upi--2020-07-02--Stadium sponsor FedEx requests Washington Redskins change team name

July 2 ( UPI ) -- FedEx , which holds the naming rights to the Washington Redskins ' stadium , has asked the NFL franchise to change its team name .
`` We have communicated to the team in Washington our request that they change the team name , '' FedEx said in a statement Thursday , according to ESPN and ABC 7 News in Washington , D.C. FedEx paid $ 205 million for naming rights to the team 's stadium in 1998 .
The sponsorship deal with the franchise runs through 2025 .
Frederick Smith -- the chairman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also holds a minority stake in the Redskins .
League sources told Adweek and the Washington Post that Redskins owner Dan Snyder has been under increased pressure to change the team 's name given the current social climate , with many protesters targeting the organization 's sponsors .
On Wednesday , the outlets reported that FedEx , Nike and PepsiCo each received letters signed by 87 investment firms and shareholders worth a collective $ 620 billion asking the three companies to disassociate from the Redskins unless they change their controversial nickname .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still uses a racist name as its mascot , '' the letter reads .
`` Redskins remains a de-humanizing word characterizing people by skin color and a racial slur with hateful connotations .
`` Virtually every major national American Indian organization has denounced use of Indian and Native related images , names and symbols disparaging or offending American Indian peoples , with over 2,000 academic institutions eliminating 'Indian ' sports references . ''
Native American leaders want Snyder to change the name , which the organization has used since 1933 .
In previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to win in court , but those efforts failed .
Eleanor Holmes Norton -- the District of Columbia 's nonvoting delegate to the House of Representatives -- said the name needs to be switched if the franchise wants to return to the district , according to the Washington Post .
That stance could serve as a possible roadblock if the franchise intends to move back to the D.C. area in the future .
The Redskins ' lease on the land at FedEx Field in Landover , Md.
, expires after the 2027 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sites in the district , Maryland and Virginia .

FedEx paid $205 million for naming rights to the Washington Redskins' stadium in 1998. The sponsorship deal with the franchise runs through 2025. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
July 2 (UPI) -- FedEx, which holds the naming rights to the Washington Redskins' stadium, has asked the NFL franchise to change its team name. "We have communicated to the team in Washington our request that they change the team name," FedEx said in a statement Thursday, according to ESPN and ABC 7 News in Washington, D.C. Advertisement
FedEx paid $205 million for naming rights to the team's stadium in 1998. The sponsorship deal with the franchise runs through 2025. Frederick Smith -- the chairman, CEO and president of FedEx Corp. -- also holds a minority stake in the Redskins.
League sources told Adweek and the Washington Post that Redskins owner Dan Snyder has been under increased pressure to change the team's name given the current social climate, with many protesters targeting the organization's sponsors.
On Wednesday, the outlets reported that FedEx, Nike and PepsiCo each received letters signed by 87 investment firms and shareholders worth a collective $620 billion asking the three companies to disassociate from the Redskins unless they change their controversial nickname.
"The NFL's Washington, D.C. team still uses a racist name as its mascot," the letter reads. "Redskins remains a de-humanizing word characterizing people by skin color and a racial slur with hateful connotations.
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"Virtually every major national American Indian organization has denounced use of Indian and Native related images, names and symbols disparaging or offending American Indian peoples, with over 2,000 academic institutions eliminating 'Indian' sports references."
Native American leaders want Snyder to change the name, which the organization has used since 1933. In previous years, groups protested the nickname and tried to win in court, but those efforts failed.
Eleanor Holmes Norton -- the District of Columbia's nonvoting delegate to the House of Representatives -- said the name needs to be switched if the franchise wants to return to the district, according to the Washington Post. That stance could serve as a possible roadblock if the franchise intends to move back to the D.C. area in the future.
The Redskins' lease on the land at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., expires after the 2027 season. Washington is actively looking at sites in the district, Maryland and Virginia.


upi--2020-07-02--Army identifies suspect in disappearance of Vanessa Guillen

July 2 ( UPI ) -- The Army on Thursday identified a suspect in the disappearance of missing Fort Hood , Texas , soldier Pfc .
Vanessa Guillen .
An Army investigator identified the man as Spc .
Aaron David Robinson .
The Army Criminal Investigation Command announced Wednesday that Robinson died by suicide in Killen , Texas , after he fled Fort Hood a day earlier .
The Texas Rangers also arrested a civilian suspect in connection with Guillen 's death , but the person 's name was n't released .
`` While law enforcement agencies attempted to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas , Specialist Robinson displayed a weapon and took his own life , '' CID Senior Special Agent Damon Phelps said .
Phelps said Robinson and Guillen were co-workers but lived in different buildings and he was not in her line of command .
He added that investigators were examining Robinson 's interactions with Guillen but said there was `` no credible information Guillen had been sexually harassed or assaulted . ''
Guillen 's family said at a news conference Wednesday that Robinson had sexually harassed her but she was afraid to issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to her friends .
She reported it to her family .
She even reported to other soldiers on base , but she did n't want to do a formal report because she was afraid of retaliation and being blackballed , and she , like most victims , just tried to deal with it herself , '' her sister , Lupe Guillen , said .
Guillen , 20 , was last seen in the parking lot of her Regimental Engineer Squadron Headquarters at Fort Hood on April 22 between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Tuesday , Army investigators said they found `` partial human remains '' close to Leon River near Fort Hood but the CID said there was no confirmation regarding the identity of the remains .

Army officials identified Spc. Aaron David Robinson as a suspect in the disappearance of Pfc. Vanessa Guillen, pictured here. File Photo courtesy U.S. Army
July 2 (UPI) -- The Army on Thursday identified a suspect in the disappearance of missing Fort Hood, Texas, soldier Pfc. Vanessa Guillen. An Army investigator identified the man as Spc. Aaron David Robinson. Advertisement
The Army Criminal Investigation Command announced Wednesday that Robinson died by suicide in Killen, Texas, after he fled Fort Hood a day earlier. The Texas Rangers also arrested a civilian suspect in connection with Guillen's death, but the person's name wasn't released.
"While law enforcement agencies attempted to make contact with the suspect in Killeen, Texas, Specialist Robinson displayed a weapon and took his own life," CID Senior Special Agent Damon Phelps said.
Phelps said Robinson and Guillen were co-workers but lived in different buildings and he was not in her line of command.
He added that investigators were examining Robinson's interactions with Guillen but said there was "no credible information Guillen had been sexually harassed or assaulted."
Guillen's family said at a news conference Wednesday that Robinson had sexually harassed her but she was afraid to issue a formal report.
"She reported it to her friends. She reported it to her family. She even reported to other soldiers on base, but she didn't want to do a formal report because she was afraid of retaliation and being blackballed, and she, like most victims, just tried to deal with it herself," her sister, Lupe Guillen, said.
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Guillen, 20, was last seen in the parking lot of her Regimental Engineer Squadron Headquarters at Fort Hood on April 22 between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., according to Army officials.
On Tuesday, Army investigators said they found "partial human remains" close to Leon River near Fort Hood but the CID said there was no confirmation regarding the identity of the remains.


upi--2020-07-02--Herman Cain hospitalized after COVID-19 diagnosis

July 2 ( UPI ) -- Former presidential candidate Herman Cain was hospitalized after being diagnosed with COVID-19 , a @ @ @ @ @ statement posted on Cain 's Twitter account said he tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday @ @ @ @ @ required him to be hospitalized Wednesday .
`` He spent the past night in the @ @ @ @ @ , Thursday , July 2 , he is resting comfortably in an Atlanta-area hospital , @ @ @ @ @ `` Mr. Cain did not require a respirator and he is awake and alert .
@ @ @ @ @ of Black Voices for Trump , attended President Donald Trump 's rally in Tulsa , @ @ @ @ @ .
The statement posted to his Twitter account stated there was `` no way of @ @ @ @ @ where Mr. Cain contracted the coronavirus . ''
Cain ran for president in the 2012 @ @ @ @ @ as a contributor for NewsmaxTV .
He also survived a battle with Stage 4 colon @ @ @ @

Former presidential candidate Herman Cain is receiving treatment at an Atlanta hospital on Thursday after being diagnosed with COVID-19 on Monday. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
July 2 (UPI) -- Former presidential candidate Herman Cain was hospitalized after being diagnosed with COVID-19, a representative said Thursday. A statement posted on Cain's Twitter account said he tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday and had developed symptoms that required him to be hospitalized Wednesday. Advertisement
"He spent the past night in the hospital and as of today, Thursday, July 2, he is resting comfortably in an Atlanta-area hospital," the statement read. "Mr. Cain did not require a respirator and he is awake and alert."
Cain, a co-chair of Black Voices for Trump, attended President Donald Trump's rally in Tulsa, Okla., as a surrogate.
The statement posted to his Twitter account stated there was "no way of knowing for sure how or where Mr. Cain contracted the coronavirus."
Cain ran for president in the 2012 Republican primary and currently works as a contributor for NewsmaxTV.
He also survived a battle with Stage 4 colon cancer in 2011.


