upi--2020-11-10--Pennsylvania postal worker recants allegations of ballot tampering

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- A Pennsylvania postal worker recanted allegations of ballot tampering that were cited by Republicans in a call for a federal investigation , a House committee said Tuesday .
The House committee on oversight and reform tweeted that U.S .
Postal service employee Richard Hopkins signed an affidavit recanting his claims of ballot tampering and fraud after an investigation by the USPS inspector general was launched last week .
`` USPS IG investigators informed committee staff today that they interviewed Hopkins on Friday but that Hopkins RECANTED HIS ALLEGATIONS yesterday and did not explain why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the committee wrote .
Hopkins had originally signed an affidavit swearing he overheard a postmaster in Erie , Pa. , instructing postal workers to backdate ballots in Pennsylvania mailed after Nov. 3 .
The Erie postmaster , Rob Weisenbach , denied the allegations as 100 % false and said the claims were made `` by an employee that was recently disciplined multiple times . ''
`` The Erie Post Office did not backdate any ballots , '' Wesenbach said .
On Monday , U.S. Attorney General William Barr instructed federal prosecutors to investigate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' before election results are certified .
His decision followed a call from Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , for the Justice Department and USPS to investigate Hopkins ' claims .
President Donald Trump has not conceded the presidential race to Joe Biden and has issued a number of legal challenges to election results in multiple states including Pennsylvania .
On Monday , attorneys general from 10 states filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the Pennsylvania Supreme Court 's decision to extend the state 's deadline for receiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed a lawsuit in Pennsylvania alleging the state 's use of mail-in ballots created a `` two-tier '' voting system for the general election .

The House committee on oversight and reform said Tuesday that a Pennsylvania postal worker recanted allegations of ballot tampering following an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service inspector general. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania postal worker recanted allegations of ballot tampering that were cited by Republicans in a call for a federal investigation, a House committee said Tuesday. The House committee on oversight and reform tweeted that U.S. Postal service employee Richard Hopkins signed an affidavit recanting his claims of ballot tampering and fraud after an investigation by the USPS inspector general was launched last week. Advertisement
"USPS IG investigators informed committee staff today that they interviewed Hopkins on Friday but that Hopkins RECANTED HIS ALLEGATIONS yesterday and did not explain why he signed a false affidavit," the committee wrote.
On Tuesday night, President Donald Trump retweeted a video of Hopkins denying that he had recanted his statement, describing him as "a brave patriot."
Hopkins had originally signed an affidavit swearing he overheard a postmaster in Erie, Pa., instructing postal workers to backdate ballots in Pennsylvania mailed after Nov. 3.
The Erie postmaster, Rob Weisenbach, denied the allegations as 100% false and said the claims were made "by an employee that was recently disciplined multiple times."
"The Erie Post Office did not backdate any ballots," Wesenbach said.
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On Monday, U.S. Attorney General William Barr instructed federal prosecutors to investigate "substantial allegations of vote tabulation irregularities" before election results are certified.
His decision followed a call from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., for the Justice Department and USPS to investigate Hopkins' claims.
Trump has not conceded the presidential race to Joe Biden and has issued a number of legal challenges to election results in multiple states including Pennsylvania.
On Monday, attorneys general from 10 states filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's decision to extend the state's deadline for receiving mail-in ballots.
Trump's campaign also filed a lawsuit in Pennsylvania alleging the state's use of mail-in ballots created a "two-tier" voting system for the general election.


upi--2020-11-10--Pilot error, ejection seat malfunction implicated in June F-16 crash

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- Pilot error and a series of ejection seat malfunctions led to the death of an F-16CM pilot at Shaw Air Force Base In June , according to an accident report released this week by Air Combat Command .
According to the report , 1st Lt. David Schmitz 's ejection seat malfunctioned and his parachute never deployed , causing his death after his aircraft struck a localizer antenna array while landing the plane .
Schmitz , 32 , died instantly on impacting the ground , the report said .
He was conducting a nighttime mission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first ever attempts at air-to-air refueling -- but the air-to-air refueling attempt failed , cutting the mission short .
As Schmitz returned to Shaw AFB , the collision with the antenna array damaged the left main landing gear .
An attempt at an approach-end cable arrestment failed and the aircraft impacted the ground , prompting Schmitz 's failed attempt to eject , the report said .
`` This accident is a tragic reminder of the inherent risks of fighter aviation and our critical oversight responsibilities required for successful execution , '' said Gen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Command .
`` The AIB report identified a sequence of key execution anomalies and material failures that resulted in this mishap .
For example , in order to account for the increased demands and pilot workload involved with night flying , Air Force Instructions mandate pilots demonstrate proficiency in events like aerial refueling in the daytime before attempting them at night .
That did n't occur for this officer , and when we have oversight breakdowns or failures of critical egress systems , it is imperative that we fully understand what transpired , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and effective mitigations are in place to reduce or eliminate future mishaps . ''
According to the AIB , the collision was caused by `` the pilot 's failure to correctly interpret the approach lighting system and identify the runway threshold during his first landing attempt , which resulted in a severely damaged landing gear . ''
The AIB also said that in addition to a series of ejection seat malfunctions , the Supervisor of Flying did n't consult the aircraft manufacturer before attempting a cable arrestment rather than a controlled ejection .

A report released this week said multiple factors contributed to the death of Lt. David Schmitz in an F-16 crash at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina in June. Photo via Laughlin Air Force Base/ Facebook
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Pilot error and a series of ejection seat malfunctions led to the death of an F-16CM pilot at Shaw Air Force Base In June, according to an accident report released this week by Air Combat Command. According to the report, 1st Lt. David Schmitz's ejection seat malfunctioned and his parachute never deployed, causing his death after his aircraft struck a localizer antenna array while landing the plane. Advertisement
Schmitz, 32, died instantly on impacting the ground, the report said.
He was conducting a nighttime mission qualification training flight that would include his first ever attempts at air-to-air refueling -- but the air-to-air refueling attempt failed, cutting the mission short.
As Schmitz returned to Shaw AFB, the collision with the antenna array damaged the left main landing gear.
An attempt at an approach-end cable arrestment failed and the aircraft impacted the ground, prompting Schmitz's failed attempt to eject, the report said.
"This accident is a tragic reminder of the inherent risks of fighter aviation and our critical oversight responsibilities required for successful execution," said Gen. Mark Kelly, commander of Air Combat Command. "The AIB report identified a sequence of key execution anomalies and material failures that resulted in this mishap. For example, in order to account for the increased demands and pilot workload involved with night flying, Air Force Instructions mandate pilots demonstrate proficiency in events like aerial refueling in the daytime before attempting them at night. That didn't occur for this officer, and when we have oversight breakdowns or failures of critical egress systems, it is imperative that we fully understand what transpired, meticulously evaluate risk, and ensure timely and effective mitigations are in place to reduce or eliminate future mishaps."
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According to the AIB, the collision was caused by "the pilot's failure to correctly interpret the approach lighting system and identify the runway threshold during his first landing attempt, which resulted in a severely damaged landing gear."
The AIB also said that in addition to a series of ejection seat malfunctions, the Supervisor of Flying didn't consult the aircraft manufacturer before attempting a cable arrestment rather than a controlled ejection.


upi--2020-11-10--SEC postpones Alabama-LSU, Tennessee-Texas A&M football games

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- The Southeastern Conference on Tuesday postponed this weekend 's Alabama-LSU and Tennessee-Texas A & M games because of multiple COVID-19 cases within the Tigers and Aggies football programs .
LSU athletic director Scott Woodward said the school fell below the minimum requirement of 53 available scholarship athletes because of positive coronavirus tests , contact tracing and non-virus-related injuries .
Texas A & M said it has three active COVID-19 cases , including two people who traveled with the team to South Carolina last week .
The SEC 's decision comes on the heels of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game after the Bulldogs experienced similar issues with positive test results and contact tracing .
As of Tuesday night , the three games have been deemed postponements .
The Texas A & M-Tennessee and Auburn-Mississippi State matchups were tentatively rescheduled for the Dec. 12 open date , but LSU already has a game rescheduled for that date against the Florida Gators .
The SEC said in a statement that `` the opportunity to reschedule the Alabama at LSU game will need to be evaluated '' and that the `` rescheduling of games on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December 19 as a playing date . ''
`` While it is unfortunate to have multiple postponements in the same week , we began the season with the understanding interruptions to the schedule were possible and we have remained focused throughout the season on the health of everyone around our programs , '' SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement .
`` We must remain vigilant , within our programs and in our communities , to prevent the spread of the virus and to manage activities that contribute to these interruptions .
@

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and the conference are considering using Dec. 19 to stage games in the event more matchups are impacted by the coronavirus. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- The Southeastern Conference on Tuesday postponed this weekend's Alabama-LSU and Tennessee-Texas A&M games because of multiple COVID-19 cases within the Tigers and Aggies football programs. LSU athletic director Scott Woodward said the school fell below the minimum requirement of 53 available scholarship athletes because of positive coronavirus tests, contact tracing and non-virus-related injuries. Texas A&M said it has three active COVID-19 cases, including two people who traveled with the team to South Carolina last week. Advertisement
The SEC's decision comes on the heels of Monday's postponement of the Auburn-Mississippi State game after the Bulldogs experienced similar issues with positive test results and contact tracing.
As of Tuesday night, the three games have been deemed postponements. The Texas A&M-Tennessee and Auburn-Mississippi State matchups were tentatively rescheduled for the Dec. 12 open date, but LSU already has a game rescheduled for that date against the Florida Gators.
The SEC said in a statement that "the opportunity to reschedule the Alabama at LSU game will need to be evaluated" and that the "rescheduling of games on the remaining SEC football schedule may include December 19 as a playing date."
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"While it is unfortunate to have multiple postponements in the same week, we began the season with the understanding interruptions to the schedule were possible and we have remained focused throughout the season on the health of everyone around our programs," SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement.
"We must remain vigilant, within our programs and in our communities, to prevent the spread of the virus and to manage activities that contribute to these interruptions."


