`` In this study , COVID-19 patients with digestive symptoms have a worse clinical outcome and higher risk of mortality compared to those without digestive symptoms , emphasizing the importance of including symptoms like diarrhea to suspect COVID-19 early in the disease course before respiratory symptoms develop , '' Dr. Brennan M.R .
Spiegel , co-editor-in-chief of the journal , said in a press release .
`` This may lead to earlier diagnosis of COVID-19 , which can lead to earlier treatment and more expeditious quarantine to minimize transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The findings are based on data from 204 patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to three hospitals in Hubei province between Jan. 18 , 2020 , and Feb. 28 , 2020 .
Disease diagnosis was confirmed by real-time RT-PCR , the standard test used for COVID-19 .
Although the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention includes diarrhea and vomiting on its list of symptoms for COVID-19 , fever , cough and shortness of breath -- or the catch-all phrase `` flu-like symptoms '' -- are mentioned far more .
A case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journal Gut , though , listed diarrhea is a key symptom in patients with COVID-19 .
However , of the 204 patients included in the AJG study published Wednesday , 99 reported gastrointestinal symptoms as their chief complaint .
Of these , 83 experienced anorexia -- or weight loss -- while 29 had diarrhea , eight had vomiting and four reported abdominal pain .
Notably , seven patients in the analysis with COVID-19 presented with digestive symptoms but no respiratory symptoms .
In general , as the disease progressed in severity , digestive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found that those without digestive symptoms were nearly twice as likely to be cured and discharged than patients with digestive symptoms -- 60 percent versus 34.3 percent .
For the study population overall , the average time from symptom onset to hospital admission was 8.1 days , but patients with digestive symptoms had a significantly longer time from onset to admission than patients without digestive symptoms -- nine versus 7.3 days .
The authors believe this indicates that those with digestive symptoms sought care later because they did not yet suspect COVID-19 due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have respiratory symptoms .
`` Clinicians must bear in mind that digestive symptoms , such as diarrhea , may be a presenting feature of COVID-19 , and that the index of suspicion may need to be raised earlier in these cases rather than waiting for respiratory symptoms to emerge , '' the researchers wrote in the study .
`` If clinicians solely monitor for respiratory symptoms to establish case definitions for COVID-19 , they may miss cases initially presenting with extra-pulmonary symptoms , or the disease may not be diagnosed later until respiratory @ @ @ @ @ @ @

A Chinese worker leaves an office building covered with health warnings due to the threat of the new coronavirus in Beijing on Monday. Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
March 18 (UPI) -- Fever, cough and shortness of breath have been widely acclaimed as the hallmark symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, but a new analysis suggests diarrhea may be common as well. While most patients with the virus present with respiratory symptoms and signs, early experience in China reveals that as many as one in four patients experiences digestive symptoms as their chief complain. Advertisement
The finding comes from a descriptive, cross-sectional multicenter study in China by investigators at the Wuhan Medical Treatment Expert Group for COVID-19, published Wednesday in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.
"In this study, COVID-19 patients with digestive symptoms have a worse clinical outcome and higher risk of mortality compared to those without digestive symptoms, emphasizing the importance of including symptoms like diarrhea to suspect COVID-19 early in the disease course before respiratory symptoms develop," Dr. Brennan M.R. Spiegel, co-editor-in-chief of the journal, said in a press release. "This may lead to earlier diagnosis of COVID-19, which can lead to earlier treatment and more expeditious quarantine to minimize transmission from people who otherwise remain undiagnosed."
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The findings are based on data from 204 patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to three hospitals in Hubei province between Jan. 18, 2020, and Feb. 28, 2020. Disease diagnosis was confirmed by real-time RT-PCR, the standard test used for COVID-19.
Although the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention includes diarrhea and vomiting on its list of symptoms for COVID-19, fever, cough and shortness of breath -- or the catch-all phrase "flu-like symptoms" -- are mentioned far more. A case report published earlier this month by the journal Gut, though, listed diarrhea is a key symptom in patients with COVID-19.
However, of the 204 patients included in the AJG study published Wednesday, 99 reported gastrointestinal symptoms as their chief complaint. Of these, 83 experienced anorexia -- or weight loss -- while 29 had diarrhea, eight had vomiting and four reported abdominal pain.
Notably, seven patients in the analysis with COVID-19 presented with digestive symptoms but no respiratory symptoms.
In general, as the disease progressed in severity, digestive symptoms became more pronounced. The authors found that those without digestive symptoms were nearly twice as likely to be cured and discharged than patients with digestive symptoms -- 60 percent versus 34.3 percent.
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For the study population overall, the average time from symptom onset to hospital admission was 8.1 days, but patients with digestive symptoms had a significantly longer time from onset to admission than patients without digestive symptoms -- nine versus 7.3 days. The authors believe this indicates that those with digestive symptoms sought care later because they did not yet suspect COVID-19 due to the fact that they did not have respiratory symptoms.
"Clinicians must bear in mind that digestive symptoms, such as diarrhea, may be a presenting feature of COVID-19, and that the index of suspicion may need to be raised earlier in these cases rather than waiting for respiratory symptoms to emerge," the researchers wrote in the study.
"If clinicians solely monitor for respiratory symptoms to establish case definitions for COVID-19, they may miss cases initially presenting with extra-pulmonary symptoms, or the disease may not be diagnosed later until respiratory symptoms emerge," researchers said.