upi--2020-07-02--COVID-19: Fauci warns of new wave as Texas orders face masks

July 2 ( UPI ) -- Governors in Texas and Kansas issued face mask orders Thursday as Dr. Anthony Fauci , the United States ' top-ranking infectious diseases expert , warned there 's a risk of an even larger spread of COVID-19 .
The U.S. death toll was at 128,400 on Thursday and the total number of cases surpassed 2.7 million on Thursday , according to Johns Hopkins University .
Several states have documented a surge in cases recently and the United States recorded 50,000 new cases in a single day on Wednesday , for the first time .
Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coronavirus Task Force , said a lack of uniformity among safety measures and compliance is the most likely cause .
`` What we 've seen over the last several days is a spike in cases that is way beyond the worst spikes that we have seen , '' Fauci told BBC Radio .
`` We 've got to get that under control , or we risk an even greater outbreak in the United States .
`` In the United States , even in the most strict lockdowns , only about 50 percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the perpetuation of the outbreak , which we never did get under very good control . ''
Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott issued the mask order Thursday afternoon after days of pressing by local and county leaders throughout the state .
The mandate applies only to counties where there are 20 or more confirmed cases of coronavirus .
His order also bans gatherings of more than 10 people .
`` We have the ability to keep businesses open and move our economy forward so that Texans can continue to earn a paycheck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do our part to protect one another -- and that means wearing a face covering in public spaces , '' Abbott said .
`` I urge all Texans to wear a face covering in public , not just for their own health , but for the health of their families , friends , and for all our fellow Texans . ''
The state hit a new single-day case record Wednesday with 8,123 and overall has 175,300 cases and 2,520 deaths .
Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina announced Thursday that the city will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't comply with its face mask requirement -- and Kansas Gov .
Laura Kelly signed an executive order mandating coverings in public and for situations in which 6 feet of social distancing can not be maintained .
`` The last few months have presented many new challenges for Kansans , and all of us want to return to our normal lives and routines , '' Kelly said in a statement .
`` Unfortunately , we have seen a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases , hospitalizations , and deaths across our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ act . ''
Kansas reported more than 500 new cases Wednesday , one day after reaching a new daily high .
The state hit a peak of 511 on May 8 before a downward trajectory that lasted through early June .
That trend changed as a second wave of the virus arrived in the weeks that followed .
There have been 280 deaths in the state , with four reported Wednesday , according to The New York Times ' tracker .
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett also ordered face coverings in public spaces , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elkhart , LaGrange and St. Joseph .
`` This is n't complicated .
It 's a piece of cloth .
It 's a piece of cloth that can save your life and the lives of those around you .
And it is the right thing to do , '' he said .
Indiana has confirmed 47,553 cases and 2,662 deaths , with 376 new cases and 10 deaths reported Wednesday .
The state reached a daily case peak in late April and had been on a downward trajectory until late June , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Mike Pence is scheduled to meet Thursday with Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis to discuss efforts to control the surge .
The state 's Department of Health on Thursday reported more than 10,100 new cases , shattering the previous single-day case record and pushing the state 's total confirmed cases to 169,100 .
Sixty-seven new deaths were also reported , pushing Florida 's total past 3,600 .
Pence , the head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force , will meet DeSantis at a medical and research facility at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commissioner Stephen Hahn said Thursday he expects a COVID-19 vaccine to be available in the United States by the end of this year or early next .
Hahn told Good Morning America the FDA has authorized clinical trials for four vaccine candidates .
`` We have a lot of different 'shots on goal ' with respect to vaccines , and that 's good news , '' he said .
`` We expect two of these vaccines to go into the late stages of clinical trials [ in July ] .
`` We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year 's end or early next year .
I 'm cautiously optimistic . ''

1/2
Miami residents sit in their cars waiting to obtain COVID-19 testing at the Hard Rock Stadium on Thursday. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI | License Photo
July 2 (UPI) -- The United States on Thursday set a new record for the largest single-day increase in coronavirus infections as Anthony Fauci, the United States' top-ranking infectious diseases expert, warned there's a risk of an even larger spread of COVID-19. Though their numbers vary, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Worldometer.info all recorded more than 55,000 new cases on Thursday, trumping their previous record tallies set the day prior. Advertisement
Health officials at Johns Hopkins University also said Thursday set a record high for the United States but at more than 51,000 cases.
Thursday not only broke the previous record set a day prior but was continuing a trend of skyrocketing infections that began about mid-June as states started opening up.
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President Donald Trump late Thursday attributed the rise in cases on Twitter to an increase in testing.
"There is a rise in coronavirus cases because our testing is so massive and so good, far bigger and better than any other country," he said. "This is great news, but even better news is that death, and the death rate is DOWN."
There is a rise in Coronavirus cases because our testing is so massive and so good, far bigger and better than any other country. This is great news, but even better news is that death, and the death rate, is DOWN. Also, younger people, who get better much easier and faster!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 3, 2020
A total of 687 deaths were reported over the previous 24 hours, which is continuing a gradual decline from a high of more than 2,700 deaths on April 21, according to Worldometers.info.
The virus has infected more than 2.8 million people in the United States, resulting in some 130,000 deaths since the first case was diagnosed in the country mid-January, making it by far the worst affected nation in the world.
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Several states have documented a surge in cases recently, and Fauci, a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said a lack of uniformity among safety measures and compliance is the most likely cause.
"What we've seen over the last several days is a spike in cases that is way beyond the worst spikes that we have seen," Fauci told BBC Radio. "We've got to get that under control, or we risk an even greater outbreak in the United States.
"In the United States, even in the most strict lockdowns, only about 50 percent of the country locked down -- that allowed for the perpetuation of the outbreak, which we never did get under very good control."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued the mask order Thursday afternoon after days of pressing by local and county leaders throughout the state. The mandate applies only to counties where there are 20 or more confirmed cases of coronavirus.
His order also bans gatherings of more than 10 people.
"We have the ability to keep businesses open and move our economy forward so that Texans can continue to earn a paycheck, but it requires each of us to do our part to protect one another -- and that means wearing a face covering in public spaces," Abbott said.
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"I urge all Texans to wear a face covering in public, not just for their own health, but for the health of their families, friends, and for all our fellow Texans."
The state hit a new single-day case record Wednesday with 8,123 and overall has 175,300 cases and 2,520 deaths.
Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina announced Thursday that the city will fine people and shut down businesses that don't comply with its face mask requirement -- and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed an executive order mandating coverings in public and for situations in which 6 feet of social distancing cannot be maintained.
"The last few months have presented many new challenges for Kansans, and all of us want to return to our normal lives and routines," Kelly said in a statement. "Unfortunately, we have seen a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths across our state and our country. We must act."
Kansas reported more than 500 new cases Wednesday, one day after reaching a new daily high. The state hit a peak of 511 on May 8 before a downward trajectory that lasted through early June. That trend changed as a second wave of the virus arrived in the weeks that followed.
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There have been 280 deaths in the state, with four reported Wednesday, according to The New York Times' tracker.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett also ordered face coverings in public spaces, joining three counties in the state -- Elkhart, LaGrange and St. Joseph.
"This isn't complicated. It's a piece of cloth. It's a piece of cloth that can save your life and the lives of those around you. And it is the right thing to do," he said.
Indiana has confirmed 47,553 cases and 2,662 deaths, with 376 new cases and 10 deaths reported Wednesday. The state reached a daily case peak in late April and had been on a downward trajectory until late June, when cases started inching up again.
Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to meet Thursday with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to discuss efforts to control the surge. The state's Department of Health on Thursday reported more than 10,100 new cases, shattering the previous single-day case record and pushing the state's total confirmed cases to 169,100.
Sixty-seven new deaths were also reported, pushing Florida's total past 3,600.
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Pence, the head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, will meet DeSantis at a medical and research facility at the University of South Florida.
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn said Thursday he expects a COVID-19 vaccine to be available in the United States by the end of this year or early next.
Hahn told Good Morning America the FDA has authorized clinical trials for four vaccine candidates.
"We have a lot of different 'shots on goal' with respect to vaccines, and that's good news," he said. "We expect two of these vaccines to go into the late stages of clinical trials [in July].
"We are on target to reach a vaccine by year's end or early next year. I'm cautiously optimistic."
COVID-19 pandemic alters life in New York City


upi--2020-07-02--250 soldiers arrive for nine-month rotation in Germany

July 2 ( UPI ) -- About 250 soldiers have arrived in Germany for a nine-month rotation to support Operation Atlantic Resolve , the Pentagon announced Thursday .
According to the Department of Defense , the troops will spend their first two weeks at Camp Kasserine in Grafenwoehr , isolated in small groups to prevent the spread of COVID-19 before moving to forward locations alongside allies and partners .
While the soldiers are isolating , the aviation brigade will conduct lower-level , individual training at the base .
''With COVID being both present in the United States and Germany , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our host nation partners , that we do not bring any infections into the area , '' said Army Lt. Col. Benjamin Ingram , the brigade surgeon for 41st Field Artillery Brigade , 7th Army Training Command .
''Right now [ Germany ] is decreasing in the number of COVID cases , so we are testing 100 percent of the 101st soldiers , or any other soldier coming into our area of operations for summer training , for COVID-19 followed by a two-week quarantined period to make sure we do not have any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will join the 101st Airborne Division 's 101st Combat Aviation Brigade , which consists of about 2,000 personnel and will train alongside forces from 17 European countries .
Atlantic Resolve is not officially a named operation , but a regular rotation started in 2014 as a show of force to directly respond to what the alliance sees as increased Russian aggression , primarily its intervention in Ukraine .
This year 's rotation arrives shortly after President Donald Trump and Pentagon officials have publicly touted plans to reduce the number of U.S. permanently stationed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work from these soldiers really helped set the conditions for what 's going to be an incredible deployment for the Wings of Destiny , '' said Army Col. Travis Habhab , the commander of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigate .
''We are on our way to build readiness overseas , become a more lethal unit , increase the capability of our partners and deter enemy threats .
Our soldiers have started off at a great pace .
I am confident that their hard work will continue throughout the next nine months , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 101st proud . ''
The brigade conducted a train-up that included gunnery qualification and multiple training exercise at the National Training Center and the Joint Readiness Training Center .
''Coronavirus threw things off a little bit , but we were able to adapt and overcome , '' said Army Maj. Jay Berger , the executive officer for 101st . ''
[ We ] were practicing social distancing ... and proper sanitation while we were conducting our train-up to come here .
We had to get a little more creative with some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we maintained our readiness and timeline to deploy . ''