upi--2020-11-10--Anthony Tata serving as Pentagon's acting policy chief after Anderson resigns

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- Anthony Tata , a retired brigadier general whose nomination for a top Pentagon job was abruptly canceled in July , has stepped into the role of acting policy chief for the Department of Defense following the resignation of James Anderson Tuesday .
Politico first reported that Anderson , who was confirmed in June as the second-in-command policy official but had been acting in the top job , had resigned .
`` I am particularly grateful to have been entrusted with leading the dedicated men and women of Policy , who play a key role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anderson wrote in his letter of resignation .
`` Now , as ever , our long-term success depends on adhering to the U.S. Constitution all public servants swear to support and defend . ''
Tata had been performing as second in command for policy , is now overseeing the Pentagon 's policy department .
The shakeup follows President Donald Trump 's Monday firing of Defense Secretary Mark Esper via a Twitter message announcing that Christopher C. Miller , National Counterterrorism Center director , will replace him .
On Tuesday evening the Pentagon confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under secretary of defense for intelligence and security Joseph Kernan and Jen Stewart , chief of staff to the secretary of defense , confirming earlier reporting from Politico , the Wall Street Journal and Foreign Policy .
`` I want to thank Dr. Anderson , Admiral Kernan and Jen Stewart for their service to the nation and the Department , '' Miller said .
`` Over their careers each has contributed greatly to the national defense and the future of the Department of Defense .
We wish them the best in their next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serve as undersecretary of defense for policy earlier this year , but the July confirmation hearing was canceled at the last minute amid reports that the Senate was not likely to confirm him .
Tata had faced criticism for past remarks , including calling former President Barack Obama `` a terrorist leader , '' but has been serving as the acting deputy undersecretary for policy since August .
Rep. Adam Smith , D-Wash. , chair of the House Armed Services Committee , issued a statement Tuesday warning that Anderson 's resignation and Esper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a process of gutting the DoD -- something that should alarm all Americans . ''
`` As soon as Former Vice President Biden became President-Elect Biden , President Trump and those loyal to him started to sow chaos and division .
It appears that chaos has now reached the Pentagon , '' Smith wrote .
`` If this is the beginning of a trend -- the President either firing or forcing out national security professionals in order to replace them with people perceived as more loyal to him -- then the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and downright dangerous at worst . ''
Anderson had been serving as the acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy since the February firing of John Rood .

Anthony J. Tata, who had been criticized for statements that included calling former President Barack Obama "a terrorist leader," is now serving as acting undersecretary of defense policy. Photo courtesy Department of Defense
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Anthony Tata, a retired brigadier general whose nomination for a top Pentagon job was abruptly canceled in July, has stepped into the role of acting policy chief for the Department of Defense following the resignation of James Anderson Tuesday. Politico first reported that Anderson, who was confirmed in June as the second-in-command policy official but had been acting in the top job, had resigned. Advertisement
"I am particularly grateful to have been entrusted with leading the dedicated men and women of Policy, who play a key role in our Nation's security," Anderson wrote in his letter of resignation. "Now, as ever, our long-term success depends on adhering to the U.S. Constitution all public servants swear to support and defend."
Tata had been performing as second in command for policy, is now overseeing the Pentagon's policy department.
The shakeup follows President Donald Trump's Monday firing of Defense Secretary Mark Esper via a Twitter message announcing that Christopher C. Miller, National Counterterrorism Center director, will replace him.
On Tuesday evening the Pentagon confirmed that Anderson had resigned, as had under secretary of defense for intelligence and security Joseph Kernan and Jen Stewart, chief of staff to the secretary of defense, confirming earlier reporting from Politico, the Wall Street Journal and Foreign Policy.
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"I want to thank Dr. Anderson, Admiral Kernan and Jen Stewart for their service to the nation and the Department," Miller said. "Over their careers each has contributed greatly to the national defense and the future of the Department of Defense. We wish them the best in their next endeavors."
Trump nominated Tata to serve as undersecretary of defense for policy earlier this year, but the July confirmation hearing was canceled at the last minute amid reports that the Senate was not likely to confirm him.
Tata had faced criticism for past remarks, including calling former President Barack Obama "a terrorist leader," but has been serving as the acting deputy undersecretary for policy since August.
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., chair of the House Armed Services Committee, issued a statement Tuesday warning that Anderson's resignation and Esper's firing "could mark the beginning of a process of gutting the DoD -- something that should alarm all Americans."
"As soon as Former Vice President Biden became President-Elect Biden, President Trump and those loyal to him started to sow chaos and division. It appears that chaos has now reached the Pentagon," Smith wrote.
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"If this is the beginning of a trend -- the President either firing or forcing out national security professionals in order to replace them with people perceived as more loyal to him -- then the next 70 days will be precarious at best and downright dangerous at worst."
Anderson had been serving as the acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy since the February firing of John Rood.


upi--2020-11-10--Jurors ask Trump to commute death sentence of Brandon Bernard

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- Several trial jurors in the case of a Texas man convicted of killing a married couple more than two decades ago asked President Donald Trump to commute his death sentence Tuesday .
Brandon Bernard , 40 , is scheduled to be executed Dec. 10 at the U.S. Penitentiary Terre Haute , Ind .
He 's one of several death row inmates to be scheduled for lethal injection this year after the U.S. Justice Department resumed federal executions this summer .
Bernard was sentenced to death in 2000 for the 1999 deaths of Todd Bagley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Prosecutors said the Bagleys gave Bernard and and accomplice a ride in their car , but the men held the couple at gunpoint and put them in the trunk of the vehicle .
They stole the couple 's money and a wedding ring before parking the vehicle at Fort Hood Army base and shooting both victims in the head , killing Todd Bagley .
They set the car on fire , killing Stacie Bagley by smoke inhalation .
Because the murders took place on a military reservation , they were considered federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was executed for his role .
In their clemency petition , five jurors asked Trump to consider Bernard 's age at the time of the crime -- 19 -- his clean prison record , his remorse and outreach work while incarcerated .
They asked for his death sentence to be commuted to life in prison .
Jury foreman Calvin Kruger said that while the trial evidence showed that Bernard is `` guilty beyond any doubt '' of the murders , `` it also clearly showed that Brandon Bernard was not the ringleader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
He also said he did n't believe Bernard 's attorney `` did a good job in defending him . ''
`` To me , it seemed like his attorneys were going through the motions and nothing more . ''
Two other jurors agreed with Kruger 's assessment of the trial attorney .
Mark Bezy , a former federal Bureau of Prisons warden , said he supports clemency because of Bernard 's record of good conduct .
He said that `` should Bernard 's death sentence be commuted , the could and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment without posing any risk to institutional security and good order , or posing any risk to the safety and security of staff , inmates or others . ''
U.S. Attorney General William Barr resumed federal executions in July after a 17-year hiatus .
Daniel Lewis Lee , Wesley Purkey and Dustin Honken were executed in July ; Lezmond Mitchell and Keith Dwayne Nelson in August ; and William LeCroy and Vialva in September .

Brandon Bernard is set to be executed December 10 at the U.S. Penitentiary Terre Haute, Ind. File Photo courtesy of the attorneys for Brandon Bernard
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Several trial jurors in the case of a Texas man convicted of killing a married couple more than two decades ago asked President Donald Trump to commute his death sentence Tuesday. Brandon Bernard, 40, is scheduled to be executed Dec. 10 at the U.S. Penitentiary Terre Haute, Ind. He's one of several death row inmates to be scheduled for lethal injection this year after the U.S. Justice Department resumed federal executions this summer. Advertisement
Bernard, along with an accomplice, Christopher Vialva, were sentenced to death in 2000 for the 1999 deaths of Todd Bagley and Stacie Bagley, married youth ministers.
Prosecutors said the Bagleys gave Vialva and two other accomplices in the case a ride in their car, but the men held the couple at gunpoint and put them in the trunk of the vehicle. They stole the couple's money and a wedding ring.
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Bernard's lawyers said he was not with the three accomplices when they kidnapped the Bagleys and was called to join the other perpetrators later in his own vehicle.
The four men then drove the Bagleys and the two vehicles to Fort Hood Army base, where prosecutors said Vialva shot both victims in the head, instantly killing Todd Bagley. They then set the car on fire.
Stacie Bagley, unconscious from a gunshot wound, died of smoke inhalation, federal prosecutors said.
Defense lawyers said Bernard believed he was called to help dispose of the Bagley's vehicles and let them go free. Police arrested the four men after their vehicle slid off the road into a ditch near the Bagleys' burning vehicle.
Because the murders took place on a military reservation, they were considered federal offenses.
Vialva was executed for his role in September.
In their clemency petition, five jurors asked Trump to consider Bernard's age at the time of the crime -- 18 -- his clean prison record, his remorse and outreach work while incarcerated. They asked for his death sentence to be commuted to life in prison.
Jury foreman Calvin Kruger said that while the trial evidence showed that Bernard is "guilty beyond any doubt" of the murders, "it also clearly showed that Brandon Bernard was not the ringleader behind these offenses, but a follower."
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He also said he didn't believe Bernard's attorney "did a good job in defending him."
"To me, it seemed like his attorneys were going through the motions and nothing more."
Two other jurors agreed with Kruger's assessment of the trial attorney.
Mark Bezy, a former federal Bureau of Prisons warden, said he supports clemency because of Bernard's record of good conduct. He said that "should Bernard's death sentence be commuted, the could and would function exceptionally well in a less-restrictive environment without posing any risk to institutional security and good order, or posing any risk to the safety and security of staff, inmates or others."
U.S. Attorney General William Barr resumed federal executions in July after a 17-year hiatus. Daniel Lewis Lee, Wesley Purkey and Dustin Honken were executed in July; Lezmond Mitchell and Keith Dwayne Nelson in August; and William LeCroy and Vialva in September.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said that Bernard took part in the initial carjacking and kidnapping of the Bagleys, but he didn't join Vialva and the two other accomplices until later in the crime.