upi--2020-03-18--Obesity might be 'contagious' among teens

Teens who live around lots of obese or overweight kids come to see their body types as ideal , a new study suggests .
As a result , these teens tend to be obese or overweight themselves , researchers say .
`` Higher obesity rates may normalize unhealthy weight in teens and make obesity prevention harder , '' said lead researcher Ashlesha Datar .
She 's a senior economist at the Center for Economic and Social Research at the University of Southern California , in Los Angeles .
For the study , Datar 's team collected data on 401 teens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Army families between December 2017 and July 2018 .
Young people and their parents completed online surveys about teens ' height , weight and other factors .
The young people were presented a set of human figures of varying sizes and asked to choose which was closest to their ideal .
`` Teens who were located in counties with higher obesity rates were more likely to choose a figure that reflected a larger body size , compared to teens who were located in counties with lower obesity rates , '' Datar said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the study is that teens were exposed to counties with higher or lower obesity rates due to their parent 's military assignment , creating a natural experiment to see how exposure to obese communities influences body size norms and obesity risk .
Datar said she 's not sure what can be done to compensate for teens ' environment and get them to model healthier body types .
`` Perhaps educating teens about unhealthy weight and ways to deal with social pressure and norms surrounding body size can help , '' she suggested .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ True Health Initiative , which promotes healthy lifestyles .
He was not involved with the study , but he reviewed the findings .
`` There is both comfort and discomfort in the idea that seeing a lot of obesity among those all around you effectively 'normalizes ' the appearance of overweight for young people , '' Katz said .
The comfort is that young people may feel more comfortable with the skin they 're in and less prone to harsh self-judgment and adverse effects of obesity on self-esteem , he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it may also serve to destigmatize it and alleviate the historical burden of bullying and abuse .
This is all very much for the good , '' Katz said .
But obesity is a major risk factor for Type 2 diabetes , fatty liver and many major chronic diseases , which can begin at or before adolescence , he noted .
Normalizing obesity might induce apathy about preventing and managing it , which could come at a high cost to health , Katz warned .
`` We should strive to end blaming the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same time , we should acknowledge the attendant health toll and increase our culture-wide efforts to manage and prevent this eminently preventable public health scourge , '' he said .
Katz does n't think parent oversight is the solution to the obesity epidemic .
He said it 's up to health professionals to teach adults and kids alike that excess weight is an important health risk .
`` I would not encourage parents to say : 'No , you are wrong -- your weight is not ideal , ' '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prone to the same distortions .
I coined the term 'oblivobesity ' based on the parental tendency to overlook and deny obesity in their own kids . ''
The report was published online March 16 in JAMA Network Open .
To learn more about teenage obesity , visit the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry .

Teens who live around overweight or obese kids tend to be obese or overweight themselves, a new study found. Photo courtesy of pxhere
Teens who live around lots of obese or overweight kids come to see their body types as ideal, a new study suggests. As a result, these teens tend to be obese or overweight themselves, researchers say. Advertisement
"Higher obesity rates may normalize unhealthy weight in teens and make obesity prevention harder," said lead researcher Ashlesha Datar. She's a senior economist at the Center for Economic and Social Research at the University of Southern California, in Los Angeles.
For the study, Datar's team collected data on 401 teens who took part in a study of U.S. Army families between December 2017 and July 2018. Young people and their parents completed online surveys about teens' height, weight and other factors.
The young people were presented a set of human figures of varying sizes and asked to choose which was closest to their ideal.
"Teens who were located in counties with higher obesity rates were more likely to choose a figure that reflected a larger body size, compared to teens who were located in counties with lower obesity rates," Datar said.
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She said a key strength of the study is that teens were exposed to counties with higher or lower obesity rates due to their parent's military assignment, creating a natural experiment to see how exposure to obese communities influences body size norms and obesity risk.
Datar said she's not sure what can be done to compensate for teens' environment and get them to model healthier body types.
"Perhaps educating teens about unhealthy weight and ways to deal with social pressure and norms surrounding body size can help," she suggested.
Dr. David Katz is president of the True Health Initiative, which promotes healthy lifestyles. He was not involved with the study, but he reviewed the findings.
"There is both comfort and discomfort in the idea that seeing a lot of obesity among those all around you effectively 'normalizes' the appearance of overweight for young people," Katz said.
The comfort is that young people may feel more comfortable with the skin they're in and less prone to harsh self-judgment and adverse effects of obesity on self-esteem, he said.
"If obesity normalizes in social networks, it may also serve to destigmatize it and alleviate the historical burden of bullying and abuse. This is all very much for the good," Katz said.
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But obesity is a major risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver and many major chronic diseases, which can begin at or before adolescence, he noted.
Normalizing obesity might induce apathy about preventing and managing it, which could come at a high cost to health, Katz warned.
"We should strive to end blaming the victims of epidemic obesity, but at the same time, we should acknowledge the attendant health toll and increase our culture-wide efforts to manage and prevent this eminently preventable public health scourge," he said.
Katz doesn't think parent oversight is the solution to the obesity epidemic. He said it's up to health professionals to teach adults and kids alike that excess weight is an important health risk.
"I would not encourage parents to say: 'No, you are wrong -- your weight is not ideal,'" he said. "We already know parents are prone to the same distortions. I coined the term 'oblivobesity' based on the parental tendency to overlook and deny obesity in their own kids."
The report was published online March 16 in JAMA Network Open.
More information
To learn more about teenage obesity, visit the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-03-18--Study: Small predators get ambushed at kill sites of larger predators

