upi--2020-06-26--SpaceX scrubs Starlink launch with two BlackSky satellites

ORLANDO , Fla. , June 26 ( UPI ) -- SpaceX scrubbed Friday 's plan to launch additional Starlink satellites in a mission that had another paying customer on board -- what SpaceX calls its ride-share program .
The change in plans was not weather-related .
`` Standing down from today 's Starlink mission ; team needed additional time for pre-launch checkouts , but Falcon 9 and the satellites are healthy .
Will announce new target launch date once confirmed on the Range , '' SpaceX said in a tweet .
A Falcon 9 rocket was set to lift off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center in Florida , carrying 57 Starlink communications satellites for Elon Musk 's SpaceX , along with two small Earth observation satellites for Seattle-based BlackSky Global .
SpaceX also postponed the launch Thursday , but did n't give a reason .
Launching Starlink regularly means SpaceX can take other paying customers , such as BlackSky , along for the ride -- and for revenue .
SpaceX launched three small imaging satellites for San Francisco-based Planet , formerly Planet Labs , earlier this month .
Industry observers have said SpaceX 's plan for more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unleash new growth in the small-satellite industry , leading to easier and cheaper rollouts for new communication networks .
There will be a lot of opportunities for government agencies , universities and provate enterprise to piggyback their satellites aboard a SpaceX rocket .
SpaceX has 30 rocket launches in 2020 and 2021 that can accommodate small satellites .
Its customers can buy space on the missions for as low as $ 1 million -- which would allow a launch up to 440 pounds -- a previously unprecedented price to put a satellite into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company 's Falcon 9 rocket costs at least $ 50 million .
The small-satellite market is poised to generate $ 1 billion a year over the next decade , according to Northern Sky Research , which is based in Cambridge , Mass.
, and specializes in the satellite and space markets .
The SpaceX schedule for small satellites is in addition to its regular missions to the International Space Station or for large customers like the U.S. military .
SpaceX has noted that dedicated ride-share missions will not be delayed by trouble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you are ready to fly during the scheduled launch period , you will fly , '' the company said .
Customers who run into delays that prevent them from launching can book another launch with a 10 percent rebooking fee , SpaceX said .
BlackSky offers images and monitoring from space for industries that include defense , energy , construction and research .
BlackSky obtained a $ 50 million investment in 2019 from Luxembourg-based Intelsat , a communications satellite service , to build a new constellation of Earth-imaging satellites .
A successful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to six satellites , with a short-term goal of 16 satellites in orbit .
They weigh about 120 pounds each and are designed to last only a few years before they need replacement .
SpaceX also hopes to generate significant revenue from its fledgling Internet service .
SpaceX began sign-ups June 12 for users who want to try the Starlink Internet in what the tech community calls a beta test -- a validation of new technology in a small sample of the targeted eventual user .
Starlink will be available to any individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the cost of the service has n't been announced .
`` Private beta testing is expected to begin later this summer , followed by public beta testing , starting with higher latitudes , '' SpaceX said in an email sent to those who signed up .