Soldiers assigned to the 101st Airborne Division’s 101st Combat Aviation Brigade arrive in Germany for a nine-month rotation June 22. Photo by Alleea Oliver/U.S. Army
July 2 (UPI) -- About 250 soldiers have arrived in Germany for a nine-month rotation to support Operation Atlantic Resolve, the Pentagon announced Thursday. According to the Department of Defense, the troops will spend their first two weeks at Camp Kasserine in Grafenwoehr, isolated in small groups to prevent the spread of COVID-19 before moving to forward locations alongside allies and partners. Advertisement
While the soldiers are isolating, the aviation brigade will conduct lower-level, individual training at the base.
''With COVID being both present in the United States and Germany, we wanted to make sure, for our host nation partners, that we do not bring any infections into the area,'' said Army Lt. Col. Benjamin Ingram,the brigade surgeon for 41st Field Artillery Brigade, 7th Army Training Command.
''Right now [Germany] is decreasing in the number of COVID cases, so we are testing 100 percent of the 101st soldiers, or any other soldier coming into our area of operations for summer training, for COVID-19 followed by a two-week quarantined period to make sure we do not have any false negative tests.''
The soldiers will join the 101st Airborne Division's 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, which consists of about 2,000 personnel and will train alongside forces from 17 European countries.
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Atlantic Resolve is not officially a named operation, but a regular rotation started in 2014 as a show of force to directly respond to what the alliance sees as increased Russian aggression, primarily its intervention in Ukraine.
This year's rotation arrives shortly after President Donald Trump and Pentagon officials have publicly touted plans to reduce the number of U.S. permanently stationed in Germany by 9,500.
''The hard work from these soldiers really helped set the conditions for what's going to be an incredible deployment for the Wings of Destiny,'' said Army Col. Travis Habhab, the commander of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigate.
''We are on our way to build readiness overseas, become a more lethal unit, increase the capability of our partners and deter enemy threats. Our soldiers have started off at a great pace. I am confident that their hard work will continue throughout the next nine months, and they're going to make everyone in the 101st proud.''
The brigade conducted a train-up that included gunnery qualification and multiple training exercise at the National Training Center and the Joint Readiness Training Center.
''Coronavirus threw things off a little bit, but we were able to adapt and overcome,'' said Army Maj. Jay Berger, the executive officer for 101st.
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''[We] were practicing social distancing ... and proper sanitation while we were conducting our train-up to come here. We had to get a little more creative with some of our key training events, but overall we maintained our readiness and timeline to deploy.''


upi--2020-07-02--Buddhist adviser sues to stop Wesley Purkey's execution citing COVID-19 risk

July 2 ( UPI ) -- The spiritual adviser for a federal death row inmate sued the Trump administration Thursday , saying he has a religious obligation to attend the execution in two weeks but that the coronavirus poses a risk to him .
Wesley Purkey , 68 , is scheduled for execution July 15 , 22 years after he killed 16-year-old Jennifer Long in Kansas City , Kan. His is one of four federal executions Attorney William Barr ordered to be scheduled last month amid a court battle .
The Rev .
Seigen Hartkemeyer , Purkey 's Buddhist spiritual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic would make it difficult for him to attend the execution at the U.S. prison in Terre Haute , Ind .
The prison has been on lockdown to all visitors to prevent the spread of the virus , but after the scheduling of the executions June 15 , corrections officials allowed legal and spiritual visits to resume for the four men .
`` Though visitation was resumed , [ the Bureau of Prisons ] did not have any plan or policies in place to ensure such visits , let alone the executions themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compliance with [ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ] guidelines during the pandemic , '' said the suit , which was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the law firm of Ropes & Gray LLP on Hartkemeyer 's behalf .
Hartkemeyer , who said he 's been advising Purkey for 11 years , said he has a history of lung illnesses that make him `` highly vulnerable to the virus . ''
`` It 's my religious duty as a zen buddhist priest to attend the execution of a man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I may have to compromise my beliefs to protect my health , '' he said .
Hartkemeyer asked for Purkey 's execution to be delayed until a vaccination or treatment for COVID-19 can be developed .
Purkey 's legal team asked for a stay of execution in June saying their client 's advancing Alzheimer 's disease prevents him from understanding his punishment .
Executing him in his current condition , they said , violates the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution , which protects against cruel and unusual punishment .
Purkey 's lawyers said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Dr. Jonathan DeRight -- have both diagnosed Purkey with dementia and Alzheimer 's disease .
The stay request also cited the coronavirus pandemic and the danger it poses to those who will be brought to the U.S. Penitentiary , Terre Haute , Ind.
, for the execution , including lawyers and family members .
Purkey was part of a lawsuit on behalf of four death row inmates challenging Barr 's efforts to resume federal executions .
The suit also named Daniel Lewis Lee , Alfred Bourgeois and Dustin Lee Honken as plaintiffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year after Barr ordered the Bureau of Prisons to resume carrying out death sentences 16 years after the last federal execution .
The plaintiffs were among the first batch of executions scheduled to take place starting in December 2019 , but a federal judge imposed a temporary moratorium in response to their lawsuit .
The Supreme Court declined to hear their appeal Monday .
At issue in the lawsuit was the Justice Department 's plan to institute a uniform lethal injection protocol rather than follow the individual protocols used by each state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposed using a single drug , pentobarbital , rather than the common three-drug cocktail used in many state executions .
Under a 1994 statute , all federal executions must be carried out in a `` manner prescribed by the law of the state in which the sentence is imposed . ''
Government attorneys had argued the drugs used in the protocol are irrelevant , since the method of execution -- lethal injection -- is the same .
The District of Columbia U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals lifted the injunction in April , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the executions of Lee ( July 13 ) , Purkey ( July 15 ) , Honken ( July 17 ) and Keith Dwayne Nelson ( Aug. 28 ) .
Bourgeois ' has not been rescheduled .
Cate Stetson , an attorney for one of the death row inmates who challenged Barr 's plan , told UPI earlier this year the federal government `` rushed '' its execution protocol in order to carry out death sentences .
`` The district court 's injunction was aimed at preventing the government from 'short-circuiting legitimate judicial process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'attempting to ensure that the most serious punishment is imposed lawfully , ' '' she said .
In 2014 , former President Barack Obama ordered then-Attorney General Eric Holder to review the use of the death penalty in the United States , effectively implementing a moratorium on executions .
The last federal execution was that of Gulf War veteran Louis Jones Jr. in March 2003 for the rape and murder of a fellow soldier , Pvt .
Tracie McBride in 1995 .
Jones admitted kidnapping the young female recruit at Goodfellow Air Force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but his lawyer sought clemency by arguing Jones suffered behavior-altering brain damage from exposure to nerve gas during the Gulf War that gave him uncontrollable , violent urges .
Purkey was sentenced to death in 2004 for raping and killing Long .
He was also convicted of the 1998 murder of 80-year-old Mary Ruth Bales in Kansas City , Kan .