March 18 ( UPI ) -- Small animals scavenging at kill sites of larger predators are often killed when top predators return , according to a `` fatal attraction '' theory published this week .
It notes that smaller predators , like coyotes and foxes , are drawn to the kill sites of large predators like bears and wolves in search of leftover scraps , but the scavengers may be killed themselves if the larger animals return to the scene , according to the new study , published Tuesday in the journal Ecology Letters .
The study focused on scavenging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animals , and comes as populations of grizzly bears , wolves and cougars have been declining in North America , while deer and other prey is rising , causing an imbalance in many areas .
`` We initially thought maybe smaller carnivores are scavenging the wolf kills and benefiting , '' Laura Prugh , lead author of the study , said in a press release .
`` But then we realized that at these scavenging sites , they might be running into the wolves and getting killed .
The scavenging , instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ functioning as a trap that 's drawing in the smaller carnivores . ''
Researchers studied 250 examples worldwide and concluded that large predators suppress smaller predators , even though leftover prey provides a significant amount of food to the smaller animals .
Hunters typically do not leave significant amounts of a killed deer at the scene , indicating that the scavenging behavior , not replicated by humans , could keep the populations of smaller predators in check .
`` I hope this paper will spur researchers to think more holistically about these killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're not really getting a full understanding of how carnivore communities function by examining them separately , '' said Prugh .

A University of Washington study suggests small carnivores are drawn to kill sites of larger predators, like the grizzly bear, to scavenge for food, and risk being eaten by larger animals. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
March 18 (UPI) -- Small animals scavenging at kill sites of larger predators are often killed when top predators return, according to a "fatal attraction" theory published this week. It notes that smaller predators, like coyotes and foxes, are drawn to the kill sites of large predators like bears and wolves in search of leftover scraps, but the scavengers may be killed themselves if the larger animals return to the scene, according to the new study, published Tuesday in the journal Ecology Letters. Advertisement
The study focused on scavenging carnivores and their possible demise from larger animals, and comes as populations of grizzly bears, wolves and cougars have been declining in North America, while deer and other prey is rising, causing an imbalance in many areas.
"We initially thought maybe smaller carnivores are scavenging the wolf kills and benefiting," Laura Prugh, lead author of the study, said in a press release. "But then we realized that at these scavenging sites, they might be running into the wolves and getting killed. The scavenging, instead of providing a benefit, could actually be functioning as a trap that's drawing in the smaller carnivores."
Researchers studied 250 examples worldwide and concluded that large predators suppress smaller predators, even though leftover prey provides a significant amount of food to the smaller animals.
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Hunters typically do not leave significant amounts of a killed deer at the scene, indicating that the scavenging behavior, not replicated by humans, could keep the populations of smaller predators in check.
"I hope this paper will spur researchers to think more holistically about these killing and scavenging interactions, because currently we're not really getting a full understanding of how carnivore communities function by examining them separately," said Prugh.


upi--2020-03-18--Alabama postpones Republican primary runoff due to coronavirus

March 18 ( UPI ) -- Alabama has postponed its March 31 primary election runoff for the U.S. Senate to avoid large gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic , the Secretary of State said Wednesday .
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill rescheduled the Republican primary for July 14 .
`` In postponing the March 31 runoff election to July 14 , we are continuing Alabama 's practice of providing free and fair elections that do not compromise the safety and health of our voters , poll workers , and anyone else who may be involved with the elections process , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date will allow for the electoral process to continue in a normal manner .
This delay will allow all local election officials the time to assess and evaluate the changes that must be made to ensure the runoff election is administered according to plan . ''
Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions is facing former Auburn Tigers head football coach Tommy Tuberville for his former Senate seat in the race .
Whoever wins the runoff will face incumbent Sen. Doug Jones , a Democrat .
Merrill said eligible residents may register to vote in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Previously submitted absentee ballots will be valid for the new July 14 date .
The announcement came on the same day that Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott said he 's allowing local jurisdictions in the state to postpone their May 2 elections due to the COVID-19 outbreak .
`` I strongly encourage local election officials to take advantage of these waivers and postpone their elections until November , '' he said .
`` Right now , the state 's focus is responding to COVID-19 -- including social distancing and avoiding large gatherings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ election officials can assist in that effort . ''
Other than Alabama 's runoff race , federal primaries and caucuses have largely been held as normal since the outbreak of the disease .
Ohio , though , postponed its primary , which was supposed to be held Tuesday , until June 2 .

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions faces former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville in the Republican primary runoff. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
March 18 (UPI) -- Alabama has postponed its March 31 primary election runoff for the U.S. Senate to avoid large gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Secretary of State said Wednesday. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill rescheduled the Republican primary for July 14. Advertisement
"In postponing the March 31 runoff election to July 14, we are continuing Alabama's practice of providing free and fair elections that do not compromise the safety and health of our voters, poll workers, and anyone else who may be involved with the elections process," Merrill said.
"This new date will allow for the electoral process to continue in a normal manner. This delay will allow all local election officials the time to assess and evaluate the changes that must be made to ensure the runoff election is administered according to plan."
Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions is facing former Auburn Tigers head football coach Tommy Tuberville for his former Senate seat in the race. Whoever wins the runoff will face incumbent Sen. Doug Jones, a Democrat.
Merrill said eligible residents may register to vote in the runoff race until June 29. Previously submitted absentee ballots will be valid for the new July 14 date.
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The announcement came on the same day that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he's allowing local jurisdictions in the state to postpone their May 2 elections due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
"I strongly encourage local election officials to take advantage of these waivers and postpone their elections until November," he said. "Right now, the state's focus is responding to COVID-19 -- including social distancing and avoiding large gatherings. By delaying this election, our local election officials can assist in that effort."
Other than Alabama's runoff race, federal primaries and caucuses have largely been held as normal since the outbreak of the disease. Ohio, though, postponed its primary, which was supposed to be held Tuesday, until June 2.