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is prepared Friday for launch from Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. On board Falcon are two earth observing satellites for BlackSky Global in addition to the next batch of SpaceX's Starlink satellites. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
ORLANDO, Fla., June 26 (UPI) -- SpaceX scrubbed Friday's plan to launch additional Starlink satellites in a mission that had another paying customer on board -- what SpaceX calls its ride-share program. The change in plans was not weather-related. Advertisement
"Standing down from today's Starlink mission; team needed additional time for pre-launch checkouts, but Falcon 9 and the satellites are healthy. Will announce new target launch date once confirmed on the Range," SpaceX said in a tweet.
A Falcon 9 rocket was set to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying 57 Starlink communications satellites for Elon Musk's SpaceX, along with two small Earth observation satellites for Seattle-based BlackSky Global.
SpaceX also postponed the launch Thursday, but didn't give a reason.
Eventually, SpaceX aims to launch thousands of Starlink satellites.
Advertisement
Launching Starlink regularly means SpaceX can take other paying customers, such as BlackSky, along for the ride -- and for revenue. SpaceX launched three small imaging satellites for San Francisco-based Planet, formerly Planet Labs, earlier this month.
Industry observers have said SpaceX's plan for more frequent, regularly scheduled ride-sharing launches will unleash new growth in the small-satellite industry, leading to easier and cheaper rollouts for new communication networks.
There will be a lot of opportunities for government agencies, universities and provate enterprise to piggyback their satellites aboard a SpaceX rocket.
SpaceX has 30 rocket launches in 2020 and 2021 that can accommodate small satellites. Its customers can buy space on the missions for as low as $1 million -- which would allow a launch up to 440 pounds -- a previously unprecedented price to put a satellite into orbit.
Reserving an entire launch on the company's Falcon 9 rocket costs at least $50 million.
The small-satellite market is poised to generate $1 billion a year over the next decade, according to Northern Sky Research, which is based in Cambridge, Mass., and specializes in the satellite and space markets.
The SpaceX schedule for small satellites is in addition to its regular missions to the International Space Station or for large customers like the U.S. military.
Advertisement
SpaceX has noted that dedicated ride-share missions will not be delayed by trouble with another passenger's schedule.
"If you are ready to fly during the scheduled launch period, you will fly," the company said.
Customers who run into delays that prevent them from launching can book another launch with a 10 percent rebooking fee, SpaceX said.
BlackSky offers images and monitoring from space for industries that include defense, energy, construction and research. BlackSky obtained a $50 million investment in 2019 from Luxembourg-based Intelsat, a communications satellite service, to build a new constellation of Earth-imaging satellites.
A successful launch would boost BlackSky's space network to six satellites, with a short-term goal of 16 satellites in orbit. They weigh about 120 pounds each and are designed to last only a few years before they need replacement.
SpaceX also hopes to generate significant revenue from its fledgling Internet service.
SpaceX began sign-ups June 12 for users who want to try the Starlink Internet in what the tech community calls a beta test -- a validation of new technology in a small sample of the targeted eventual user.
Starlink will be available to any individual or organization, the company said, but the cost of the service hasn't been announced.
Advertisement
"Private beta testing is expected to begin later this summer, followed by public beta testing, starting with higher latitudes," SpaceX said in an email sent to those who signed up.
Astronauts make round trip to space station from U.S. soil


upi--2020-06-26--Amazon Prime's 'The Boys' announces Sept. 4 release date for Season 2

June 26 ( UPI ) -- The Boys , Amazon Prime 's adult-oriented comic book super hero series , will return for a second season Sept. 4 , the show 's producers announced on social media .
The show 's official Twitter account announced Friday that new episodes of The Boys , based on the graphic novel series of the same name by Garth Ennis and artist Darick Robertson , will return with new episodes beginning Sept. 4 .
Robertson , who serves as an executive producer of the series alongside Ennis , tweeted that episodes of Season 2 will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was released in full on Amazon Prime on July 26 , 2019 .
The show , which is also executive produced by Seth Rogen and Eric Kripke , follows the foibles of a team of corporate-employed super heroes and a group of civilians who aim to hold the team accountable for their misdeeds .
The cast includes Karl Urban , Jack Quaid , Antony Starr , Erin Moriarty , Jessie T. Usher , Laz Alonso , Chace Crawford , Tomer Capon , Karen Fukuhara .
It was previously announced that You 're the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case in Season 2 .

The producers of "The Boys," Amazon Prime's super hero drama starring Karl Urban, announced the series will return for a second season Sept. 4. File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI | License Photo
June 26 (UPI) -- The Boys, Amazon Prime's adult-oriented comic book super hero series, will return for a second season Sept. 4, the show's producers announced on social media. The show's official Twitter account announced Friday that new episodes of The Boys, based on the graphic novel series of the same name by Garth Ennis and artist Darick Robertson, will return with new episodes beginning Sept. 4. Advertisement
Robertson, who serves as an executive producer of the series alongside Ennis, tweeted that episodes of Season 2 will be released weekly. The first season was released in full on Amazon Prime on July 26, 2019.
The show, which is also executive produced by Seth Rogen and Eric Kripke, follows the foibles of a team of corporate-employed super heroes and a group of civilians who aim to hold the team accountable for their misdeeds.
The cast includes Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capon, Karen Fukuhara. It was previously announced that You're the Worst actress Aya Cash would join the case in Season 2.