upi--2020-11-10--U.S. adds 120K COVID-19 cases; HHS head says vaccine possible in spring

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- As cases continue to spike to record levels nationally , a top U.S. health official said Tuesday that public COVID-19 vaccination campaigns could begin in the spring .
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said there should be sufficient available quantities of a vaccine , when one is approved , by the start of April or May to begin mass inoculations .
`` We have anticipated that we will have enough vaccine by the end of December to have vaccinated our most vulnerable citizens in nursing homes and otherwise , and by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers and first responders , '' he told NBC 's Today .
Azar cited government contracts with drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna to deliver millions of doses .
No vaccine has been approved for the coronavirus disease , although several are now in late-stage human trials .
Pfizer said Monday it will seek emergency FDA authorization for its vaccine , which it said has shown so far to be about 90 % effective .
Updated data at Johns Hopkins University on Tuesday showed the United States added about 120,000 more cases on Monday -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 100,000 -- and almost 700 deaths .
Since the start of the pandemic , there have been about 10.1 million cases and 238,300 deaths nationwide , according to Johns Hopkins , and more than 50 million people have been sickened worldwide .
Thirty-two states have seen record spikes in cases over the past week and four saw their highest numbers of deaths in a single week .
Hospitalizations nationwide approached 60,000 on Monday , equaling record levels during the summer , according to the COVID Tracking Project .
Texas on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million cases , as the state reported a record 10,865 new cases .
The data showed that cases have surged in and around El Paso , the Texas Panhandle and in major cities .
Intensive care patients in the Houston area rose almost 10 % in a single day , according to the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council .
In Minnesota , Gov .
Tim Walz announced new restrictions as the Minnesota Department of Health reported 4,843 new cases on Tuesday .
`` I have to be absolutely candid in Minnesota -- we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge in coronavirus cases , '' he said .
Under the new restrictions , the state will limit indoor and outdoor private social gatherings that include a maximum of three households to 10 people .
Receptions for events such as funerals will be limited to 50 people beginning Nov. 27 and 25 starting Dec. 11 and can not take place between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m .
Bars and restaurants will also be limited to 50 % capacity indoors and outdoors with a maximum of 150 people and dine-in service will be required @ @ @ @ @ @

A masked man walks in New York City on Monday near the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- As cases continue to spike to record levels nationally, a top U.S. health official said Tuesday that public COVID-19 vaccination campaigns could begin in the spring. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said there should be sufficient available quantities of a vaccine, when one is approved, by the start of April or May to begin mass inoculations. Advertisement
"We have anticipated that we will have enough vaccine by the end of December to have vaccinated our most vulnerable citizens in nursing homes and otherwise, and by the end January, enough for all healthcare workers and first responders," he told NBC's Today.
Azar cited government contracts with drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna to deliver millions of doses.
No vaccine has been approved for the coronavirus disease, although several are now in late-stage human trials. Pfizer said Monday it will seek emergency FDA authorization for its vaccine, which it said has shown so far to be about 90% effective.
Updated data at Johns Hopkins University on Tuesday showed the United States added about 120,000 more cases on Monday -- the sixth day in a row with more than 100,000 -- and almost 700 deaths.
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Since the start of the pandemic, there have been about 10.1 million cases and 238,300 deaths nationwide, according to Johns Hopkins, and more than 50 million people have been sickened worldwide.
Thirty-two states have seen record spikes in cases over the past week and four saw their highest numbers of deaths in a single week.
Hospitalizations nationwide approached 60,000 on Monday, equaling record levels during the summer, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
Texas on Tuesday became the first state to surpass a million cases, as the state reported a record 10,865 new cases. The data showed that cases have surged in and around El Paso, the Texas Panhandle and in major cities.
Intensive care patients in the Houston area rose almost 10% in a single day, according to the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council.
In Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz announced new restrictions as the Minnesota Department of Health reported 4,843 new cases on Tuesday.
"I have to be absolutely candid in Minnesota -- we are in the midst of a significant surge in coronavirus cases," he said.
Under the new restrictions, the state will limit indoor and outdoor private social gatherings that include a maximum of three households to 10 people. Receptions for events such as funerals will be limited to 50 people beginning Nov. 27 and 25 starting Dec. 11 and cannot take place between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.
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Bars and restaurants will also be limited to 50% capacity indoors and outdoors with a maximum of 150 people and dine-in service will be required to end at 10 p.m.


upi--2020-11-10--NASA certifies SpaceX to carry humans, OKs space station mission

ORLANDO , Fla. , Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- NASA certified SpaceX 's spaceflight system Tuesday to carry astronauts to the International Space Station regularly , clearing the way for a four-person mission there planned for Saturday .
Elon Musk 's company plans to launch its Crew Dragon capsule , which its four passengers have called Resilience , aloft atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida .
This will mark the first time in the history of spaceflight that four people traveled into space in one capsule .
The space shuttles typically carried seven-member crews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation 's launch provider for crewed missions and take seriously the responsibility that NASA has entrusted to us to carry American astronauts to and from the space station , '' Benji Reed , SpaceX 's senior director of human spaceflight , said at a press conference .
Liftoff for the newest crewed mission is planned for 7:49 p.m. EST , barring any interference by the weather .
Forecasters are keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Eta , which at one point appeared headed across Florida north of the space center .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Gulf of Mexico , and is projected to make landfall in Florida 's Panhandle early Saturday morning .
The launch is to mark the beginning of a six-month mission at the space station for NASA 's Shannon Walker , Victor Glover and Mike Hopkins , and Japan 's Soichi Noguchi .
This also would start a continuous presence of SpaceX 's Dragon capsule -- either cargo or crew models -- at the space station , Reed said .
`` Over the next 15 months , we will fly seven crew and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Saturday 's launch , called SpaceX Crew-1 , marks the second time people will fly in the Dragon capsule and the first regular flight for the spacecraft .
The initial crewed mission , considered a test flight , brought NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the space station for two months .
They returned to Earth on Aug. 2 .
The Dragon now assumes the same role the space shuttle filled for NASA -- to ferry astronauts to the space station .
`` I 'm extremely proud to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launches to American soil on an American rocket and spacecraft , '' NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said Tuesday .
`` Thank you to NASA for their continued support of SpaceX and partnership in achieving this goal , '' SpaceX founder Musk said in a statement Tuesday .
`` I could not be more proud of everyone at SpaceX and all of our suppliers , who worked incredibly hard to develop , test and fly the first commercial human spaceflight system in history to be certified by NASA . ''
NASA gave a green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agency 's routine Flight Readiness Review .
Engineers and technicians for the space agency and SpaceX discussed , among other things , the recent launch abort of a Falcon 9 rocket on an uncrewed mission .
Inspections determined that a clogged venting hole in the engines had been blocked by lacquer that a contractor failed to completely remove following construction .
NASA postponed the Crew 1 mission partly to evaluate the problem with the clogged valve .

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The Crew Dragon capsule and Falcon 9 rocket are being prepared before being lifted vertically for the launch of four astronauts Saturday from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the International Space Station. NASA Photo by Joel Kowsky | License Photo
ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 10 (UPI) -- NASA certified SpaceX's spaceflight system Tuesday to carry astronauts to the International Space Station regularly, clearing the way for a four-person mission there planned for Saturday. Elon Musk's company plans to launch its Crew Dragon capsule, which its four passengers have called Resilience, aloft atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Advertisement
This will mark the first time in the history of spaceflight that four people traveled into space in one capsule. The space shuttles typically carried seven-member crews.
"We are honored to be the nation's launch provider for crewed missions and take seriously the responsibility that NASA has entrusted to us to carry American astronauts to and from the space station," Benji Reed, SpaceX's senior director of human spaceflight, said at a press conference.
Liftoff for the newest crewed mission is planned for 7:49 p.m. EST, barring any interference by the weather.
Forecasters are keeping an eye on Hurricane Eta, which is expected to cross Florida north of Fort Myers on the west coast as a tropical storm Thursday. The storm is expected to become a tropical depression as it nears the east coast, north of the space center, later Thursday.
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The launch is to mark the beginning of a six-month mission at the space station for NASA's Shannon Walker, Victor Glover and Mike Hopkins, and Japan's Soichi Noguchi. This also would start a continuous presence of SpaceX's Dragon capsule -- either cargo or crew models -- at the space station, Reed said.
"Over the next 15 months, we will fly seven crew and cargo Dragon missions for NASA," he said.
Saturday's launch, called SpaceX Crew-1, marks the second time people will fly in the Dragon capsule and the first regular flight for the spacecraft. The initial crewed mission, considered a test flight, brought NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the space station for two months. They returned to Earth on Aug. 2.
The Dragon now assumes the same role the space shuttle filled for NASA -- to ferry astronauts to the space station.
"I'm extremely proud to say we are returning regular human spaceflight launches to American soil on an American rocket and spacecraft," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said Tuesday.
"Thank you to NASA for their continued support of SpaceX and partnership in achieving this goal," SpaceX founder Musk said in a statement Tuesday.
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"I could not be more proud of everyone at SpaceX and all of our suppliers, who worked incredibly hard to develop, test and fly the first commercial human spaceflight system in history to be certified by NASA."
NASA gave a green light for Saturday's mission after concluding the agency's routine Flight Readiness Review. Engineers and technicians for the space agency and SpaceX discussed, among other things, the recent launch abort of a Falcon 9 rocket on an uncrewed mission.
Inspections determined that a clogged venting hole in the engines had been blocked by lacquer that a contractor failed to completely remove following construction.
NASA postponed the Crew 1 mission partly to evaluate the problem with the clogged valve.
20 years aboard the International Space Station
The International Space Station is photographed by Expedition 56 crew members from a Soyuz spacecraft after undocking on October 4, 2018. NASA astronauts Andrew Feustel and Ricky Arnold and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev executed a fly-around of the orbiting laboratory to take pictures of the space station before returning home after spending 197 days in space. Photo courtesy of NASA/Roscosmos


upi--2020-11-10--State Department approves $23.37B in weapons sales to UAE, including 50 F-35s