Wesley Purkey received the death penalty for the 1998 rape and murder of 16-year-old Jennifer Long. Photo courtesy of attorney for Wesley Purkey
July 2 (UPI) -- The spiritual adviser for a federal death row inmate sued the Trump administration Thursday, saying he has a religious obligation to attend the execution in two weeks but that the coronavirus poses a risk to him. Wesley Purkey, 68, is scheduled for execution July 15, 22 years after he killed 16-year-old Jennifer Long in Kansas City, Kan. Advertisement
His is one of four federal executions Attorney William Barr ordered to be scheduled last month amid a court battle.
The Rev. Seigen Hartkemeyer, Purkey's Buddhist spiritual adviser, though, said the COVID-19 pandemic would make it difficult for him to attend the execution at the U.S. prison in Terre Haute, Ind.
The prison has been on lockdown to all visitors to prevent the spread of the virus, but after the scheduling of the executions June 15, corrections officials allowed legal and spiritual visits to resume for the four men.
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"Though visitation was resumed, [the Bureau of Prisons] did not have any plan or policies in place to ensure such visits, let alone the executions themselves, could be done safely and in compliance with [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines during the pandemic," said the suit, which was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the law firm of Ropes & Gray LLP on Hartkemeyer's behalf.
Hartkemeyer, who said he's been advising Purkey for 11 years, said he has a history of lung illnesses that make him "highly vulnerable to the virus."
"It's my religious duty as a zen buddhist priest to attend the execution of a man I've been spiritually advising, but I may have to compromise my beliefs to protect my health," he said.
Hartkemeyer asked for Purkey's execution to be delayed until a vaccination or treatment for COVID-19 can be developed.
Purkey's legal team asked for a stay of execution in June saying their client's advancing Alzheimer's disease prevents him from understanding his punishment. Executing him in his current condition, they said, violates the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, which protects against cruel and unusual punishment.
Purkey's lawyers said two medical experts -- Dr. Bhushan Agharkar and Dr. Jonathan DeRight -- have both diagnosed Purkey with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
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The stay request also cited the coronavirus pandemic and the danger it poses to those who will be brought to the U.S. Penitentiary, Terre Haute, Ind., for the execution, including lawyers and family members.
Purkey was part of a lawsuit on behalf of four death row inmates challenging Barr's efforts to resume federal executions. The suit also named Daniel Lewis Lee, Alfred Bourgeois and Dustin Lee Honken as plaintiffs.
The four sued the Trump administration last year after Barr ordered the Bureau of Prisons to resume carrying out death sentences 16 years after the last federal execution. The plaintiffs were among the first batch of executions scheduled to take place starting in December 2019, but a federal judge imposed a temporary moratorium in response to their lawsuit.
The Supreme Court declined to hear their appeal Monday.
At issue in the lawsuit was the Justice Department's plan to institute a uniform lethal injection protocol rather than follow the individual protocols used by each state, which the law requires. Barr proposed using a single drug, pentobarbital, rather than the common three-drug cocktail used in many state executions.
Under a 1994 statute, all federal executions must be carried out in a "manner prescribed by the law of the state in which the sentence is imposed." Government attorneys had argued the drugs used in the protocol are irrelevant, since the method of execution -- lethal injection -- is the same.
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The District of Columbia U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted the injunction in April, giving Barr the green light to reschedule the executions of Lee (July 13), Purkey (July 15), Honken (July 17) and Keith Dwayne Nelson (Aug. 28). Bourgeois' has not been rescheduled.
Cate Stetson, an attorney for one of the death row inmates who challenged Barr's plan, told UPI earlier this year the federal government "rushed" its execution protocol in order to carry out death sentences.
"The district court's injunction was aimed at preventing the government from 'short-circuiting legitimate judicial process' and serving the public interest by 'attempting to ensure that the most serious punishment is imposed lawfully,'" she said.
In 2014, former President Barack Obama ordered then-Attorney General Eric Holder to review the use of the death penalty in the United States, effectively implementing a moratorium on executions.
The last federal execution was that of Gulf War veteran Louis Jones Jr. in March 2003 for the rape and murder of a fellow soldier, Pvt. Tracie McBride in 1995.
Jones admitted kidnapping the young female recruit at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas, but his lawyer sought clemency by arguing Jones suffered behavior-altering brain damage from exposure to nerve gas during the Gulf War that gave him uncontrollable, violent urges.
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Purkey was sentenced to death in 2004 for raping and killing Long. He was also convicted of the 1998 murder of 80-year-old Mary Ruth Bales in Kansas City, Kan.


upi--2020-07-02--Couple's argument leads to $177,777 lottery jackpot

July 2 ( UPI ) -- A Virginia woman said an argument with her boyfriend turned out to be a @ @ @ @ @ to winning a $ 177,777 lottery jackpot .
Chyanne Creel , of Roanoke , told @ @ @ @ @ and her boyfriend , Joshua , were having an argument recently and they decided to @ @ @ @ @ cool their tempers .
Creel said they made a stop at the Nishi Food Mart @ @ @ @ @ in the vehicle , and she asked Joshua to go inside to buy her a @ @ @ @ @ tickets .
The player said she started scratching the tickets off when they were back @ @ @ @ @ of the tickets , a Lucky 7s Tripler game , turned out to be a @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We turned right around , '' Joshua recalled of deciding to abandon their @ @ @ @ @ argument -- to cash in their prize .

Chyanne Creel, of Virginia, said an argument with her boyfriend led to a drive that ended with winning a $177,777 lottery jackpot. Photo courtesy of the Virginia Lottery
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe July 2 (UPI) -- A Virginia woman said an argument with her boyfriend turned out to be a lucrative disagreement when it led to winning a $177,777 lottery jackpot. Chyanne Creel, of Roanoke, told Virginia Lottery officials that she and her boyfriend, Joshua, were having an argument recently and they decided to go for a drive to cool their tempers. Advertisement
Creel said they made a stop at the Nishi Food Mart in Vinton to put gas in the vehicle, and she asked Joshua to go inside to buy her a drink and some scratch-off lottery tickets.
The player said she started scratching the tickets off when they were back on the road and one of the tickets, a Lucky 7s Tripler game, turned out to be a $177,777 top prize winner.
"We turned right around," Joshua recalled of deciding to abandon their aimless drive -- and their argument -- to cash in their prize.


upi--2020-07-02--Watch: Giant wave sweeps newlyweds into the ocean during photo shoot

July 2 ( UPI ) -- A wedding photo shoot on a California beach ended in near disaster when the @ @ @ @ @ large rock by a giant wave .
A witness captured video of the scene near @ @ @ @ @ Beach when the couple , dressed in their wedding garb , were hit by a @ @ @ @ @ the water .
The video shows a team of lifeguards hurrying to rescue the drenched @ @ @ @ @ .
The National Weather Service issued a warning this week of unusually high waves in @ @ @ @ @ currents during the weekend .

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July 2 (UPI) -- A wedding photo shoot on a California beach ended in near disaster when the newlyweds were swept from a large rock by a giant wave.
A witness captured video of the scene near the Montage Hotel in Laguna Beach when the couple, dressed in their wedding garb, were hit by a giant wave and swept into the water.
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The video shows a team of lifeguards hurrying to rescue the drenched, but uninjured, couple.
The National Weather Service issued a warning this week of unusually high waves in the area and potential rip currents during the weekend.


Notable deaths of 2020

Ian Holm attends the premiere of `` The Duchess '' in London on September 3 , 2008 .
The actor @ @ @ @ @ portrayal as Bilbo Baggins in `` The Lord of the Rings , '' died on @ @ @ @ @ at from the age of 88 .
Photo by Rune Hellestad/UPI

Dawn Wells
Dawn Wells poses with the original, fully restored S.S. Minnow from "Gilligan's Island" to meet and greet fans and visitors at the Vancouver International Boat Show in Vancouver on January 23, 2014. Best known for her role as Mary Ann from "Gilligan's Island," Wells died of COVID-19 on December 30 at the age of 82. Photo by Heinz Ruckemann/UPI


upi--2020-07-02--Supreme Court tosses Indiana rulings blocking abortion laws

July 2 ( UPI ) -- The Supreme Court Thursday tossed out lower court rulings blocking two stringent Indiana abortion laws days after its decision striking down Louisiana 's abortion law .
Citing their decision in the Louisiana case , the justices Thursday tossed out the Indiana rulings blocking the abortion laws from going into effect and sent the cases back to the lower courts for another look .
One law , signed by then-Gov .
Mike Pence , requires a women to undergo an ultrasound and an 18-hour waiting period before getting an abortion .
The other requires parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court-authorized abortions .
The justices Thursday also turned away cases in Chicago and Pennsylvania involving whether governments can use `` buffer zones '' to shield areas in front of abortion clinics from protests , leaving laws that create such zones intact .
On Monday , the Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional a Louisiana law that required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital .
Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts was the swing vote , joining the four liberal justices in ruling that the court must adhere to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law in Texas .
The Center for Reproductive Rights , which argued on behalf of June Medical Services , which operates Hope Clinic , an abortion provider in Shreveport , La.
, praised the decision in a statement , but also warned that the battle for abortion rights is not over because it was narrowly decided .
The White House criticized the justices ruling in the Louisiana case as `` unfortunate '' in a statement Monday .
President Donald Trump has appointed two conservative justices , Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sided with the majority in striking down the Louisiana law .

The Supreme Court turned away cases Thursday on abortion restrictions after a major decision striking down a stringent Louisiana abortion law Monday. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI. | License Photo
July 2 (UPI) -- The Supreme Court Thursday tossed out lower court rulings blocking two stringent Indiana abortion laws days after its decision striking down Louisiana's abortion law. Citing their decision in the Louisiana case, the justices Thursday tossed out the Indiana rulings blocking the abortion laws from going into effect and sent the cases back to the lower courts for another look. One law, signed by then-Gov. Mike Pence, requires a women to undergo an ultrasound and an 18-hour waiting period before getting an abortion. The other requires parents of minors to be given notice of court-authorized abortions. Advertisement
The justices Thursday also turned away cases in Chicago and Pennsylvania involving whether governments can use "buffer zones" to shield areas in front of abortion clinics from protests, leaving laws that create such zones intact.
On Monday, the Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional a Louisiana law that required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital.
Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts was the swing vote, joining the four liberal justices in ruling that the court must adhere to a 2016 precedent striking down a similar law in Texas.
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The Center for Reproductive Rights, which argued on behalf of June Medical Services, which operates Hope Clinic, an abortion provider in Shreveport, La., praised the decision in a statement, but also warned that the battle for abortion rights is not over because it was narrowly decided.
The White House criticized the justices ruling in the Louisiana case as "unfortunate" in a statement Monday. President Donald Trump has appointed two conservative justices, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, to the bench. Neither one of them sided with the majority in striking down the Louisiana law.


upi--2020-07-02--In Photos: Audra McDonald turns 40: a look back

McDonald poses with her award for Best Featured Actress/Musical for her role in `` Ragtime '' at the Tony Awards @ @ @ @ @ June 7 , 1998 .
She became the first woman in the 52 year history @ @ @ @ @ win consecutive Tony Awards for her performances in 3 different productions , `` The Master @ @ @ @ @ , '' and `` Ragtime . ''
Playwright Terrence McNally , who wrote `` Ragtime @ @ @ @ @ in 2020 .
Photo by Ezio Petersen/UPI