upi--2020-06-27--Bagged salad linked to 200 cases of parasitic infection

June 27 ( UPI ) -- The Food and Drug Administration said a bagged salad mix sold at multiple grocery stores -- including Walmart and Aldi -- may be responsible for sickening more than 200 people .
The agency said the product has been linked to 206 cases of cyclospora , a tiny parasite that can infect the intestinal tract .
Of those sickened , 23 have been hospitalized .
Illnesses have been reported in Illinois , Iowa , Kansas , Minnesota , Missouri , Nebraska , North Dakota and Wisconsin .
The reported illnesses began between May 11 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contains iceberg lettuce , red cabbage and carrots and is sold at Aldi 's as Little Salad Bar Brand Garden Salads ; at Hy-Vee 's as Garden Salad ; at Jewel-Osco as Signature Farms Garden Salad ; and at Walmart as Marketside Classic Iceberg Salad .
All stores have recalled the products in question , which were manufactured by Fresh Express .
The FDA said consumers should n't eat the salad if they have any at home .
The products were sold in Iowa , Illinois , Missouri , Kansas , Nebraska , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indiana , Arkansas , Michigan and North Dakota .
The FDA said additional retailers may have sold products affected by the outbreak .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it could take a while for additional cases of cyclosporiasis to be reported because the onset of symptoms after infection usually takes between 4 weeks and 6 weeks .
Symptoms of the disease include watery diarrhea , loss of appetite , weight loss , cramping , bloating , increased gas , nausea and fatigue .
Health people usually recover from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choose to treat with antibiotics .

Grocery stores that sell the affected salad mix have recalled the products. Photo courtesy of the FDA
June 27 (UPI) -- The Food and Drug Administration said a bagged salad mix sold at multiple grocery stores -- including Walmart and Aldi -- may be responsible for sickening more than 200 people. The agency said the product has been linked to 206 cases of cyclospora, a tiny parasite that can infect the intestinal tract. Advertisement
Of those sickened, 23 have been hospitalized. Illnesses have been reported in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wisconsin.
The reported illnesses began between May 11 and June 17.
The bagged salad mix contains iceberg lettuce, red cabbage and carrots and is sold at Aldi's as Little Salad Bar Brand Garden Salads; at Hy-Vee's as Garden Salad; at Jewel-Osco as Signature Farms Garden Salad; and at Walmart as Marketside Classic Iceberg Salad. All stores have recalled the products in question, which were manufactured by Fresh Express.
The FDA said consumers shouldn't eat the salad if they have any at home.
The products were sold in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Arkansas, Michigan and North Dakota.
The FDA said additional retailers may have sold products affected by the outbreak.
Advertisement
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it could take a while for additional cases of cyclosporiasis to be reported because the onset of symptoms after infection usually takes between 4 weeks and 6 weeks.
Symptoms of the disease include watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue. Health people usually recover from the infection without treatment, but doctors may choose to treat with antibiotics.


upi--2020-06-27--Sticky bomb kills two human rights workers in Kabul, Afghanistan

June 27 ( UPI ) -- A homemade sticky bomb attached to a vehicle killed two human rights workers Saturday @ @ @ @ @ the organization they worked for said .
The two victims were staff members of the @ @ @ @ @ .
Ferdaws Faramurz , a spokesman for the Kabul police , told Khaama Press the @ @ @ @ @ district of the capital , near the Pul-e Charkhi area .
He said the magnetic @ @ @ @ @ civilian vehicle .
`` The AIHRC mourns the loss of two of its staff members @ @ @ @ @ bomb explosion this morning in Butkhak locality in Police District 12 of Kabul , '' @ @ @ @ @ group has claimed responsibility for the attack .

June 27 (UPI) -- A homemade sticky bomb attached to a vehicle killed two human rights workers Saturday in Kabul, Afghanistan, the organization they worked for said.
The two victims were staff members of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.
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Ferdaws Faramurz, a spokesman for the Kabul police, told Khaama Press the explosion happened in the 12th district of the capital, near the Pul-e Charkhi area. He said the magnetic bomb was planted on a civilian vehicle.
"The AIHRC mourns the loss of two of its staff members who were killed in a bomb explosion this morning in Butkhak locality in Police District 12 of Kabul," the organization said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.