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- The State Department approved three weapons deals to the United Arab Emirates totaling $ 23.37 billion , the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced Tuesday .
The DSCA released three announcements Tuesday regarding the proposed deals : $ 10.4 billion for 50 F-35A Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take-Off and Landing aircraft , $ 10 billion for 800 AIM-120C8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles and $ 2.97 billion for 18 Weapons-Ready MQ-9B , Remotely Piloted Aircraft .
At the end of October the White House informally notified Congress of a proposed $ 10.4 billion sale of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make the country the second in the Middle East -- after Israel -- to own the planes .
Congress still needs to approve the deals , and the State Department 's approval does not reflect a finalized agreement by the UAE .
The deal announcement comes a little over a month after the signing of the Abraham Accords in September , a peace treaty involving Israel , Bahrain and UAE -- and in the midst of tension between the United States and NATO ally Turkey .
In 2019 , Turkey was removed from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The UAE 's historic agreement to normalize relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to positively transform the region 's strategic landscape , '' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement .
`` Our adversaries , especially those in Iran , know this and will stop at nothing to disrupt this shared success .
The proposed sale will make the UAE even more capable and interoperable with U.S. partners in a manner fully consistent with America 's longstanding commitment to ensuring Israel 's Qualitative Military Edge @ @

The active-duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings conducted an F-35A Combat Power Exercise at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, in January. Photo by R. Nial Bradshaw/U.S. Air Force | License Photo
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- The State Department approved three weapons deals to the United Arab Emirates totaling $23.37 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced Tuesday. The DSCA released three announcements Tuesday regarding the proposed deals: $10.4 billion for 50 F-35A Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take-Off and Landing aircraft, $10 billion for 800 AIM-120C8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles and $2.97 billion for 18 Weapons-Ready MQ-9B, Remotely Piloted Aircraft. Advertisement
At the end of October the White House informally notified Congress of a proposed $10.4 billion sale of 50 F-35s to UAE, which would make the country the second in the Middle East -- after Israel -- to own the planes.
Congress still needs to approve the deals, and the State Department's approval does not reflect a finalized agreement by the UAE.
The deal announcement comes a little over a month after the signing of the Abraham Accords in September, a peace treaty involving Israel, Bahrain and UAE -- and in the midst of tension between the United States and NATO ally Turkey.
In 2019, Turkey was removed from the list of F-35 components manufacturers.
"The UAE's historic agreement to normalize relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to positively transform the region's strategic landscape," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. "Our adversaries, especially those in Iran, know this and will stop at nothing to disrupt this shared success. The proposed sale will make the UAE even more capable and interoperable with U.S. partners in a manner fully consistent with America's longstanding commitment to ensuring Israel's Qualitative Military Edge."
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upi--2020-11-10--Statins reduce heart disease risk even in older adults, studies find

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- Older adults benefit at least as much as young people from cholesterol-lowering medications that reduce the risk of heart attack , stroke and heart disease , according to two studies published Tuesday by The Lancet .
For every 80 people age 80 to 100 who take statins , one heart attack will be prevented , researchers say , while three times that number of people between age 50 and 59 would need to take the drugs to prevent one heart attack , the data from one study showed .
Similarly , cholesterol-lowering medications reduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in those age 75 years and older by 26 % for every one-point reduction in LDL cholesterol , the second analysis found .
The drugs lowered the risk for these heart-related health events by 15 % for every one-point reduction in LDL cholesterol among people age 75 and younger , according to the researchers .
`` Our study provides further evidence for the cumulative burden of LDL cholesterol over a person 's lifetime and the progressive increase in risk for heart attack and cardiovascular disease with age , '' study co-author Børge Nordestgaard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the proportion of people living beyond 70 years of age worldwide rapidly increasing , [ there is ] huge potential for ... strategies aimed at lowering LDL cholesterol levels , '' said Nordestgaard , a clinical professor of genetic epidemiology at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark .
Up to 29 % of all adults in the United States , or about 70 million people , have high cholesterol , according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Prescription statin drugs , along with diet and exercise , can help manage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drugs in older adults have been less clear based on existing research .
For their study , Nordestgaard and his colleagues analyzed data on the heart health of more than 91,000 adults who live in Denmark , including 13,779 people age 70 to 100 who were not taking statins at the beginning of the research .
Participants were tracked for roughly eight years .
The number of first-time heart attacks and cases of heart disease , along with LDL cholesterol levels , were recorded for each .
A total of 1,515 first-time heart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were reported among the study participants .
Those age 70 and older had the highest incidence of heart attack and heart disease of any age group , the researchers said .
For example , the risk for heart attack in the overall population was increased by 34 % for every one-point rise in LDL cholesterol , the data showed .
For every 42 people age 80 to 100 treated with a moderate-intensity statin , one heart attack could be prevented in the age group , the researchers said , with the preventive effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ findings show that LDL cholesterol levels are an important risk factor for heart attack and heart disease in older people , contrary to earlier studies , they said .
Meanwhile , an analysis of 29 studies involving more than 244,000 adults found that cholesterol-lowering therapies were associated with a reduction in the incidence of all cardiovascular events , including death , heart attack and stroke , researchers at Brigham and Women 's Hospital in Boston reported .
Deaths from all heart disease outcomes in people age 75 and older were reduced by 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cholesterol , and the incidence of heart attacks was lowered by 20 % , the data showed .
However , the findings do not mean that people should wait to initiate treatment until they are older , the researchers said , stressing the importance of keeping LDL cholesterol well controlled as early in life as possible to prevent the build-up of cholesterol in the arteries .
`` Cholesterol-lowering medications are affordable drugs that have reduced risk of heart disease for millions of people worldwide , but until now their benefits for older people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-author Dr. Marc S. Sabatine said .
`` Our analysis indicates that these therapies are as effective in reducing cardiovascular events and deaths in people aged 75 years and over as they are in younger people , [ with ] no offsetting safety concerns , '' said Sabatine , chairman of the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Study Group at Brigham and Women 's Hospital .

Older adults may get heart health benefits from statins, two new studies found. Photo by hamiltonpaviana/Pixabay
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Older adults benefit at least as much as young people from cholesterol-lowering medications that reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart disease, according to two studies published Tuesday by The Lancet. For every 80 people age 80 to 100 who take statins, one heart attack will be prevented, researchers say, while three times that number of people between age 50 and 59 would need to take the drugs to prevent one heart attack, the data from one study showed. Advertisement
Similarly, cholesterol-lowering medications reduced the risk for heart attack and stroke in those age 75 years and older by 26% for every one-point reduction in LDL cholesterol, the second analysis found.
The drugs lowered the risk for these heart-related health events by 15% for every one-point reduction in LDL cholesterol among people age 75 and younger, according to the researchers.
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"Our study provides further evidence for the cumulative burden of LDL cholesterol over a person's lifetime and the progressive increase in risk for heart attack and cardiovascular disease with age," study co-author Børge Nordestgaard said in a statement.
"With the proportion of people living beyond 70 years of age worldwide rapidly increasing, [there is] huge potential for ... strategies aimed at lowering LDL cholesterol levels," said Nordestgaard, a clinical professor of genetic epidemiology at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark.
Up to 29% of all adults in the United States, or about 70 million people, have high cholesterol, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Prescription statin drugs, along with diet and exercise, can help manage cholesterol, although the benefits of the drugs in older adults have been less clear based on existing research.
For their study, Nordestgaard and his colleagues analyzed data on the heart health of more than 91,000 adults who live in Denmark, including 13,779 people age 70 to 100 who were not taking statins at the beginning of the research.
Participants were tracked for roughly eight years. The number of first-time heart attacks and cases of heart disease, along with LDL cholesterol levels, were recorded for each.
Advertisement
A total of 1,515 first-time heart attacks and 3,389 cases of heart disease were reported among the study participants. Those age 70 and older had the highest incidence of heart attack and heart disease of any age group, the researchers said.
For example, the risk for heart attack in the overall population was increased by 34% for every one-point rise in LDL cholesterol, the data showed.
For every 42 people age 80 to 100 treated with a moderate-intensity statin, one heart attack could be prevented in the age group, the researchers said, with the preventive effect decreasing the younger people are.
The findings show that LDL cholesterol levels are an important risk factor for heart attack and heart disease in older people, contrary to earlier studies, they said.
Meanwhile, an analysis of 29 studies involving more than 244,000 adults found that cholesterol-lowering therapies were associated with a reduction in the incidence of all cardiovascular events, including death, heart attack and stroke, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston reported.
Deaths from all heart disease outcomes in people age 75 and older were reduced by 15% for every one-point reduction in LDL cholesterol, and the incidence of heart attacks was lowered by 20%, the data showed.
Advertisement
However, the findings do not mean that people should wait to initiate treatment until they are older, the researchers said, stressing the importance of keeping LDL cholesterol well controlled as early in life as possible to prevent the build-up of cholesterol in the arteries.
"Cholesterol-lowering medications are affordable drugs that have reduced risk of heart disease for millions of people worldwide, but until now their benefits for older people have remained less certain," study co-author Dr. Marc S. Sabatine said.
"Our analysis indicates that these therapies are as effective in reducing cardiovascular events and deaths in people aged 75 years and over as they are in younger people, [with] no offsetting safety concerns," said Sabatine, chairman of the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Study Group at Brigham and Women's Hospital.