upi--2020-03-18--Opioid misuse treatment during pregnancy may impact child development

March 18 ( UPI ) -- Treatment of opioid addiction in pregnant mothers may be as harmful to their unborn children as the drugs themselves , a review of existing research has found , although better-quality studies are needed , the authors emphasize .
In an analysis published Wednesday by JAMA Network Open , researchers report that medication-based addiction treatment -- for example , with the drug buprenorphine , a widely used therapy for opioid use disorder -- was associated with lower cognitive development scores in children born to pregnant mothers .
The conclusions were based on the findings of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the included research had significant flaws , the authors of the JAMA paper warn .
`` Our findings suggest that the slight decrease in cognitive test scores for young children that have previously been attributed to opioid medications during pregnancy may actually just be due to problems with study design , particularly recruitment , '' co-author Dr. Leah Nelson , an addiction medicine fellow at the University of New Mexico Hospitals in Albuquerque , told UPI .
`` Most previous research is based on observational cohorts and the unexposed children were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar to the recruited opioid exposed children . ''
For example , Nelson said , unexposed children in many of the studies were `` more likely to be born to mothers who completed high school , had higher socioeconomic status and were much less likely to be exposed to tobacco use during pregnancy , '' meaning there were significant differences between the opioid-exposed and unexposed families .
`` With the current data , the effects of opioids can not be separated from the bigger social and environmental picture , '' she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of pregnant women with opioid use disorder in the United States has more than quadrupled over the past decade .
Currently , according to Nelson , guidelines from multiple national medical organizations suggest that medications for opioid use disorder , including methadone and buprenorphine , are preferred over no treatment , uncontrolled drug use or drug withdrawal .
Each of the drugs `` poses risks to the fetus as well as increasing the mother 's risk of relapse and possible overdose , '' she said .
Nelson and her colleagues looked at data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 1,086 children , finding that 485 , or roughly 45 percent , had exposure to medication-based addiction treatment .
While opioid use disorder treatment was associated with lower cognitive development scores in children enrolled in the studies , the researchers caution that there were other possible factors as well , including pre-natal exposure to tobacco .
`` The vast majority of children with pre-natal medication-based addiction treatment exposure do not have poor outcomes and are normally developing , '' Nelson said .
`` The best things to do , '' she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts , increase access to addiction treatment with medications for opioid use disorder , improve educational and employment opportunities for women with addiction , provide pre-natal care and social services including parenting skills and support , actively promote smoking cessation during pregnancy and provide universal access to comprehensive early intervention services for exposed children to promote school readiness . ''

Many studies exploring the risks with treating pregnant women for opioid addiction are significantly flawed, researchers say. File photo courtesy of Max Pixel
March 18 (UPI) -- Studies designed to assess risks to pregnant women undergoing treatment for opioid addiction may have significant flaws that effectively overstate the impact of drugs like buprenorphine and methadone on child development, a new analysis found. In a review of existing research published Wednesday by JAMA Network Open, the authors report that medication-based addiction treatment has been associated with lower cognitive development scores in children in several studies -- but suggest studies showing this are missing part of the picture. Advertisement
While uncontrolled drug use or withdrawal poses significant risk, both to the mother and baby, researchers say that addiction medications have been linked to better growth and lower risk for premature birth. And mothers, in addition to being less at risk for relapse and overdose, tend to have improved engagement in their pregnancies.
But researchers say many studies on addiction treatment are flawed and fail to provide a true picture of the risks, particularly when weighed against those associated with opioid addiction in pregnancy.
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"Our findings suggest that the slight decrease in cognitive test scores for young children that have previously been attributed to opioid medications during pregnancy may actually just be due to problems with study design, particularly recruitment," co-author Dr. Leah Nelson, an addiction medicine fellow at the University of New Mexico Hospitals in Albuquerque, told UPI. "Most previous research is based on observational cohorts and the unexposed children were recruited from families that were not really similar to the recruited opioid exposed children."
Nelson and her colleagues found that there are 27 studies assessing the safety of the effects on unborn children of buprenorphine and methadone. Collectively, they report on developmental outcomes with more than 1,000 children.
However, many of the studies failed to recruit participants for control groups -- children who were not exposed to opioids or treatments for opioid abuse in the womb -- that matched well with the study group.
For example, Nelson said, unexposed children in many of the studies were "more likely to be born to mothers who completed high school, had higher socioeconomic status and were much less likely to be exposed to tobacco use during pregnancy" than those exposed to addition treatments -- meaning that there were significant differences between the two groups.
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"With the current data, the effects of opioids cannot be separated from the bigger social and environmental picture," she said. Data in the study shows the number of pregnant women with opioid use disorder in the United States has more than quadrupled over the past decade.
Currently, according to Nelson, guidelines from multiple national medical organizations suggest that medications for opioid use disorder, including methadone and buprenorphine, are preferred over no treatment, uncontrolled drug use or drug withdrawal, each of which "poses risks to the fetus as well as increasing the mother's risk of relapse and possible overdose," she said.
Nelson and her colleagues looked at data from 27 studies that enrolled a total of 1,086 children, finding that 485, or roughly 45 percent, had exposure to medication-based addiction treatment. While opioid use disorder treatment was associated with lower cognitive development scores in children enrolled in the studies, the researchers caution that there were other possible factors as well, including pre-natal exposure to tobacco.
"The vast majority of children with pre-natal medication-based addiction treatment exposure do not have poor outcomes and are normally developing," Nelson said.
"The best things to do," she added, is "fund evidence-based addiction prevention efforts, increase access to addiction treatment with medications for opioid use disorder, improve educational and employment opportunities for women with addiction, provide pre-natal care and social services including parenting skills and support, actively promote smoking cessation during pregnancy and provide universal access to comprehensive early intervention services for exposed children to promote school readiness."
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A previous version of this story misstated the potential role addiction treatment medications have on developing babies and the lack of accurate research on the communities that mothers with opioid misuse issues come from.