McDonald poses with her award for Best Featured Actress/Musical for her role in "Ragtime" at the Tony Awards in New York City on June 7, 1998. She became the first woman in the 52 year history of the awards ceremonies to win consecutive Tony Awards for her performances in 3 different productions, "The Master Class," "Carousel," and "Ragtime." Playwright Terrence McNally, who wrote "Ragtime," died from coronavirus in 2020. Photo by Ezio Petersen/UPI


upi--2020-07-02--Emmy-winning broadcaster Hugh Downs dies at 99

July 2 ( UPI ) -- Veteran broadcast journalist Hugh Downs , who became a household name through his time on NBC 's Today and ABC 's 20/20 , has died , his family announced Thursday .
He was 99 .
Downs died Wednesday at his Scottsdale , Ariz. , home from a heart condition , his great-niece , Molly Shaheen , said in a statement to The Washington Post .
Family also confirmed the news to The New York Times and The Hollywood Reporter .
Downs once held the record as the person with the most hours on network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ host Regis Philbin surpassed him in 2004 .
Born in 1921 in Akron , Ohio , Downs got his broadcast start in the late 1930s at WLOK-Radio in his home state .
He took a break from his journalism career to serve in World War II as part of the U.S. Army , before returning to an NBC affiliate in Chicago .
His first television job was with WBKB , a CBS affiliate in Chicago , where he served as an announcer for several shows , including Caesar 's Hour and The Home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for being Jack Paar 's announcer on The Tonight Show from 1957-62 .
Downs began his professional collaboration with Barbara Walters in the early 1960s , co-hosting NBC 's Today Show and Not for Women Only .
In 1978 , they moved to ABC to host 20/20 , where he stayed until his retirement in 1999 .
Downs won two Daytime Emmy Awards , one for hosting the talk show Over Easy in 1981 .
Downs ' wife of more than 70 years died in 2017 .
He is survived by his children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great-grandchildren .

1/2
Former co-anchor of ABC's "20/20," Hugh Downs, listens during a live radio broadcast at Powell Symphony Hall on May 3, 2000. The broadcaster died Wednesday. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
July 2 (UPI) -- Veteran broadcast journalist Hugh Downs, who became a household name through his time on NBC's Today and ABC's 20/20, has died, his family announced Thursday. He was 99. Downs died Wednesday at his Scottsdale, Ariz., home from a heart condition, his great-niece, Molly Shaheen, said in a statement to The Washington Post. Advertisement
Family also confirmed the news to The New York Times and The Hollywood Reporter.
Downs once held the record as the person with the most hours on network television -- more than 10,000 -- until host Regis Philbin surpassed him in 2004.
Born in 1921 in Akron, Ohio, Downs got his broadcast start in the late 1930s at WLOK-Radio in his home state. He took a break from his journalism career to serve in World War II as part of the U.S. Army, before returning to an NBC affiliate in Chicago.
His first television job was with WBKB, a CBS affiliate in Chicago, where he served as an announcer for several shows, including Caesar's Hour and The Home Show. He's perhaps best known for being Jack Paar's announcer on The Tonight Show from 1957-62.
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Downs began his professional collaboration with Barbara Walters in the early 1960s, co-hosting NBC's Today Show and Not for Women Only. In 1978, they moved to ABC to host 20/20, where he stayed until his retirement in 1999.
Downs won two Daytime Emmy Awards, one for hosting the talk show Over Easy in 1981.
Downs' wife of more than 70 years died in 2017. He is survived by his children, Deirdre and H.R., grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Notable deaths of 2020


upi--2020-07-02--Health officials: Quick work for COVID-19 vaccine a 'risk we have to take'

1/5
Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, holds a model of COVID-19 during testimony Thursday at a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing on plans to research, manufacture and distribute a coronavirus vaccine. Photo by Saul Loeb/UPI/Pool | License Photo
WASHINGTON, July 2 (UPI) -- Top U.S. health officials told lawmakers Thursday they're pursuing multiple technologies to develop a COVID-19 vaccine that could cut months off the normal time it takes to get it to market. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield and National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins testified before a subcommittee of the Senate appropriations committee. At the hearing, they said it's worth it to assume greater risk with a vaccine to make it available sooner, due to the scope of the pandemic. Advertisement
Collins said speed will not compromise safety, and that researchers are taking advantage of other areas to streamline to process. That means "throwing out" potential treatments during an advanced manufacturing stage if scientists learn they aren't effective -- an interruption that's not normally done during such a process.
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Collins said he and the Operation Warp Speed team are "very optimistic" a COVID-19 vaccine will be ready by the end of this year and 300 million doses will be available by early 2021.
The officials told the panel a vaccine is not typically manufactured en mass until after approval from the Food and Drug Administration, a protocol that takes months. By manufacturing promising vaccines "at risk" now, those proven more effective can be ready to distribute almost immediately.
Gary Disbrow, acting director of the Health and Human Service Department's Biomedical Advance Research and Development Authority, said researchers are presently looking at several possible options, but said there will be false starts.
"We're investing in a diverse array of technologies, different technologies because we're uncertain which vaccine technology may produce a safe and effective vaccine," he said. "We're ... manufacturing at risk. This is a [financial] risk we have to take."
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., chairman of the health subcommittee, endorsed the approach.
"Frankly, if we don't lose some money, we didn't try hard enough," he said. "If you choose six vaccines and they all make it, I think the question will be, why didn't you choose eight vaccines?"
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Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., asked whether sports -- including pro and college football -- will return in the fall. Collins answered that he expects there will be a fall season, and the NIH plans to have enhanced COVID-19 testing that can give results within an hour. He stated a goal of providing an additional 1 million tests per day by September.
"The best is to have your gadget right there, at the front desk when somebody shows up for practice. And find, 'is this person somebody who's safe to send to the field," Collins said.
Redfield called COVID-19 the most significant public health challenge the United States has faced in more than a century. Wearing face coverings, social distancing and hygiene, he added, are the most effective weapons that are available now, short of a vaccine.
The CDC chief added that his agency already has the infrastructure needed to quickly distribute a vaccine, once one becomes ready.
"Each year, the CDC safely distributes vaccines from manufacturers to nearly 40,000 public and private health providers across the nation," he said "And in a typical year, we provide vaccines for more than 80 million individuals.
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"During an emergency, this system has the ability to scale and capacity to manage and distribute up to 900 million vaccine doses."
COVID-19 pandemic alters life in New York City


upi--2020-07-02--Sierra Nevada Corp. nabs $700M to supply RFCMs for Special Ops

July 2 ( UPI ) -- Sierra Nevada Corp. won a $ 700 million contract this week to supply Radio @ @ @ @ @ Special Operations Command , according to the Pentagon .
According to the contract , the @ @ @ @ @ help protect aircrews from air- and land-based enemy radar and missile systems , '' will @ @ @ @ @ and MC-130J Commando II aircraft operated by the Air Force Special Operations Command .
The @ @ @ @ @ services , logistics support and spare parts for the systems .
According to SNC , @ @ @ @ @ Grumman 's RFCM system on aircraft to provide threat detection , precision , geolocation and @ @ @ @ @ aircraft survivability , and draw on its expertise in electromagnetic and aerodynamic modeling to maximize @ @ @ @ @ `` We are excited to expand our solutions for SOF warfighters , '' said Bob @ @ @ @ @ for Sierra Nevada Corp 's ISR , Aviation and Security business area .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ protection RFCM provides . ''

Per a $700 million contract it received this week, Sierra Nevada Corp. will incorporate Northrop Grumman’s RFCM system on aircraft, including the AC-130J Ghostrider, seen here at Florida's Hurlburt Field in 2019. Photo by Joel Miller/U.S. Air Force
July 2 (UPI) -- Sierra Nevada Corp. won a $700 million contract this week to supply Radio Frequency Countermeasure systems for U.S. Special Operations Command, according to the Pentagon. According to the contract, the systems, designed to "help protect aircrews from air- and land-based enemy radar and missile systems," will be integrated onto AC-130J Ghostrider and MC-130J Commando II aircraft operated by the Air Force Special Operations Command. Advertisement
The contract also finances system engineering services, logistics support and spare parts for the systems.
According to SNC, the contractor will incorporate Northrop Grumman's RFCM system on aircraft to provide threat detection, precision, geolocation and active countermeasure capabilities to improve aircraft survivability, and draw on its expertise in electromagnetic and aerodynamic modeling to maximize the system's performance.
"We are excited to expand our solutions for SOF warfighters," said Bob Horky, senior vice president for Sierra Nevada Corp's ISR, Aviation and Security business area. "The aircraft they operate need the protection RFCM provides."


upi--2020-07-02--Boys magnet fishing in Finland lake find rusty hand grenade

July 2 ( UPI ) -- Two boys magnet fishing in a southern Finland lake reeled in something entirely unexpected : a rusty old hand grenade .
Lari Tammivuori and Viljami Juutilainen of Lahti said they were using their magnet fishing kit to search for metal objects in Lake Vesijarvi on Thursday when they pulled up an unusual object .
`` Usually we get bottle caps and nails .
Then it came .
I did n't realise right away that it was a hand grenade , '' Juutilainen told YLE .
The boys carried the object back to shore with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down and backed away when they started to suspect it was an explosive device .
The boys brought Juutilainen 's mother , Maarit , to come look at the mysterious item .
`` It was old-fashioned looking and pretty rusty .
I said it could be a grenade .
His aunt is a police officer so I sent her a few pictures [ of the grenade ] .
We were given clear instructions to step away from it and wait for police to arrive , '' Maarit Juutilainen said .
Police cordoned off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was summoned to take the object away .
Officials confirmed it was an explosive device , but did not disclose how old the object was or whether it still was live .
A Michigan man magnet fishing in the Grand River in November 2019 made a similarly startling discovery when he pulled up a German grenade from the World War I era .
The Grand Rapids Police Department said the object , a German Granatenwerfer mortar , was unlikely to still be dangerous , but officers destroyed it in a controlled explosion as @ @ @