upi--2020-11-10--McCabe: FBI believed Trump posed 'danger to national security' during Russia inquiry

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe testified Tuesday that the bureau had reason to believe President Donald Trump was a threat to national security as he defended its investigation into the president and his campaign 's alleged links to Russia .
Appearing before the Senate judiciary committee , McCabe cited Trump 's decision to fire then-FBI Director James Comey in May 2017 after he refused to close an investigation into Trump 's then-national security adviser , Michael Flynn .
`` It became pretty clear to us that he did not want us to continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' McCabe said .
`` We had many reasons at that point to believe that the president might himself pose a danger to national security and that he might have engaged in obstruction of justice if the firing of the director and those other things were geared towards eliminating or stopping our investigation of Russian activity . ''
The FBI investigation examined possible links between Trump 's campaign and Moscow and whether there was collusion to defeat Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election .
McCabe , who was fired by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his scheduled retirement in early 2018 , was originally set to appear before the committee last month but the session was postponed after several Republican senators tested positive for COVID-19 .
Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham and Republican panel members are examining the FBI 's investigation to see if its origins were politically motivated .
McCabe on Tuesday denied that politics played a role in the investigation .
`` We did n't open a case because we liked one candidate or did n't like the other one , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we intended to stage a coup or overthrow the government ... we opened a case to find out how the Russians might be undermining our elections .
We opened a case because it was our obligation -- our duty -- to do so .
We did our job . ''
In a report last year , Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz found no political bias in the FBI 's maneuvers -- but said there were some errors .
Among them , he said , the FBI did not meet its responsibility of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants to wiretap then-Trump campaign aide Carter Page .
McCabe said he would not have approved the surveillance warrant for Page if he was aware of the errors .
`` I was shocked and disappointed at the errors and mistakes that the [ inspector general ] found , '' he said .
`` To me , any material misrepresentation or error in a [ wiretap ] application is unacceptable .
Period . ''
Graham asked McCabe who was `` responsible for ruining Carter Page 's life '' to which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible for the work that went into that [ warrant ] . ''
Horowitz looked into the matter after complaints by Trump that the bureau unlawfully spied on members of his 2016 campaign and were motivated to help Clinton .
His inquiry found no evidence to support those claims .
To date , there have been three hearings before the committee on the matter .
During the most recent , in September , Comey defended the bureau 's actions under his leadership .
Former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates testified before the committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rod Rosenstein appeared in June .
Federal officials have said Russian actors also made efforts to intervene in the 2020 presidential election , in which former Vice President Joe Biden defeated Trump .
He will take office in January , though Trump has yet to concede the election .

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Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe testified that officials believed President Donald Trump "might himself pose a danger to national security" as the bureau was investigating his campaign's links to Russia. Pool Photo by Susan Walsh/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe testified Tuesday that the bureau had reason to believe President Donald Trump was a threat to national security as he defended its investigation into the president and his campaign's alleged links to Russia. Appearing before the Senate judiciary committee, McCabe cited Trump's decision to fire then-FBI Director James Comey in May 2017 after he refused to close an investigation into Trump's then-national security adviser, Michael Flynn. Advertisement
"It became pretty clear to us that he did not want us to continue investigating what the Russians had done," McCabe said. "We had many reasons at that point to believe that the president might himself pose a danger to national security and that he might have engaged in obstruction of justice if the firing of the director and those other things were geared towards eliminating or stopping our investigation of Russian activity."
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The FBI investigation examined possible links between Trump's campaign and Moscow and whether there was collusion to defeat Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.
McCabe, who was fired by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions two days before his scheduled retirement in early 2018, was originally set to appear before the committee last month but the session was postponed after several Republican senators tested positive for COVID-19.
Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham and Republican panel members are examining the FBI's investigation to see if its origins were politically motivated.
McCabe on Tuesday denied that politics played a role in the investigation.
"We didn't open a case because we liked one candidate or didn't like the other one," he said. "We didn't open a case because we intended to stage a coup or overthrow the government ... we opened a case to find out how the Russians might be undermining our elections. We opened a case because it was our obligation -- our duty -- to do so. We did our job."
In a report last year, Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz found no political bias in the FBI's maneuvers -- but said there were some errors. Among them, he said, the FBI did not meet its responsibility of "heightened candor" when it gave Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants to wiretap then-Trump campaign aide Carter Page.
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McCabe said he would not have approved the surveillance warrant for Page if he was aware of the errors.
"I was shocked and disappointed at the errors and mistakes that the [inspector general] found," he said. "To me, any material misrepresentation or error in a [wiretap] application is unacceptable. Period."
Graham asked McCabe who was "responsible for ruining Carter Page's life" to which McCabe responded, "We are all responsible for the work that went into that [warrant]."
Horowitz looked into the matter after complaints by Trump that the bureau unlawfully spied on members of his 2016 campaign and were motivated to help Clinton. His inquiry found no evidence to support those claims.
To date, there have been three hearings before the committee on the matter. During the most recent, in September, Comey defended the bureau's actions under his leadership.
Former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates testified before the committee in August and former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appeared in June.
Federal officials have said Russian actors also made efforts to intervene in the 2020 presidential election, in which former Vice President Joe Biden defeated Trump. He will take office in January, though Trump has yet to concede the election.


upi--2020-11-10--Education key to developing lifelike intelligent robots, study argues

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- Artificial intelligence has rapidly advanced over the last few decades , but this intelligence remains largely relegated to smartphones and computers .
The creation of lifelike artificially intelligent robots has been slow-going , and breakthroughs in what scientists call 'physical AI ' remain few and far between .
In a new paper , published Tuesday in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence , researchers argue artificial intelligence has been too narrowly defined and biased by human hubris .
To rectify this shortcoming , the study 's authors claim robot-makers need to be better educated .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one hand too attached to data-driven trends in deep learning and on the other hand too attached to what humans think of as intelligence , which often reflects loose thinking about human cognitive capacities , '' the researchers wrote .
As a result , scientists have built AI capable of beating humans at chess but have struggled to program the basic cognitive and motor skills of a toddler .
The new paper calls for a more comprehensive commitment to the development of artificial intelligence -- some combination of traditional AI and physical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'bodies ' has significantly lagged behind the development of robot 'brains , ' '' study co-author Mirko Kovac said in a news release .
`` Unlike digital AI , which has been intensively explored in the last few decades , breathing physical intelligence into them has remained comparatively unexplored , '' said Kovac , a professor of material science and technology at Imperial College London .
In the new paper , Kovac and his research partners argue that a lack of specialized education is at least partially responsible for the dearth of advances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem , the authors recommend the next generation of roboticists be trained in materials science , mechanical engineering , computer science , biology and chemistry .
`` The notion of AI is often confined to computers , smartphones and data intensive computation , '' Kovac said .
`` We are proposing to think of AI in a broader sense and co-develop physical morphologies , learning systems , embedded sensors , fluid logic and integrated actuation . ''
`` This physical AI is the new frontier in robotics research and will have major impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-evolving students ' skills in an integrative and multidisciplinary way could unlock some key ideas for students and researchers alike , '' he said .
The authors of the new paper predict the next generation smart robots will be designed and built using unconventional materials and innovative construction techniques .
Their construction , researchers contend , will require cross-disciplinary collaborations among scientists and engineers .
To properly educate the next generation of roboticists , researchers recommend communities and institutions begin hiring and training staff who can and will prioritize multidisciplinary Physical AI research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as working in the multidisciplinary playground requires daring to leave the comfort zones of narrow disciplinary knowledge for the sake of a high-risk research and career uncertainty , '' said co-author Aslan Miriyev .
`` Creating lifelike robots has thus far been an impossible task , but it could be made possible by including physical AI in the higher education system .
Developing skills and research in physical AI could bring us closer than ever to redefining human-robot and robot-environment interaction , '' said Miriyev , a researcher in the department of aeronautics @ @ @