upi--2020-03-18--Watch: Stranded baby seal rescued from ice in Russia

March 18 ( UPI ) -- A stranded baby seal on the ice in St. Petersburg , Russia , was @ @ @ @ @ the rescue was caught on video .
Witnesses said the tiny seal was spotted calling @ @ @ @ @ ice just off the shoreline Saturday and animal rescuers were summoned to the scene .
@ @ @ @ @ witness shows a rescuer venturing out onto the ice to pick up the seal and @ @ @ @ @ .
Rescuers told the filmer that the baby would be taken to Seal Recovery Fund @ @ @ @ @ They estimated the pup was only about 7 days old .

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March 18 (UPI) -- A stranded baby seal on the ice in St. Petersburg, Russia, was retrieved by animal rescuers and the rescue was caught on video.
Witnesses said the tiny seal was spotted calling for help from some treacherous ice just off the shoreline Saturday and animal rescuers were summoned to the scene.
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A video captured by a witness shows a rescuer venturing out onto the ice to pick up the seal and carry it back to shore.
Rescuers told the filmer that the baby would be taken to Seal Recovery Fund in Repino for rehabilitation. They estimated the pup was only about 7 days old.


upi--2020-03-18--Record-seeking tandem cyclists catch last ferry from France to England

March 18 ( UPI ) -- A pair of British women are poised to break the Guinness World Record for @ @ @ @ @ after they managed to catch the last ferry from France to England .
Cat Dixon @ @ @ @ @ started their world-traversing bike ride June 29 , 2019 , in Oxford , England , @ @ @ @ @ their ride Wednesday in the same spot .
The woman said their attempt to break @ @ @ @ @ the fastest circumnavigation of the world by tandem bicycle was nearly endangered by emergency measures @ @ @ @ @ the spread of coronavirus , but they managed to catch the very last ferry from @ @ @ @ @ Portsmouth , England , before service was suspended Tuesday .
The pair said they also @ @ @ @ @ on bicycling in Spain by a matter of days .
Dixon and Marsden are poised @ @ @ @ @ record for tandem bicycling , which currently stands at 320 days , as well as @ @ @ @ @ men : 281 days , 22 hours and 20 minutes .

A pair of British cyclists said they managed to catch the very last ferry from France to England about 24 hours before the scheduled end of their Guinness World Record attempt. Photo by PublicDomainPictures/Pixabay.com
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe March 18 (UPI) -- A pair of British women are poised to break the Guinness World Record for tandem bicycling around the world after they managed to catch the last ferry from France to England. Cat Dixon and Raz Marsden, who started their world-traversing bike ride June 29, 2019, in Oxford, England, are on track to finish their ride Wednesday in the same spot. Advertisement
The woman said their attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by tandem bicycle was nearly endangered by emergency measures put in place to slow the spread of coronavirus, but they managed to catch the very last ferry from Ouistreham, France, to Portsmouth, England, before service was suspended Tuesday.
The pair said they also managed to beat a ban on bicycling in Spain by a matter of days.
Dixon and Marsden are poised to break the women's record for tandem bicycling, which currently stands at 320 days, as well as the current record set by men: 281 days, 22 hours and 20 minutes.


upi--2020-03-18--Doing a favor for a friend leads to $4 million lottery jackpot

March 18 ( UPI ) -- A North Carolina man said doing a good deed for a friend paid off in a big way when he scored a $ 4 million lottery jackpot .
Kenneth Crews , a retired Shelby firefighter , told North Carolina Education Lottery officials he sometimes gives a friend who does n't have his own vehicle a ride to work .
Crews said he usually refuses his friend 's offer of payment , but on a recent rainy day the other man insisted he accept $ 60 .
`` He said , 'Please , put it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something today , ' '' Crews recalled .
Crews followed his friend 's instructions and spent the money on three $ 20 Ruby Red 7s tickets at the Southern Store in Shelby .
The first ticket was a dud , but the second won him a $ 30 prize and the last ticket was a $ 4 million top prize winner .
`` Perfect timing and luck , '' Crews said .
`` Very exciting .
I call it my three-year retirement payout .
I retired three years ago . ''
Crews , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , said he plans to use the money to build a new home for his retirement and help his family members pay their bills .