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July 2 (UPI) -- Two boys magnet fishing in a southern Finland lake reeled in something entirely unexpected: a rusty old hand grenade.
Lari Tammivuori and Viljami Juutilainen of Lahti said they were using their magnet fishing kit to search for metal objects in Lake Vesijarvi on Thursday when they pulled up an unusual object.
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"Usually we get bottle caps and nails. Then it came. I didn't realise right away that it was a hand grenade," Juutilainen told YLE.
The boys carried the object back to shore with their hands, but quickly set it down and backed away when they started to suspect it was an explosive device.
The boys brought Juutilainen's mother, Maarit, to come look at the mysterious item.
"It was old-fashioned looking and pretty rusty. I said it could be a grenade. His aunt is a police officer so I sent her a few pictures [of the grenade]. We were given clear instructions to step away from it and wait for police to arrive," Maarit Juutilainen said.
Police cordoned off the area and a Defense Forces team was summoned to take the object away. Officials confirmed it was an explosive device, but did not disclose how old the object was or whether it still was live.
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A Michigan man magnet fishing in the Grand River in November 2019 made a similarly startling discovery when he pulled up a German grenade from the World War I era.
The Grand Rapids Police Department said the object, a German Granatenwerfer mortar, was unlikely to still be dangerous, but officers destroyed it in a controlled explosion as a precaution.


upi--2020-07-02--'Serous differences' stall post-Brexit trade talks between Britain, EU

July 2 ( UPI ) -- Post-Brexit trade talks between Britain and the European Union broke down on Thursday after what one negotiator said was a lack of engagement and respect .
Both sides began the first round of trade and security negotiations this week , their first since the start of the coronavirus pandemic -- but each left the talks Thursday acknowledging `` significant differences . ''
Britain and the EU must come to agreements for how they will interact now that London is no longer part of the group .
Britain officially exited the EU at the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new deal , Britain is operating by the same trade rules it followed as an EU member state .
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said the alliance has been flexible with British demands , but accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson of not reciprocating the same .
`` Our goal was to get negotiations successfully and quickly on a trajectory to reach an agreement , '' he said .
`` However , after four days of discussions , serious divergences remain . ''
British EU adviser David Frost called the talks `` comprehensive and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` still remain between us on a number of important issues . ''
`` [ We are ] committed to working hard to find an early understanding on the principles underlying an agreement , '' Frost said .
Barnier stressed that Britain must show some give in their positions , as he believes the bloc has done .
`` The EU expects , in turn , its positions to be better understood and respected in order to reach an agreement , '' Barnier said .
`` We need an equivalent engagement . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming days .
If the two sides can not reach a deal , Britain will most likely trade with the European Union under less-favorable guidelines outlined by the World Trade Organization when the transition period expires on Dec. 31 .

An EU flag is seen outside British Parliament in London. Trade talks between EU and British negotiators are scheduled to resume in London in the coming days. File Photo by Neil Hall/EPA-EFE
July 2 (UPI) -- Post-Brexit trade talks between Britain and the European Union broke down on Thursday after what one negotiator said was a lack of engagement and respect. Both sides began the first round of trade and security negotiations this week, their first since the start of the coronavirus pandemic -- but each left the talks Thursday acknowledging "significant differences." Advertisement
Britain and the EU must come to agreements for how they will interact now that London is no longer part of the group. Britain officially exited the EU at the end of January. Until there's a new deal, Britain is operating by the same trade rules it followed as an EU member state.
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said the alliance has been flexible with British demands, but accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson of not reciprocating the same.
"Our goal was to get negotiations successfully and quickly on a trajectory to reach an agreement," he said. "However, after four days of discussions, serious divergences remain."
British EU adviser David Frost called the talks "comprehensive and useful," but agreed that differences "still remain between us on a number of important issues."
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"[We are] committed to working hard to find an early understanding on the principles underlying an agreement," Frost said.
Barnier stressed that Britain must show some give in their positions, as he believes the bloc has done.
"The EU expects, in turn, its positions to be better understood and respected in order to reach an agreement," Barnier said. "We need an equivalent engagement."
Talks are scheduled to resume in London in the coming days.
If the two sides cannot reach a deal, Britain will most likely trade with the European Union under less-favorable guidelines outlined by the World Trade Organization when the transition period expires on Dec. 31.


upi--2020-07-02--NBA says nine players tested positive for coronavirus last week

July 2 ( UPI ) -- The NBA on Thursday said an additional nine players tested positive for the coronavirus last week and 25 of 351 players have tested positive since June 23 .
The additional nine positive results for players were found between June 24 and Monday .
Ten of 884 team staff members also tested positive between June 23 and Monday .
`` Any player , coach or team staff member who tested positive will remain in self-isolation until they satisfy public health protocols for discontinuing isolation and have been cleared by a physician , '' the NBA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NBA has been suspended since mid-March .
Twenty-two teams plan to fly to Orlando , Fla. , next week to prepare for a resumed 2019-2020 season at Disney 's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex .
Games are scheduled to begin July 30 .
Players and staff will stay at three Walt Disney World resorts as part of the restart plan .
Teams will practice on seven different courts and play games at three arenas on the Orlando campus .
The New Orleans Pelicans announced Tuesday that three players have tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jordan and Spencer Dinwiddie announced Monday that they tested positive .
More than two dozen NBA players are known to have tested positive for the coronavirus since the NBA season was suspended .

The NBA announced nine additional players have tested positive for the coronavirus a week before the league plans to restart its 2019-2020 season in Orlando, Fla. Photo courtesy of the NBA/Twitter
July 2 (UPI) -- The NBA on Thursday said an additional nine players tested positive for the coronavirus last week and 25 of 351 players have tested positive since June 23. The additional nine positive results for players were found between June 24 and Monday. Ten of 884 team staff members also tested positive between June 23 and Monday. Advertisement
"Any player, coach or team staff member who tested positive will remain in self-isolation until they satisfy public health protocols for discontinuing isolation and have been cleared by a physician," the NBA said in a news release.
The NBA has been suspended since mid-March. Twenty-two teams plan to fly to Orlando, Fla., next week to prepare for a resumed 2019-2020 season at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Games are scheduled to begin July 30.
Players and staff will stay at three Walt Disney World resorts as part of the restart plan. Teams will practice on seven different courts and play games at three arenas on the Orlando campus.
The New Orleans Pelicans announced Tuesday that three players have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Brooklyn Nets players DeAndre Jordan and Spencer Dinwiddie announced Monday that they tested positive.
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More than two dozen NBA players are known to have tested positive for the coronavirus since the NBA season was suspended.


upi--2020-07-02--Scientists develop better way to measure, translate dog years

July 2 ( UPI ) -- Estimating a dog 's age is n't a matter of simple arithmetic .
Translating a dog 's age to human years using the popular method of multiplying by seven might be amusing , but it 's of little use to a vet .
Scientists now have developed a better way to measure the aging process in dogs and more precisely convert dog age to human years .
`` We had been working on ways of monitoring human age and aging at the molecular level , '' Trey Ideker , professor at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Moores Cancer Center , told UPI in an email .
`` Marks on DNA , called methylation marks , turned out to be a really accurate way to 'diagnose ' aging . ''
Inspired by his graduate student Tiny Wang and her love of dogs , Ideker and his research partners used the same methodologyy to measure aging in dogs .
The team looked at how methylation marks , chemical tags on the genomes of dogs and humans , shift locations as the two species age .
`` We developed a technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in dogs , '' Ideker wrote .
`` The collection of methylation marks on your DNA is called 'the methylome , ' or in other literature , 'the epigenome . '
`` Kind of like the 'genome ' but for chemical marks on top of DNA , not the DNA itself .
The technology existed already for humans , but not for dogs . ''
Scientists used the technology to study the epigenomes of more than 100 different Labrador retrievers .
Their analysis showed dogs and humans do n't age at the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In other words , the relationship between dog and human years is n't linear , complicating the 1:7 years rule-of-thumb .
The new research , published Thursday in the journal Cell Systems , showed a dogs develop more quickly when they 're young and more slowly when they 're old .
`` One dog year does not equal seven human years , '' Ideker wrote .
`` Aging in puppies is far more rapid than that . ''
A 1-year-old dog is the equivalent of a 30-year-old human , researchers determined .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ human .
After age 7 , dog aging slows down .
The new graph comparing dog and human aging could help veterinarians make more informed diagnostic and treatment decisions .
`` Currently the only way to know a dog 's age is to examine their teeth and its not very accurate , '' Ideker wrote .
In addition to offering veterinarians a more accurate way to gauge dog age , the research identified commonalities among aging-linked genes in the genomes of humans , dogs and mice .
`` [ The study ] pinpoints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead scientists closer to the root causes of aging , '' Ideker wrote .