Researchers say that future robotics designers and programmers need to expand their education in order to make robots more lifelike. Photo by TheDigitalArtist /Pixabay
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Artificial intelligence has rapidly advanced over the last few decades, but this intelligence remains largely relegated to smartphones and computers. The creation of lifelike artificially intelligent robots has been slow-going, and breakthroughs in what scientists call 'physical AI' remain few and far between. Advertisement
In a new paper, published Tuesday in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence, researchers argue artificial intelligence has been too narrowly defined and biased by human hubris.
To rectify this shortcoming, the study's authors claim robot-makers need to be better educated.
"[Artificial intelligence] is on the one hand too attached to data-driven trends in deep learning and on the other hand too attached to what humans think of as intelligence, which often reflects loose thinking about human cognitive capacities," the researchers wrote.
As a result, scientists have built AI capable of beating humans at chess but have struggled to program the basic cognitive and motor skills of a toddler.
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The new paper calls for a more comprehensive commitment to the development of artificial intelligence -- some combination of traditional AI and physical AI.
"The development of robot 'bodies' has significantly lagged behind the development of robot 'brains,'" study co-author Mirko Kovac said in a news release.
"Unlike digital AI, which has been intensively explored in the last few decades, breathing physical intelligence into them has remained comparatively unexplored," said Kovac, a professor of material science and technology at Imperial College London.
In the new paper, Kovac and his research partners argue that a lack of specialized education is at least partially responsible for the dearth of advances in physical AI.
To rectify the problem, the authors recommend the next generation of roboticists be trained in materials science, mechanical engineering, computer science, biology and chemistry.
"The notion of AI is often confined to computers, smartphones and data intensive computation," Kovac said. "We are proposing to think of AI in a broader sense and co-develop physical morphologies, learning systems, embedded sensors, fluid logic and integrated actuation."
"This physical AI is the new frontier in robotics research and will have major impact in the decades to come, and co-evolving students' skills in an integrative and multidisciplinary way could unlock some key ideas for students and researchers alike," he said.
Advertisement
The authors of the new paper predict the next generation smart robots will be designed and built using unconventional materials and innovative construction techniques. Their construction, researchers contend, will require cross-disciplinary collaborations among scientists and engineers.
To properly educate the next generation of roboticists, researchers recommend communities and institutions begin hiring and training staff who can and will prioritize multidisciplinary Physical AI research.
"Such backing is especially needed as working in the multidisciplinary playground requires daring to leave the comfort zones of narrow disciplinary knowledge for the sake of a high-risk research and career uncertainty," said co-author Aslan Miriyev.
"Creating lifelike robots has thus far been an impossible task, but it could be made possible by including physical AI in the higher education system. Developing skills and research in physical AI could bring us closer than ever to redefining human-robot and robot-environment interaction," said Miriyev, a researcher in the department of aeronautics at Imperial.


upi--2020-11-10--Birthday gift from girlfriend wins man a big lottery jackpot

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- An Australian man found a small birthday gift from his girlfriend turned into a much larger present when the scratch-off lottery ticket she gave him won a jackpot of nearly $ 200,000 .
The Doonside , New South Wales , woman told The Lott officials she bought the scratch-off ticket from Doonside Newsagency & Post Office to give to her boyfriend as a birthday gift .
`` For his birthday , we went out for dinner and we scratched it there and then , '' the girlfriend recalled .
She said the ticket appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple did n't realize the extent of their luck until they return to the store the following day and found out it they had won $ 182,116.25 .
`` We did n't believe it .
We still do n't believe it , '' the woman said .
`` I just keep thinking 'Oh , my God .
Is this real life ? '
It 's crazy .
It 's still so surreal ! ''
The couple said they plan to put some of their winnings toward buying new cars and putting a down @ @ @ @ @

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Nov. 10 (UPI) -- An Australian man found a small birthday gift from his girlfriend turned into a much larger present when the scratch-off lottery ticket she gave him won a jackpot of nearly $200,000.
The Doonside, New South Wales, woman told The Lott officials she bought the scratch-off ticket from Doonside Newsagency & Post Office to give to her boyfriend as a birthday gift.
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"For his birthday, we went out for dinner and we scratched it there and then," the girlfriend recalled.
She said the ticket appeared to be a winner, but the couple didn't realize the extent of their luck until they return to the store the following day and found out it they had won $182,116.25.
"We didn't believe it. We still don't believe it," the woman said. "I just keep thinking 'Oh, my God. Is this real life?' It's crazy. It's still so surreal!"
The couple said they plan to put some of their winnings toward buying new cars and putting a down payment on a house.


upi--2020-11-10--Watch: Fishing friends come to rescue of monkey struggling to swim

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- A group of friends out fishing in Brazil ended up acting as a taxi @ @ @ @ @ was stranded away from shore .
The group of men said they were camping and @ @ @ @ @ Rio Grande do Sul , when they spotted a monkey swimming nearby and noticed the @ @ @ @ @ fatigue and could be in danger of drowning .
A video of the encounter shows @ @ @ @ @ to the monkey , which holds onto the offered support as the boat ferries it @ @ @ @ @ shows the men help the monkey reach a tree at the shoreline , where it @ @ @ @ @ men said the animal is believed to be an endangered bugio , also known as @ @ @ @

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Nov. 10 (UPI) -- A group of friends out fishing in Brazil ended up acting as a taxi service for a monkey that was stranded away from shore.
The group of men said they were camping and fishing in Tres Vendas, Rio Grande do Sul, when they spotted a monkey swimming nearby and noticed the primate was showing signs of fatigue and could be in danger of drowning.
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A video of the encounter shows the men extend an oar to the monkey, which holds onto the offered support as the boat ferries it to shore.
The footage shows the men help the monkey reach a tree at the shoreline, where it climbs to safety.
The men said the animal is believed to be an endangered bugio, also known as a howler monkey.


upi--2020-11-10--Dow climbs 262 points, tech stocks drag down S&P and Nasdaq

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 262 points Tuesday while declining tech stocks dragged the other two major U.S. indexes down .
The blue-chip index climbed 0.9 % , continuing a rally that began on election week , while the S & P 500 dropped 0.14 % and the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.37 % .
Stocks that would benefit from an economic recovery continued to climb as Boeing stock grew 5.2 % , Chevron climbed 4.62 % and Exxon Mobil increased 2.22 % .
Tech stocks however continued a decline as Zoom stock dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Microsoft declined 3.38 % and Google 's parent company , Alphabet , ended the day down 1.35 % .
`` The 'stay at home ' trade , which has led the market higher for most of this year , may be falling out of favor , '' Lindsey Bell , chief investment strategist at Ally Invest , told CNBC .
`` There 's still a good long-term case for tech , but it may not outpace the rest of the market like it has since March . ''
The Dow hit a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the strength of Pfizer and BioNTech stocks after the companies announced their COVID-19 vaccine is about 90 % effective , but tech losses capped the gains at 834 points .
Optimism surrounding a vaccine and president-elect Joe Biden 's virus potential response has helped to drive the market higher but U.S. COVID-19 cases continue to rise as the nation added more than 100,000 cases for the sixth consecutive day Tuesday .
`` The pandemic still has a ways to go , unfortunately , '' Nick Brooks , head of economic and investment research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wall Street Journal .
`` The Pfizer development is a great development , but I do n't think it 's the game-changer the markets seem to perceive . ''

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 260 points on Monday, continuing a rally that began on election week, while tech stocks fell for the second day, dragging down the other major indexes. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 262 points Tuesday while declining tech stocks dragged the other two major U.S. indexes down. The blue-chip index climbed 0.9%, continuing a rally that began on election week, while the S&P 500 dropped 0.14% and the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.37%. Advertisement
Stocks that would benefit from an economic recovery continued to climb as Boeing stock grew 5.2%, Chevron climbed 4.62% and Exxon Mobil increased 2.22%.
Tech stocks however continued a decline as Zoom stock dropped 9.01%, Amazon fell 3.46%, Microsoft declined 3.38% and Google's parent company, Alphabet, ended the day down 1.35%.
"The 'stay at home' trade, which has led the market higher for most of this year, may be falling out of favor," Lindsey Bell, chief investment strategist at Ally Invest, told CNBC. "There's still a good long-term case for tech, but it may not outpace the rest of the market like it has since March."
The Dow hit a record high early in trading Monday behind the strength of Pfizer and BioNTech stocks after the companies announced their COVID-19 vaccine is about 90% effective, but tech losses capped the gains at 834 points.
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Optimism surrounding a vaccine and president-elect Joe Biden's virus potential response has helped to drive the market higher but U.S. COVID-19 cases continue to rise as the nation added more than 100,000 cases for the sixth consecutive day Tuesday.
"The pandemic still has a ways to go, unfortunately," Nick Brooks, head of economic and investment research at Intermediate Capital Group, told The Wall Street Journal. "The Pfizer development is a great development, but I don't think it's the game-changer the markets seem to perceive."


upi--2020-11-10--Emhoff to leave firm, become first second gentleman

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- Douglas Emhoff will leave his law firm as he becomes the first second gentleman when President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated , a campaign spokesperson confirmed .
Emhoff , a 56-year-old entertainment and intellectual property lawyer for the global law firm DLA Piper and spouse of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will officially leave his law firm by Inauguration Day on Jan. 20 , a campaign spokesperson confirmed .
Emhoff joined DLA Piper a few years ago as a partner in its Intellectual Property and Technology practice and its Media , Sports and Entertainment sector based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DC , offices .
He previously worked at the law firm Venable , where he worked on the firm 's expansion to the West Coast .
He has been on a leave of absence since August , when Biden named his wife as his running mate .
`` Mr. Emhoff is working with the Biden-Harris transition team to develop the portfolio he will focus on to support the work of the administration , '' the spokesperson said .
Emhoff graduated from California State University-Northridge with a bachelor 's degree in communication and media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Southern California Gould School of Law .
Then , he started his legal career in the Los Angeles area in the 1990s , becoming a partner by the late 1990s .
`` For over 25 years , Doug has proven himself in courtrooms and boardrooms across California and around the country , '' his DLA Piper bio states .
`` He represents large domestic and international corporations and some of today 's highest profile individuals and influencers in complex business , real estate and intellectual property disputes . ''
Experts told Bloomberg Law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to limit ethic 's concerns , but the firm 's wide-ranging roster of legal and lobbying clients was near certain to pose questions about the appearance of conflicts .
Emhoff will be the first second gentleman of the United States when his wife is sworn in as the first female , Black and South Asian American vice president .
Born on Oct. 13 , 1964 , to Jewish parents , Michael and Barbara Emhoff in New York City borough of Brooklyn , Emhoff will also be the first Jewish spouse of a vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his previous marriage to Kerstin Emhoff , Cole and Ella , who call Harris `` Momala . ''
Harris and Emhoff have been married for six years .
Shortly after the announcement that Pennsylvania was called for Biden and Harris he tweeted `` so proud of you . ''
He is active on social media with supporters calling themselves the # DougHive , modeled after Harris ' supporters called the # KHive .
Emhoff met Harris on a blind date in 2013 and proposed to her after a quick courtship .
They were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2014 in a ceremony officiated by Harris ' sister Maya .