A North Carolina man who gave a friend a ride to work gave in to the other man's insistence that he accept a $60 reward and spent it on a lottery ticket that won him $4 million. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe March 18 (UPI) -- A North Carolina man said doing a good deed for a friend paid off in a big way when he scored a $4 million lottery jackpot. Kenneth Crews, a retired Shelby firefighter, told North Carolina Education Lottery officials he sometimes gives a friend who doesn't have his own vehicle a ride to work. Advertisement
Crews said he usually refuses his friend's offer of payment, but on a recent rainy day the other man insisted he accept $60.
"He said, 'Please, put it on a scratch-off, you might hit something today,'" Crews recalled.
Crews followed his friend's instructions and spent the money on three $20 Ruby Red 7s tickets at the Southern Store in Shelby.
The first ticket was a dud, but the second won him a $30 prize and the last ticket was a $4 million top prize winner.
"Perfect timing and luck," Crews said. "Very exciting. I call it my three-year retirement payout. I retired three years ago."
Crews, who collected his winnings from lottery headquarters Monday, said he plans to use the money to build a new home for his retirement and help his family members pay their bills.


upi--2020-03-18--WWE: Top 5 WrestleMania entrances of all time

March 18 ( UPI ) -- WrestleMania season is still going strong despite the COVID-19 pandemic as WWE will air the 36th edition of `` the showcase of the immortals '' from the Performance Center in Orlando without fans in attendance .
The annual super bowl of professional wrestling is known for its pageantry and special effects that accompany each WWE superstar 's entrance .
From outrageous props to cinematic videos , WrestleMania always provides entrances that rival summer blockbusters and allow the performers to appear more larger-than-life than ever before .
Here are UPI 's Top 5 WrestleMania entrances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Undertaker at WrestleMania 20 in 2004 Heading into WrestleMania 20 , The Undertaker teased he was returning to his classic Deadman persona after spending years as a biker character .
The attitude change was due to his brother Kane once again challenging The Phenom to a match at the grandest stage of them all .
Despite being teased for weeks , fans were still overjoyed to see The Undertaker return back to his roots with his original theme song and manager Paul Bearer by his side .
Bearer kicked things off with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lights went off in the arena .
A number of druids then entered , each carrying a fiery torch that was held up as The Undertaker walked to the ring .
This entrance is memorable for it 's bone-chilling presentation and for Undertaker 's return to form .
He has n't stopped being The Deadman ever since .
4 .
The New Day at WrestleMania 32 in 2016 While The New Day would most likely like to forget their match against The League of Nations at WrestleMania 32 , their entrance at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unique in WWE history .
The fan-favorite trio consisting of Kofi Kingston , Xavier Woods and Big E , were known for throwing their Booty-Os cereal into the crowd and then later selling the breakfast item which featured the tagline , `` They make sure you ai n't booty ! ''
Booty-Os made a big appearance during The New Day 's entrance as a giant box of the cereal was placed onto the entrance ramp .
The cereal box was then tipped over with The New Day spilling out in grand fashion .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Day wore Saiyan Battle Armor from hit anime and manga series Dragon Ball Z .
Woods even had his hair spiked in order to more closely resemble Dragon Ball Z characters .
The New Day proved that everything and anything can happen during a WrestleMania entrance and that not every wrestler needs to take themselves so seriously during the big show .
Shawn Michaels had one of the greatest WrestleMania matches ever at WrestleMania 12 against fellow Hall of Famer Bret Hart in a 60-minute Iron Man match for the then WWF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at first confused fans in Anaheim by having his mentor Jose Lothario enter first once his iconic music filled the arena .
Lothario made it to the ring and then pointed to the rafters where Michaels was waiting .
Michaels would shock and surprise the audience by using a zip line to fly down to the ring .
Michaels was cool and calm during the stunt and was able to put on a real show for his adoring fans .
`` Unbelievable !
What a ride ! ''
WWE chairman and CEO Vince @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flying .
The image of The Showstopper descending from the top of the building as camera 's flashed has been replayed for years .
The moment set a new standard for WrestleMania entrances and is just one of the many reasons why Michaels earned the nickname of Mr. WrestleMania .
John Cena 's movie career was first teased at WrestleMania 23 when the 16-time World Champion drove a Ford Mustang into Detroit 's Ford Field .
The entrance mimicked an action-packed scene from the Fast & Furious series as Cena was seen racing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speeds before he made it to the venue .
As Cena sped through a parking garage , he then revved up the engine and drove the car through a WrestleMania 23 glass sign that was located near the entrance ramp .
The scene was movie quality and perfect for a match against Michaels for the WWE Championship .
It seems fitting that years later Cena will star in the next Fast & Furious installment , F9 .
Triple H has made a career out of arriving to WrestleMania in style , making him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This entire list could only contain Triple H entrances from throughout the years and it would still be valid .
The Game has channeled Mad Max , rode a motorcycle while being escorted by police and even once arrived surrounded by T-800s from the Terminator series while holding up a collection of their robotic skulls .
This entrance stands out above the rest as it best represents Triple H 's dominating career as The King of Kings .
Triple H , before his match with Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 30 , arrived on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cape and matching gold-plated armor as dramatic music played .
Atop his head was a golden crown and a skull mask which when removed , sent goosebumps to WWE fans .
An added bonus were cameos by some of WWE 's greatest female wrestlers , Charlotte Flair , Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss .
This entrance showcased the power Triple H wields backstage and in the ring .
It was a firm reminder of how he sits atop the WWE food chain and is a classic example of what WrestleMania represents .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest stage .
Marquee matches set for WrestleMania 36 include Universal Champion Goldberg defending his title against Roman Reigns , WWE Champion Brock Lesnar defending his title against Drew McIntyre , John Cena vs .
The Fiend Bray Wyatt , Raw Women 's Champion Becky Lynch defending her title against Shayna Baszler , The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles and NXT Women 's Champion Rhea Ripley defending her title against Charlotte Flair .