Researchers used the analysis of the epigenome of dozens of Labrador retrievers to build a graph comparing the aging process in dogs and humans. Photo by Cell Press
July 2 (UPI) -- Estimating a dog's age isn't a matter of simple arithmetic. Translating a dog's age to human years using the popular method of multiplying by seven might be amusing, but it's of little use to a vet. Scientists now have developed a better way to measure the aging process in dogs and more precisely convert dog age to human years. Advertisement
"We had been working on ways of monitoring human age and aging at the molecular level," Trey Ideker, professor at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center, told UPI in an email.
"Marks on DNA, called methylation marks, turned out to be a really accurate way to 'diagnose' aging."
Inspired by his graduate student Tiny Wang and her love of dogs, Ideker and his research partners used the same methodologyy to measure aging in dogs. The team looked at how methylation marks, chemical tags on the genomes of dogs and humans, shift locations as the two species age.
"We developed a technology to read out those methyation marks ... in dogs," Ideker wrote. "The collection of methylation marks on your DNA is called 'the methylome,' or in other literature, 'the epigenome.'
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"Kind of like the 'genome' but for chemical marks on top of DNA, not the DNA itself. The technology existed already for humans, but not for dogs."
Scientists used the technology to study the epigenomes of more than 100 different Labrador retrievers. Their analysis showed dogs and humans don't age at the same rates over the course of their lifetimes.
In other words, the relationship between dog and human years isn't linear, complicating the 1:7 years rule-of-thumb.
The new research, published Thursday in the journal Cell Systems, showed a dogs develop more quickly when they're young and more slowly when they're old.
"One dog year does not equal seven human years," Ideker wrote. "Aging in puppies is far more rapid than that."
A 1-year-old dog is the equivalent of a 30-year-old human, researchers determined. A 4-year-old dog is like a 52-year-old human. After age 7, dog aging slows down.
The new graph comparing dog and human aging could help veterinarians make more informed diagnostic and treatment decisions.
"Currently the only way to know a dog's age is to examine their teeth and its not very accurate," Ideker wrote.
In addition to offering veterinarians a more accurate way to gauge dog age, the research identified commonalities among aging-linked genes in the genomes of humans, dogs and mice.
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"[The study] pinpoints a few hundred developmental genes that may lead scientists closer to the root causes of aging," Ideker wrote.


upi--2020-07-03--U.S. seeks seizure of 4 Iranian tankers shipping gas to Venezuela

July 3 ( UPI ) -- As the United States continues to increase pressure on two adversarial nations , a U.S. judge issued a warrant for the seizure of more than 1 million barrels of gasoline being shipped by four Iranian tankers to Venezuela .
U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg signed the warrant Thursday after authorities filed a complaint the night before in the District of Columbia alleging nearly 1.2 million barrels of Persian gasoline on the Bella , the Bering , the Pandi and the Luna are subject to forfeiture as the sale of their cargo is intended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps .
The complaint alleges the tankers ' cargo is `` a source of influence '' for the IRGC , which President Donald Trump designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in April of 2019 .
`` The profits from these activities support the IRGC 's full range of nefarious activities , including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery , support for terrorism and a variety of human rights abuses at home and abroad , '' the complaint said .
The ships were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the use of a series of confidential informants who revealed that the oil 's sale to Venezuela was arranged through a complicated scheme involving multiple parties orchestrated by Iranian businessman Mahmoud Madanipour who is affiliated with the IRGC .
The gasoline , the authorities said , was placed on the vessels through ship-to-ship transfers in order to evade detection and sanctions .
According to the complaint , an unnamed co-conspirator texted Madanipour that there have been issues with the Bella and the Bering due to the U.S. sanctions .
`` The ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the American threat , but we want him to go , and we even agreed we will also buy the ship , '' the co-conspirator told Madanipour , according to the complaint .
Alireza Miryousefi , the Iranian Mission to the United States , lambasted the warrant as `` an act of piracy , pure & simple . ''
`` This is a direct threat to international peace and security and in contravention of international law , including the U.N. Charter , '' he said via Twitter .
The United States has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country since Trump pulled out of an Obama-era multinational nuclear accord aimed at preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon in May 2018 calling it `` defective at its core . ''
Since then , he has repeatedly imposed sanctions against Iran in an attempt to force to back to the negotiating table on a new deal .
However , Iran retaliated by reneging on some of its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action further deteriorating relations between Tehran and the West .
Late last month , Iranian prosecutors issued arrest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials connected to the January killing of Qassem Soleimani , the former leader of the IRGC .
Trump ordered his assassination in retaliation to protests at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad .
The United States has been targeting Iran 's oil industry and last week sanctioned the Iranian captains of five tankers for shipping 1.5 million barrels of Iranian gasoline to Venezuela in support of the South American nation 's embattled president , Nicolas Maduro .
The first of those five ships , the Fortune , arrived in Venezuela late May to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the supremacist empire seeks to impose its rule by force , only the brotherhood of free peoples will save us , '' Maduro said via Twitter , posting pictures of the Persian tanker .
Maduro -- who has been under increasing U.S pressure to step down since his 2018 re-election was deemed illegitimate early last year -- has clung to power due to assistance from China , Cuba , Russia and Iran , U.S. authorities have said .
The attempts to seize the ships also occur as the United States is urging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arms embargo on Iran , warning if it is allowed to expire Tehran could become a '' rouge weapons dealer , '' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier this week .

Iranian tanker Fortune was one of five Iranian vessels whose captains were sanctioned by the United States for shipping gasoline to Venezuela. Photo courtesy Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro/ Twitter
July 3 (UPI) -- As the United States continues to increase pressure on two adversarial nations, a U.S. judge issued a warrant for the seizure of more than 1 million barrels of gasoline being shipped by four Iranian tankers to Venezuela. U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg signed the warrant Thursday after authorities filed a complaint the night before in the District of Columbia alleging nearly 1.2 million barrels of Persian gasoline on the Bella, the Bering, the Pandi and the Luna are subject to forfeiture as the sale of their cargo is intended to benefit sanctioned Iranian entities, specifically the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Advertisement
The complaint alleges the tankers' cargo is "a source of influence" for the IRGC, which President Donald Trump designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in April of 2019.
"The profits from these activities support the IRGC's full range of nefarious activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, support for terrorism and a variety of human rights abuses at home and abroad," the complaint said.
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The ships were discovered during an investigation by U.S. authorities through the use of a series of confidential informants who revealed that the oil's sale to Venezuela was arranged through a complicated scheme involving multiple parties orchestrated by Iranian businessman Mahmoud Madanipour who is affiliated with the IRGC.
The gasoline, the authorities said, was placed on the vessels through ship-to-ship transfers in order to evade detection and sanctions.
According to the complaint, an unnamed co-conspirator texted Madanipour that there have been issues with the Bella and the Bering due to the U.S. sanctions.
"The ship owner doesn't want to go because of the American threat, but we want him to go, and we even agreed we will also buy the ship," the co-conspirator told Madanipour, according to the complaint.
Alireza Miryousefi, the Iranian Mission to the United States, lambasted the warrant as "an act of piracy, pure & simple."
"This is a direct threat to international peace and security and in contravention of international law, including the U.N. Charter," he said via Twitter.
The United States has been applying pressure on the Middle Eastern country since Trump pulled out of an Obama-era multinational nuclear accord aimed at preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon in May 2018 calling it "defective at its core."
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Since then, he has repeatedly imposed sanctions against Iran in an attempt to force to back to the negotiating table on a new deal. However, Iran retaliated by reneging on some of its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action further deteriorating relations between Tehran and the West.
Late last month, Iranian prosecutors issued arrest warrants for Trump and 35 other American officials connected to the January killing of Qassem Soleimani, the former leader of the IRGC.
Trump ordered his assassination in retaliation to protests at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.
The United States has been targeting Iran's oil industry and last week sanctioned the Iranian captains of five tankers for shipping 1.5 million barrels of Iranian gasoline to Venezuela in support of the South American nation's embattled president, Nicolas Maduro.
The first of those five ships, the Fortune, arrived in Venezuela late May to the celebration of Maduro.
"In times where the supremacist empire seeks to impose its rule by force, only the brotherhood of free peoples will save us," Maduro said via Twitter, posting pictures of the Persian tanker.
Advertisement El final del Ramadán nos trae la llegada del buque FORTUNE, muestra de la solidaridad del pueblo islámico de Irán con Venezuela. En tiempos donde el imperio supremacista pretende imponer por la fuerza su dominio, solo la hermandad de los pueblos libres nos salvará. #GraciasIrán pic.twitter.com/VhOxF6wZpE— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) May 24, 2020
Maduro -- who has been under increasing U.S pressure to step down since his 2018 re-election was deemed illegitimate early last year -- has clung to power due to assistance from China, Cuba, Russia and Iran, U.S. authorities have said.
The attempts to seize the ships also occur as the United States is urging the U.N. Security Council to extend an arms embargo on Iran, warning if it is allowed to expire Tehran could become a"rouge weapons dealer," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier this week.


upi--2020-07-03--Trump administration calls for masks to be worn during air travel

July 3 ( UPI ) -- The Trump administration has issued guidance to airports and airlines to mandate the use of face coverings at all times as well as employ social distancing measures and minimize in-person interactions to prevent further spread of the coronavirus .
The Departments of Transportation , Health and Human Services and Homeland Security issued the guidelines Thursday recommending airlines and airports to adopt public health measures as airlines increase flights in the United States amid the reopening of the U.S. economy .
`` This document provides clear guidance to airlines and airports to protect the traveling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay attention to it , '' said Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in a statement .
The document consists of 11 guidelines , including the use of masks or cloth face coverings for all above the age of two .
`` Airlines and airports are strongly encouraged to require that everyone correctly wear a mask or cloth face covering in shared spaces , '' the document said , explaining exceptions should be put in place for those who suffer from a medical condition that causes them trouble breathing .
It continues that the airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passengers and employees , stating a mask is `` particularly necessary any time social distancing connect be maintained . ''
Concerning social distancing , the document recommends airports use `` appropriate measures '' such as floor markings and blocking terminal or gate area seating in all shared spaces to assist people to practice this health measure and to inform passengers when it may not be possible to meet these guidelines while emphasizing other preventative measures , such as strict hand hygiene .
The guidelines were published as airlines lift capacity limits on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flight capacity on Wednesday but said they will notify passengers when the flight is full and allow them to change flights at no additional cost .
United Airlines said it would n't put a cap on its flights but would tell passengers when the flights were full .
In late April , Delta Air Lines , JetBlue Airways and American Airlines announced they would require all passengers to wear face coverings on aircraft .