From left, Douglas Emhoff, husband of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Harris, President-elect Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden stand in front of supporters Saturday. Photo by Andrew Harnik/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Douglas Emhoff will leave his law firm as he becomes the first second gentleman when President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated, a campaign spokesperson confirmed. Emhoff, a 56-year-old entertainment and intellectual property lawyer for the global law firm DLA Piper and spouse of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will officially leave his law firm by Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, a campaign spokesperson confirmed. Advertisement
Emhoff joined DLA Piper a few years ago as a partner in its Intellectual Property and Technology practice and its Media, Sports and Entertainment sector based in its Los Angeles and Washington, DC, offices. He previously worked at the law firm Venable, where he worked on the firm's expansion to the West Coast.
He has been on a leave of absence since August, when Biden named his wife as his running mate.
"Mr. Emhoff is working with the Biden-Harris transition team to develop the portfolio he will focus on to support the work of the administration," the spokesperson said.
Emhoff graduated from California State University-Northridge with a bachelor's degree in communication and media studies, and from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. Then, he started his legal career in the Los Angeles area in the 1990s, becoming a partner by the late 1990s.
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"For over 25 years, Doug has proven himself in courtrooms and boardrooms across California and around the country," his DLA Piper bio states. "He represents large domestic and international corporations and some of today's highest profile individuals and influencers in complex business, real estate and intellectual property disputes."
Experts told Bloomberg Law that Emhoff's job could be structured to limit ethic's concerns, but the firm's wide-ranging roster of legal and lobbying clients was near certain to pose questions about the appearance of conflicts.
Emhoff will be the first second gentleman of the United States when his wife is sworn in as the first female, Black and South Asian American vice president.
Born on Oct. 13, 1964, to Jewish parents, Michael and Barbara Emhoff in New York City borough of Brooklyn, Emhoff will also be the first Jewish spouse of a vice president.
Emhoff has two children from his previous marriage to Kerstin Emhoff, Cole and Ella, who call Harris "Momala."
Harris and Emhoff have been married for six years. Shortly after the announcement that Pennsylvania was called for Biden and Harris he tweeted "so proud of you."
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He is active on social media with supporters calling themselves the #DougHive, modeled after Harris' supporters called the #KHive.
Emhoff met Harris on a blind date in 2013 and proposed to her after a quick courtship. They were married at a courthouse in Santa Barbara in 2014 in a ceremony officiated by Harris' sister Maya.


upi--2020-11-10--Cal Cunningham concedes to Thom Tillis in North Carolina Senate race

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., listens as Amy Coney Barrett appears before the Senate judiciary committee on Day 2 of her confirmation hearings to become an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court on October 13. Tillis won re-election to the Senate and claimed victory Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham conceded defeat Tuesday to Sen. Thom Tillis in a highly contested U.S. Senate race. The lawyer and retired Army lieutenant colonel said he called Tillis to congratulate him on his win. Advertisement
"The voters have spoken and I respect their decision," Cunningham said. "While the results of this election suggest there remain deep political divisions in our state and nation, the complete story of our country lies in what unites us: our faith and sense of confidence in our democracy, our civic values and common humanity, our shared aspiration to care for one another, and our belief that we live in a country that does exceptional things."
With 98% of votes counted, Tillis had 2,642,884 votes or 48.71% to Cunningham's 2,547,594 votes or 46.95%, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.
The presidential vote in the state is close enough that many major media outlets have not called the race for either President Donald Trump (49.96%) or President-elect Joe Biden (48.59%).
Tillis acknowledged his win on Twitter, saying he wishes the best for Cunningham and his family.
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"I am incredibly humbled by the chance to serve the people of North Carolina in the United States Senate for six more years and I pledge to continue keeping my promises and delivering results," Tillis tweeted.
"I know that my job is fighting for the jobs of the hardworking people of our state, which is why my first post-election priority will be defeating COVID-19 and getting the economy back on track."
Tillis was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014 and before that was a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, serving as speaker starting in 2011.
U.S. Election 2020


upi--2020-11-10--Roberts, Kavanaugh signal willingness to preserve ACA in Supreme Court case

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- Two Supreme Court justices signaled a willingness to preserve the Affordable Care Act on Tuesday during arguments in a landmark case challenging its constitutionality .
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh each suggested they were inclined to favor `` severing '' the so-called individual mandate from the rest of the ACA , which has provided affordable medical coverage to tens of millions of Americans over the past decade .
In the case , California vs. Texas , the high court is seeking to determine whether eliminating the mandate -- the part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to buy health insurance through ACA exchanges or pay an income tax penalty -- renders the entire healthcare law , known colloquially as Obamacare , unconstitutional .
Kavanaugh , considered a swing vote on the issue , suggested the ACA could still pass constitutional muster without the mandate .
In an exchange with an attorney defending the law on behalf of the House of Representatives , Kavanaugh said , `` I tend to agree with you this a very straightforward case for severability under our precedents , meaning that we would excise the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ act in place . ''
Roberts later said he disagreed with a coalition of 18 Republican-led states headed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton , who argue the ACA was rendered unconstitutional by President Donald Trump 's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act , which removed the penalty and declared it illegal .
`` It 's hard for you to argue Congress intended the entire act to fall if the mandate was struck down if the same Congress that lowered the tax penalty to zero did not even try to repeal the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attorney representing Paxton .
Some experts and observers consider the matter the most important case the Supreme Court will decide this term , which began last month and ends at the end of June .
Striking down the ACA would cost as many as 20 million Americans their medical coverage and bring a tax cut to the wealthy .
Trump has been trying to repeal the ACA since he stepped into office -- while President-elect Joe Biden , who helped craft the 2010 law , said during his campaign that he would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after arguments in the Supreme Court , Biden said that if the court strikes down the law during a pandemic , it would be `` simply cruel and needlessly divisive . ''
`` Let 's be absolutely clear about what 's at stake : The consequences of the Trump administration 's argument are not academic or an abstraction .
For many Americans , they are a matter of life and death , in a literal sense , '' he said .
`` This is n't hyperbole .
It 's real -- as real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American families are `` reeling '' from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic .
`` We have a moral obligation to ensure that healthcare is a right for all , not a privilege for a few .
`` In the middle of a deadly pandemic that 's affecting more than 10 million Americans , these ideologues are once again trying to strip health coverage away from the American people . ''
The part of the ACA that required uninsured people to buy coverage has helped the law stand up to legal scrutiny in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the law 's constitutionality in a 2012 ruling , in which Roberts said the mandate was within Congress ' taxing authority .
However , the 5th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals last year upheld a lower court ruling that said the individual mandate was unconstitutional as `` it can no longer be read as a tax and there is no other constitutional provision that justifies this exercise of congressional power . ''
The Democratic-led House of Representatives and a group of 20 Democratic states have asked the Supreme Court to overturn the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration 's stripping of the individual mandate had another impact on the case -- it made the tax issue entirely moot .
`` [ The law ] may encourage Americans to buy insurance , but it does not require anyone to do anything , '' they wrote in their brief .
`` Individuals still have a choice : Buy insurance or do n't . ''
In addition to deciding if the individual mandate is unconstitutional , the court will also have to decide whether the provision invalidates the law as a whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it does .
They argue that Congress intended for the ACA to work as an integrated whole .
The Democrat-led group , however , counters that Congress consciously decided to leave the rest of the landmark law intact three years ago when it agreed to remove the individual mandate .
In previous Supreme Court rulings on the ACA , Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito Jr. said the law could not be separated or salvaged from the unconstitutional portions .
Roberts and Kavanaugh , Trump 's second high court appointee , noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remainder of the law can be severed from the unconstitutional part and remain in place .
`` Constitutional litigation is not a game of gotcha against Congress , where litigants can ride a discrete constitutional flaw in a statute to take down the whole , otherwise constitutional statute , '' Kavanaugh wrote .
The Supreme Court , which had just eight members for weeks after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , is back to full membership after the controversial addition of Amy Coney Barrett last month .
She wrote in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she considered Roberts ' decision eight years ago that affirmed the ACA `` pushed '' the law beyond its `` plausible meaning '' to save the statute .
During confirmation hearings , Barrett answered ACA-related questions from Democrats by saying `` presumption is always in favor of severability . ''
`` When it comes to whether thousands of lawful provisions of the ACA should fall because of one ( purportedly ) unconstitutional provision , the stakes could not be higher , '' wrote legal expert Pratik Shah , who filed an amicus brief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Plans , a trade association representing health insurance providers , in support of California and the Democratic-led House of Representatives .
`` At the same time , the answer could not be easier .
Scholars and court watchers from all perspectives agree : Whether or not the individual 'mandate ' is unconstitutional , the rest of the ACA should stand .
Even some of the federal government 's most respected career lawyers , including from the solicitor general 's office , appear to have been unwilling to associate themselves with the government 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Others argue that the mandate was illegal and that , as a result , the law should be illegal .
`` If the individual mandate is unconstitutional , then the law can be saved only by severing its unconstitutional provision , '' argues expert Andy Schlafly , who filed an amicus brief in support of the Texas-led coalition .
`` The Supreme Court should not create severability out of thin air in order to salvage a misguided law . ''
The high court heard Tuesday 's oral arguments by teleconference , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spring .