March 18 (UPI) -- WrestleMania season is still going strong despite the COVID-19 pandemic as WWE will air the 36th edition of "the showcase of the immortals" over two nights on April 4 and April 5 from the Performance Center in Orlando without fans in attendance.
The annual super bowl of professional wrestling is known for its pageantry and special effects that accompany each WWE superstar's entrance.
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From outrageous props to cinematic videos, WrestleMania always provides entrances that rival summer blockbusters and allow the performers to appear more larger-than-life than ever before.
Here are UPI's Top 5 WrestleMania entrances of all time.
5. The Undertaker at WrestleMania 20 in 2004
Heading into WrestleMania 20, The Undertaker teased he was returning to his classic Deadman persona after spending years as a biker character. The attitude change was due to his brother Kane once again challenging The Phenom to a match at the grandest stage of them all.
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Despite being teased for weeks, fans were still overjoyed to see The Undertaker return back to his roots with his original theme song and manager Paul Bearer by his side.
Bearer kicked things off with his signature "Oh Yessss" shriek after the lights went off in the arena. A number of druids then entered, each carrying a fiery torch that was held up as The Undertaker walked to the ring.
This entrance is memorable for it's bone-chilling presentation and for Undertaker's return to form. He hasn't stopped being The Deadman ever since.
4. The New Day at WrestleMania 32 in 2016
While The New Day would most likely like to forget their match against The League of Nations at WrestleMania 32, their entrance at the event was one of the most unique in WWE history.
The fan-favorite trio consisting of Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods and Big E, were known for throwing their Booty-Os cereal into the crowd and then later selling the breakfast item which featured the tagline, "They make sure you ain't booty!"
Booty-Os made a big appearance during The New Day's entrance as a giant box of the cereal was placed onto the entrance ramp. The cereal box was then tipped over with The New Day spilling out in grand fashion.
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Perhaps the best part is how The New Day wore Saiyan Battle Armor from hit anime and manga series Dragon Ball Z. Woods even had his hair spiked in order to more closely resemble Dragon Ball Z characters.
The New Day proved that everything and anything can happen during a WrestleMania entrance and that not every wrestler needs to take themselves so seriously during the big show.
3. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 12 in 1996
Shawn Michaels had one of the greatest WrestleMania matches ever at WrestleMania 12 against fellow Hall of Famer Bret Hart in a 60-minute Iron Man match for the then WWF World Heavyweight Championship.
The Heartbreak Kid at first confused fans in Anaheim by having his mentor Jose Lothario enter first once his iconic music filled the arena. Lothario made it to the ring and then pointed to the rafters where Michaels was waiting.
Michaels would shock and surprise the audience by using a zip line to fly down to the ring. Michaels was cool and calm during the stunt and was able to put on a real show for his adoring fans.
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"Unbelievable! What a ride!" WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon said on commentary as Michaels was flying. The image of The Showstopper descending from the top of the building as camera's flashed has been replayed for years.
The moment set a new standard for WrestleMania entrances and is just one of the many reasons why Michaels earned the nickname of Mr. WrestleMania.
2. John Cena at WrestleMania 23 in 2007
John Cena's movie career was first teased at WrestleMania 23 when the 16-time World Champion drove a Ford Mustang into Detroit's Ford Field.
The entrance mimicked an action-packed scene from the Fast & Furious series as Cena was seen racing through the streets of Detroit at high speeds before he made it to the venue.
As Cena sped through a parking garage, he then revved up the engine and drove the car through a WrestleMania 23 glass sign that was located near the entrance ramp. The scene was movie quality and perfect for a match against Michaels for the WWE Championship.
It seems fitting that years later Cena will star in the next Fast & Furious installment, F9.
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1. Triple H at WrestleMania 30 in 2014
Triple H has made a career out of arriving to WrestleMania in style, making him the undisputed king of WrestleMania entrances.
This entire list could only contain Triple H entrances from throughout the years and it would still be valid. The Game has channeled Mad Max, rode a motorcycle while being escorted by police and even once arrived surrounded by T-800s from the Terminator series while holding up a collection of their robotic skulls.
This entrance stands out above the rest as it best represents Triple H's dominating career as The King of Kings.
Triple H, before his match with Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 30, arrived on a golden throne while wearing a red cape and matching gold-plated armor as dramatic music played. Atop his head was a golden crown and a skull mask which when removed, sent goosebumps to WWE fans.
An added bonus were cameos by some of WWE's greatest female wrestlers, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss.
This entrance showcased the power Triple H wields backstage and in the ring. It was a firm reminder of how he sits atop the WWE food chain and is a classic example of what WrestleMania represents. The biggest stars in professional wrestling competing at the biggest stage.
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Marquee matches set for WrestleMania 36 include Universal Champion Goldberg defending his title against Roman Reigns, WWE Champion Brock Lesnar defending his title against Drew McIntyre, John Cena vs. The Fiend Bray Wyatt, Raw Women's Champion Becky Lynch defending her title against Shayna Baszler, The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles and NXT Women's Champion Rhea Ripley defending her title against Charlotte Flair.


upi--2020-03-18--'Hypertelescope' camera could revolutionize celestial photography

March 18 ( UPI ) -- A new camera design , using arrayed telescopes , could capture images of celestial objects simultaneously and with great detail , a study released on Wednesday said .
The camera would potentially allow hypertelescopes , small units arranged in multi-field patterns , instead of standard telescopes with a single and massive mirrored lens , to obtain of planets , pulsars , and distant galaxies outside the solar system .
`` A multi-field hypertelescope could , in principle , capture a highly detailed image of a star , possibly also showing its planets and even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Antoine Labeyrie of the Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur and pioneer of the hypertelescope design .
`` It could allow planets outside of our solar system to be seen with enough detail that spectroscopy could be used to search for evidence of photosynthetic life . ''
A report published Wednesday in the journal Optics Letters described optical modeling results verifying that the multi-field design can substantially extend the narrow field-of-view coverage of hypertelescopes developed thus far .
It envisions small devices placed in proximity , with computers joining images and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with a wide field of view , is under construction in the French Alps .
In theory , one could also be constructed in space , with numerous small mirrors , tilted so that each offers a different field of view , forming a very large concave mirror .
It would focus light from a star or other celestial object and direct it to a separate , camera-equipped spacecraft .