The Trump administration informed airports and airlines on Thursday to require passengers to wear face masks and practice social distancing while commuting by plane. Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
July 3 (UPI) -- The Trump administration has issued guidance to airports and airlines to mandate the use of face coverings at all times as well as employ social distancing measures and minimize in-person interactions to prevent further spread of the coronavirus. The Departments of Transportation, Health and Human Services and Homeland Security issued the guidelines Thursday recommending airlines and airports to adopt public health measures as airlines increase flights in the United States amid the reopening of the U.S. economy. Advertisement
"This document provides clear guidance to airlines and airports to protect the traveling public, and we encourage people to pay attention to it," said Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in a statement.
The document consists of 11 guidelines, including the use of masks or cloth face coverings for all above the age of two.
"Airlines and airports are strongly encouraged to require that everyone correctly wear a mask or cloth face covering in shared spaces," the document said, explaining exceptions should be put in place for those who suffer from a medical condition that causes them trouble breathing.
It continues that the airport and airlines should make masks available to passengers and employees, stating a mask is "particularly necessary any time social distancing connect be maintained."
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Concerning social distancing, the document recommends airports use "appropriate measures" such as floor markings and blocking terminal or gate area seating in all shared spaces to assist people to practice this health measure and to inform passengers when it may not be possible to meet these guidelines while emphasizing other preventative measures, such as strict hand hygiene.
The guidelines were published as airlines lift capacity limits on their flights.
American Airlines lifted restrictions on flight capacity on Wednesday but said they will notify passengers when the flight is full and allow them to change flights at no additional cost.
United Airlines said it wouldn't put a cap on its flights but would tell passengers when the flights were full.
In late April, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways and American Airlines announced they would require all passengers to wear face coverings on aircraft.


upi--2020-07-03--Mireille Enos, Dermot Mulroney vie for 'Hanna' in Season 2

LOS ANGELES , July 3 ( UPI ) -- Hanna ( Esme Creed-Miles ) is a 15-year-old girl with enhanced DNA , trained to fight and hunt like an assassin .
It might seem to give her an advantage over other teenagers , but it comes with the burden of being hunted by the CIA .
Season 2 of the thriller series , Hanna , originally a 2011 film of the same name , premieres Friday on Amazon .
Mireille Enos ' character , Marissa Wiegler , once an enemy of Hanna , becomes a surrogate mother to her in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hanna and her father figure Erik Heller ( Joel Kinnaman ) , lived off the grid , in hiding from Wiegler , who tried to retrieve Hanna for the CIA .
Season 2 picks up after Heller has died and Wiegler let Hanna go .
John Carmichael ( Dermot Mulroney ) has taken over Utrax , the program breeding other potential supersoldiers like Hanna .
She turns to her former enemy for help .
`` [ Wiegler ] just decides that enough is enough , '' Enos told UPI over Zoom .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ she 's going to save one . ''
Enos said she thinks both of these women are deeply distrustful of anyone .
`` They 're not good at having allies , '' she said .
Enos said Wiegler is used to running her own show and circumventing any CIA oversight to get her way .
Caring for Hanna brings out a new side in Wiegler .
`` She is a fiercely protective mother , '' Enos said .
`` Once she has decided to be her mother , she 's very loyal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wiegler 's protectiveness over Hanna surprises even her , Enos said .
She let Hanna go in the Season 1 finale .
At that time , Wiegler thought she was freeing herself of the pursuit too .
`` I do n't know that she thought she would ever see Hanna again , '' Enos said .
`` Hanna 's really good at hiding and that might 've just been that , the question mark hanging over her life . ''
Mulroney was clear about his character when he joined the cast .
John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` We know what Utrax is , '' Mulroney said in a separate Zoom .
`` Anybody who 's running it is n't good . ''
Carmichael rules over a facility full of teenage assassins in training .
Hanna is his greatest threat , because she could expose Utrax , or destroy it .
`` He needs to get Hanna back into the program or the whole thing blows up , '' Mulroney said .
`` It 's been decades in the making . ''
Enos welcomed the threat Mulroney brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Although Wiegler was CIA , she was more of a rogue antagonist .
This CIA official creates challenges even for her , let alone for Hanna .
`` He embodies ... the 'end justifies the means ' kind of guy , '' Enos said .
`` It is a wonderful flavor . ''
Mulroney said he learned more about Carmichael from each script he received .
However , he noticed a pattern in Carmichael 's ability to navigate children , adults and anyone standing in his way .
`` What Carmichael is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason , '' Mulroney said .
`` He can lie his way through anything imperceptibly . ''
Carmichael 's pursuit puts both Wiegler and Hanna through intense situations .
Enos said she learns fight sequences with doubles trained in jiu jitsu .
When Wiegler emerges from action bruised and battered , it is only makeup .
Enos , however , appreciates portraying Wiegler taking a beating .
`` It just gives you so much more room to play as an actor , '' Enos said .
`` You do n't have to think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know what you look like is a mess . ''
Carmichael will emerge from behind the desk by the end of Season 2 , also , Mulroney promises .
He said Farr 's story requires Carmichael to physically defend Utrax .
`` All the roads lead to a final confrontation , '' Mulroney said .

1/3
Marissa Wiegler (Mirelle Enos) finds herself in a protector role in "Hanna" Season 2. Photo courtesy of Amazon Prime Video
LOS ANGELES, July 3 (UPI) -- Hanna (Esme Creed-Miles) is a 15-year-old girl with enhanced DNA, trained to fight and hunt like an assassin. It might seem to give her an advantage over other teenagers, but it comes with the burden of being hunted by the CIA. Season 2 of the thriller series, Hanna, originally a 2011 film of the same name, premieres Friday on Amazon. Advertisement
Mireille Enos' character, Marissa Wiegler, once an enemy of Hanna, becomes a surrogate mother to her in the second season.
In Season 1, Hanna and her father figure Erik Heller (Joel Kinnaman), lived off the grid, in hiding from Wiegler, who tried to retrieve Hanna for the CIA. Season 2 picks up after Heller has died and Wiegler let Hanna go.
John Carmichael (Dermot Mulroney) has taken over Utrax, the program breeding other potential supersoldiers like Hanna. She turns to her former enemy for help.
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"[Wiegler] just decides that enough is enough," Enos told UPI over Zoom. "Instead of eliminating another person, she's going to save one."
Enos said she thinks both of these women are deeply distrustful of anyone.
"They're not good at having allies," she said.
Enos said Wiegler is used to running her own show and circumventing any CIA oversight to get her way. Caring for Hanna brings out a new side in Wiegler.
"She is a fiercely protective mother," Enos said. "Once she has decided to be her mother, she's very loyal and will go to great lengths."
Wiegler's protectiveness over Hanna surprises even her, Enos said. She let Hanna go in the Season 1 finale. At that time, Wiegler thought she was freeing herself of the pursuit too.
"I don't know that she thought she would ever see Hanna again," Enos said. "Hanna's really good at hiding and that might've just been that, the question mark hanging over her life."
Mulroney was clear about his character when he joined the cast. John Carmichael is the bad guy, he said.
"We know what Utrax is," Mulroney said in a separate Zoom. "Anybody who's running it isn't good."
Carmichael rules over a facility full of teenage assassins in training. Hanna is his greatest threat, because she could expose Utrax, or destroy it.
Advertisement
"He needs to get Hanna back into the program or the whole thing blows up," Mulroney said. "It's been decades in the making."
Enos welcomed the threat Mulroney brought to Hanna with his character of Carmichael. Although Wiegler was CIA, she was more of a rogue antagonist. This CIA official creates challenges even for her, let alone for Hanna.
"He embodies ... the 'end justifies the means' kind of guy," Enos said. "It is a wonderful flavor."
Mulroney said he learned more about Carmichael from each script he received. However, he noticed a pattern in Carmichael's ability to navigate children, adults and anyone standing in his way.
"What Carmichael is saying, he's saying for a reason," Mulroney said. "He can lie his way through anything imperceptibly."
Carmichael's pursuit puts both Wiegler and Hanna through intense situations. Enos said she learns fight sequences with doubles trained in jiu jitsu.
When Wiegler emerges from action bruised and battered, it is only makeup. Enos, however, appreciates portraying Wiegler taking a beating.
"It just gives you so much more room to play as an actor," Enos said. "You don't have to think about what you look like because you know what you look like is a mess."
Advertisement
Carmichael will emerge from behind the desk by the end of Season 2, also, Mulroney promises. He said Farr's story requires Carmichael to physically defend Utrax.
"All the roads lead to a final confrontation," Mulroney said.