1/3
Demonstrators show their support for the Affordable Care Act in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Two Supreme Court justices signaled a willingness to preserve the Affordable Care Act on Tuesday during arguments in a landmark case challenging its constitutionality. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh each suggested they were inclined to favor "severing" the so-called individual mandate from the rest of the ACA, which has provided affordable medical coverage to tens of millions of Americans over the past decade. Advertisement
In the case, California vs. Texas, the high court is seeking to determine whether eliminating the mandate -- the part of the law that required all uninsured Americans to buy health insurance through ACA exchanges or pay an income tax penalty -- renders the entire healthcare law, known colloquially as Obamacare, unconstitutional.
Kavanaugh, considered a swing vote on the issue, suggested the ACA could still pass constitutional muster without the mandate.
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In an exchange with an attorney defending the law on behalf of the House of Representatives, Kavanaugh said, "I tend to agree with you this a very straightforward case for severability under our precedents, meaning that we would excise the mandate and leave the rest of the act in place."
Roberts later said he disagreed with a coalition of 18 Republican-led states headed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who argue the ACA was rendered unconstitutional by President Donald Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which removed the penalty and declared it illegal.
"It's hard for you to argue Congress intended the entire act to fall if the mandate was struck down if the same Congress that lowered the tax penalty to zero did not even try to repeal the rest of the act," he told an attorney representing Paxton.
Some experts and observers consider the matter the most important case the Supreme Court will decide this term, which began last month and ends at the end of June. Striking down the ACA would cost as many as 20 million Americans their medical coverage and bring a tax cut to the wealthy.
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Trump has been trying to repeal the ACA since he stepped into office -- while President-elect Joe Biden, who helped craft the 2010 law, said during his campaign that he would enhance and expand it.
Speaking Tuesday after arguments in the Supreme Court, Biden said that if the court strikes down the law during a pandemic, it would be "simply cruel and needlessly divisive."
"Let's be absolutely clear about what's at stake: The consequences of the Trump administration's argument are not academic or an abstraction. For many Americans, they are a matter of life and death, in a literal sense," he said. "This isn't hyperbole. It's real -- as real as it gets."
Biden said American families are "reeling" from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
"We have a moral obligation to ensure that healthcare is a right for all, not a privilege for a few.
"In the middle of a deadly pandemic that's affecting more than 10 million Americans, these ideologues are once again trying to strip health coverage away from the American people."
The part of the ACA that required uninsured people to buy coverage has helped the law stand up to legal scrutiny in the past. The Supreme Court upheld the law's constitutionality in a 2012 ruling, in which Roberts said the mandate was within Congress' taxing authority.
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However, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last year upheld a lower court ruling that said the individual mandate was unconstitutional as "it can no longer be read as a tax and there is no other constitutional provision that justifies this exercise of congressional power."
The Democratic-led House of Representatives and a group of 20 Democratic states have asked the Supreme Court to overturn the lower court decisions, arguing that the Trump administration's stripping of the individual mandate had another impact on the case -- it made the tax issue entirely moot.
"[The law] may encourage Americans to buy insurance, but it does not require anyone to do anything," they wrote in their brief. "Individuals still have a choice: Buy insurance or don't."
In addition to deciding if the individual mandate is unconstitutional, the court will also have to decide whether the provision invalidates the law as a whole. Republicans and the Texas-led coalition say it does.
They argue that Congress intended for the ACA to work as an integrated whole. The Democrat-led group, however, counters that Congress consciously decided to leave the rest of the landmark law intact three years ago when it agreed to remove the individual mandate.
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In previous Supreme Court rulings on the ACA, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito Jr. said the law could not be separated or salvaged from the unconstitutional portions. Roberts and Kavanaugh, Trump's second high court appointee, noted that the court must closely examine whether the remainder of the law can be severed from the unconstitutional part and remain in place.
"Constitutional litigation is not a game of gotcha against Congress, where litigants can ride a discrete constitutional flaw in a statute to take down the whole, otherwise constitutional statute," Kavanaugh wrote.
The Supreme Court, which had just eight members for weeks after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is back to full membership after the controversial addition of Amy Coney Barrett last month. She wrote in a law review article three years ago that she considered Roberts' decision eight years ago that affirmed the ACA "pushed" the law beyond its "plausible meaning" to save the statute.
During confirmation hearings, Barrett answered ACA-related questions from Democrats by saying "presumption is always in favor of severability."
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"When it comes to whether thousands of lawful provisions of the ACA should fall because of one (purportedly) unconstitutional provision, the stakes could not be higher," wrote legal expert Pratik Shah, who filed an amicus brief on behalf of America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade association representing health insurance providers, in support of California and the Democratic-led House of Representatives.
"At the same time, the answer could not be easier. Scholars and court watchers from all perspectives agree: Whether or not the individual 'mandate' is unconstitutional, the rest of the ACA should stand. Even some of the federal government's most respected career lawyers, including from the solicitor general's office, appear to have been unwilling to associate themselves with the government's ultimate failure to defend the ACA."
Others argue that the mandate was illegal and that, as a result, the law should be illegal.
"If the individual mandate is unconstitutional, then the law can be saved only by severing its unconstitutional provision," argues expert Andy Schlafly, who filed an amicus brief in support of the Texas-led coalition.
"The Supreme Court should not create severability out of thin air in order to salvage a misguided law."
The high court heard Tuesday's oral arguments by teleconference, and a final decision is expected by next spring.
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Judge Amy Coney Barrett sworn in to U.S. Supreme Court


upi--2020-11-10--In photos: Moments from the 2020 Masters Tournament

The 2020 Masters Tournament is scheduled to start Thursday without patrons in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic at the @ @ @ @ @ Augusta , Ga .
Here 's a look at the practice rounds from UPI photographer @ @ @

Dustin Johnson, wearing the Green Jacket after winning the 54th Masters, embraces fiancee Paulina Gretzky at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. on Sunday. Johnson shot a record 20-under par over four days, including a final-round 68. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI


upi--2020-11-10--USFK announces 21 COVID-19 cases among new arrivals to Korea

Nov. 10 ( UPI ) -- Twenty-one people associated with U.S .
Forces Korea have tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in South Korea between Oct. 23 and Nov. 8 , USFK announced Tuesday .
Those testing positive include 16 service members who arrived on four chartered flights from the United States in November , as well as four dependents and one contractor who arrived on commercial flights in October and November .
Of the 21 testing positive , USFK said , 19 tested positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test prior to entering quarantine and two tested positive on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals arriving in South Korea are required to be tested for COVID-19 , quarantined for 14 days and then test negative a second time before being released from quarantine .
`` If an individual tests positive on either test , they will enter into isolation , '' said a press release from USFK .
Last week , USFK announced 10 new cases among USFK-affiliated individuals who arrived in the country between Oct. 23 and Nov. 3 .
Last week , the U.S. Air Force also said that it will start doing random COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a U.S. government contractor that provides worldwide service -- mainly from the United States to Asia and Europe -- to armed forces members and their families .
That announcement followed USFK 's report that 18 people tested positive for the disease after flying to South Korea in late October .
To date , the Department of Defense has reported 91,892 COVID-19 cases among DoD personnel , including 62,247 among military service members , 14,817 among DoD civilians , 9,063 among dependents and 5,765 among contractors .
On Nov. 5 , the DoD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire department -- including 58,968 cases among military service members , 13,714 among civilian DoD employees , 8,597 among dependents and 5,456 among contractors .
The number of COVID-related deaths among DoD personnel reported last week -- 111 -- has not changed .

A U.S. A-10 Thunderbolt attacker taxis at U.S. Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul in 2018. Photo courtesy of EPA-EFE/YONHAP
Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Twenty-one people associated with U.S. Forces Korea have tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in South Korea between Oct. 23 and Nov. 8, USFK announced Tuesday. Those testing positive include 16 service members who arrived on four chartered flights from the United States in November, as well as four dependents and one contractor who arrived on commercial flights in October and November. Advertisement
Of the 21 testing positive, USFK said, 19 tested positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test prior to entering quarantine and two tested positive on their second mandatory test.
All USFK-affiliated individuals arriving in South Korea are required to be tested for COVID-19, quarantined for 14 days and then test negative a second time before being released from quarantine.
"If an individual tests positive on either test, they will enter into isolation," said a press release from USFK.
Last week, USFK announced 10 new cases among USFK-affiliated individuals who arrived in the country between Oct. 23 and Nov. 3.
Last week, the U.S. Air Force also said that it will start doing random COVID-19 tests on flights provided by Patriot Express, a U.S. government contractor that provides worldwide service -- mainly from the United States to Asia and Europe -- to armed forces members and their families.
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That announcement followed USFK's report that 18 people tested positive for the disease after flying to South Korea in late October.
To date, the Department of Defense has reported 91,892 COVID-19 cases among DoD personnel, including 62,247 among military service members, 14,817 among DoD civilians, 9,063 among dependents and 5,765 among contractors.
On Nov. 5, the DoD was reporting 86,735 total cases in the entire department -- including 58,968 cases among military service members, 13,714 among civilian DoD employees, 8,597 among dependents and 5,456 among contractors.
The number of COVID-related deaths among DoD personnel reported last week -- 111 -- has not changed.