A camera attached to an array of hypertelescopes, small telescopes working together, could offer photographs of celestial objects with unprecedented detail, a paper by The Optical Society said on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Association Hypertelescope LISE
March 18 (UPI) -- A new camera design, using arrayed telescopes, could capture images of celestial objects simultaneously and with great detail, a study released on Wednesday said. The camera would potentially allow hypertelescopes, small units arranged in multi-field patterns, instead of standard telescopes with a single and massive mirrored lens, to obtain of planets, pulsars, and distant galaxies outside the solar system. Advertisement
"A multi-field hypertelescope could, in principle, capture a highly detailed image of a star, possibly also showing its planets and even the details of the planets' surfaces," said Antoine Labeyrie of the Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur and pioneer of the hypertelescope design. "It could allow planets outside of our solar system to be seen with enough detail that spectroscopy could be used to search for evidence of photosynthetic life."
A report published Wednesday in the journal Optics Letters described optical modeling results verifying that the multi-field design can substantially extend the narrow field-of-view coverage of hypertelescopes developed thus far. It envisions small devices placed in proximity, with computers joining images and offering superior resolution.
A full-size version, with a wide field of view, is under construction in the French Alps. In theory, one could also be constructed in space, with numerous small mirrors, tilted so that each offers a different field of view, forming a very large concave mirror. It would focus light from a star or other celestial object and direct it to a separate, camera-equipped spacecraft.
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upi--2020-03-18--Darwin theory confirmed 161 years after conception

March 18 ( UPI ) -- An evolution theory espoused 161 years ago by naturalist Charles Darwin has finally been proven , University of Cambridge researchers reported on Wednesday .
Research led by Laura van Holstein , of the Cambridge biological anthropology department , confirmed that mammal subspecies are more crucial in evolution that previously thought .
The study , published Wednesday in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B , says the research can be used to predict which species are most likely to become endangered or extinct .
The study builds on Darwin 's work explained in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Species , '' in which he hypothesized natural selection , known commonly as `` survival of the fittest . ''
He published the book after visiting the Galapagos Islands to observe the dynamics of its plants and animals , and argued that organisms evolve through natural selection .
His observations conflicted with the Bible 's account of creation and caused significant controversy .
`` Darwin said animal lineages with more species should also contain more varieties , '' van Holstein said .
`` Subspecies is the modern definition .
My research investigating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of subspecies proves that subspecies play a critical role in long-term evolutionary dynamics and in future evolution of species .
And they always have , which is what Darwin suspected when he was defining what a species actually was . ''
The current research confirmed Darwin 's hypothesis using evidence from naturalists working prior to Darwin .
It also confirmed that evolutionary changes occur differently in land-based and sea mammals , largely because of differences in their capability to roam freely .
`` If a natural barrier like a mountain range gets in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups and send them off on their own evolutionary journeys , '' she said .
`` Flying and marine mammals , such as bats and dolphins , have fewer physical barriers in their environment . ''
The ability or inability for species to roam can be compromised by human activity , including logging or deforestation .
The study could be used to anticipate how these disruptions can affect the habitats of species , researchers said .

New research confirms part of Charles Darwin's work on evolution, published in his once-controversial "On the Origin of Species." Photo by Wellcome Images/Wellcome Trust/ Wikimedia
March 18 (UPI) -- An evolution theory espoused 161 years ago by naturalist Charles Darwin has finally been proven, University of Cambridge researchers reported on Wednesday. Research led by Laura van Holstein, of the Cambridge biological anthropology department, confirmed that mammal subspecies are more crucial in evolution that previously thought. Advertisement
The study, published Wednesday in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, says the research can be used to predict which species are most likely to become endangered or extinct.
The study builds on Darwin's work explained in his 1859 book "On the Origin of Species," in which he hypothesized natural selection, known commonly as "survival of the fittest."
He published the book after visiting the Galapagos Islands to observe the dynamics of its plants and animals, and argued that organisms evolve through natural selection. His observations conflicted with the Bible's account of creation and caused significant controversy.
"Darwin said animal lineages with more species should also contain more varieties," van Holstein said. "Subspecies is the modern definition. My research investigating the relationship between species and the variety of subspecies proves that subspecies play a critical role in long-term evolutionary dynamics and in future evolution of species. And they always have, which is what Darwin suspected when he was defining what a species actually was."
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The current research confirmed Darwin's hypothesis using evidence from naturalists working prior to Darwin. It also confirmed that evolutionary changes occur differently in land-based and sea mammals, largely because of differences in their capability to roam freely.
"If a natural barrier like a mountain range gets in the way, it can separate animal groups and send them off on their own evolutionary journeys," she said. "Flying and marine mammals, such as bats and dolphins, have fewer physical barriers in their environment."
The ability or inability for species to roam can be compromised by human activity, including logging or deforestation. The study could be used to anticipate how these disruptions can affect the habitats of species, researchers said.