upi--2020-06-27--Only healthy alternative to smoking is quitting, study says

Smoking is terrible for your heart and lungs , and simply switching to e-cigarettes wo n't do much good , a major new analysis finds .
That 's especially true now amid the COVID-19 pandemic , experts added .
The only truly healthy way out for nicotine addicts is quitting , said a team led by Thomas Münzel , a cardiologist at University Medical Center in Mainz , Germany .
His team found that both smoked and vaped nicotine was tied to worsening health of the heart and lungs .
`` There is no doubt that smoking cessation is and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent smoking-induced cardiovascular and respiratory disease , '' the researchers concluded .
`` This may be even more important in light of the COVID-19 pandemic , as the use of tobacco products likely increases the risk for COVID-19-associated cardiovascular and other severe complications in smokers and vapers , '' the study authors added .
In the new study , Münzel 's group reviewed data from a range of studies .
They found that compared to not smoking , tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes boosted the odds of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
COPD , a deadly , incurable combination of bronchitis and emphysema , is closely tied to smoking and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States .
Compared to not smoking , tobacco cigarettes increased the risk of lung cancer by more than 13-fold , the study found .
Because lung cancer takes years to develop , the level of evidence for the impact of e-cigarettes on lung cancer risk is not yet sufficient to draw a reliable conclusion , the investigators said .
There is good evidence for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however .
Compared to not smoking , tobacco cigarettes increase `` arterial stiffness '' -- an important predictor for the risk of heart problems -- by 10 % , while e-cigarettes upped the risk by 7 % , the research showed .
The researchers also examined the link between smoking and COVID-19 , and concluded that as `` outlined by the WHO [ World Health Organization ] , tobacco cigarette and waterpipe smoking may contribute to increased burden of symptoms due to COVID-19 compared to non-smoking , including being admitted to intensive care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health consequences . ''
The bottom line , according to Münzel : `` Although e-cigarettes appear to be less harmful than tobacco cigarettes , there is growing evidence that they also may cause side effects in the lungs , heart and blood vessels and that e-cigarette use may increase the risk of COVID-19 infection . ''
He spoke in a news release from the European Heart Journal , which published the new findings June 26 .
Two U.S. experts agreed that vaping is not a `` safe '' alternative to traditional smoking .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- COPD , coronary and vascular disease -- and the vaping craze brought serious cases of lung damage in young people , '' noted Dr. Len Horovitz , a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City .
He was referring to the more than 2,500 people across all 50 states who were hospitalized in 2019 with life-threatening respiratory dysfunction tied to recent e-cigarette use .
Fifty-four of those patients died .
Patricia Folan directs the Center for Tobacco Control at Northwell Health in Great Neck , N.Y. Reading over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tobacco use in all forms places individuals at higher risk for developing several diseases and disabilities , often causing more severe consequences when exposed to infections such as influenza . ''
And Folan added , `` With respect to COVID-19 , Chinese researchers found that individuals who were smokers and developed pneumonia were several times more likely to have increased severity of disease from the virus with poorer outcomes .
As more research and data emerge about COVID-19 and smokers , we may see additional evidence indicating increased suffering and severity of disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to anyone hooked on any nicotine product ?
Quit .
`` To quit all tobacco products , getting help from your health care provider in the form of counseling and cessation medications is one of the most important things you can do for general health , especially during the pandemic , '' Folan said .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers a guide for quitting smoking .

Smoking is terrible for your heart and lungs, and simply switching to e-cigarettes won't do much good, a major new analysis finds.
That's especially true now amid the COVID-19 pandemic, experts added.
Advertisement
The only truly healthy way out for nicotine addicts is quitting, said a team led by Thomas Münzel, a cardiologist at University Medical Center in Mainz, Germany. His team found that both smoked and vaped nicotine was tied to worsening health of the heart and lungs.
"There is no doubt that smoking cessation is and will remain the most powerful approach to prevent smoking-induced cardiovascular and respiratory disease," the researchers concluded.
"This may be even more important in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the use of tobacco products likely increases the risk for COVID-19-associated cardiovascular and other severe complications in smokers and vapers," the study authors added.
In the new study, Münzel's group reviewed data from a range of studies. They found that compared to not smoking, tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes boosted the odds of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by about eightfold and threefold, respectively.
Advertisement
COPD, a deadly, incurable combination of bronchitis and emphysema, is closely tied to smoking and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.
Compared to not smoking, tobacco cigarettes increased the risk of lung cancer by more than 13-fold, the study found. Because lung cancer takes years to develop, the level of evidence for the impact of e-cigarettes on lung cancer risk is not yet sufficient to draw a reliable conclusion, the investigators said.
There is good evidence for vaping's damage to the heart, however. Compared to not smoking, tobacco cigarettes increase "arterial stiffness" -- an important predictor for the risk of heart problems -- by 10%, while e-cigarettes upped the risk by 7%, the research showed.
The researchers also examined the link between smoking and COVID-19, and concluded that as "outlined by the WHO [World Health Organization], tobacco cigarette and waterpipe smoking may contribute to increased burden of symptoms due to COVID-19 compared to non-smoking, including being admitted to intensive care, requiring mechanical ventilation and suffering severe health consequences."
The bottom line, according to Münzel: "Although e-cigarettes appear to be less harmful than tobacco cigarettes, there is growing evidence that they also may cause side effects in the lungs, heart and blood vessels and that e-cigarette use may increase the risk of COVID-19 infection." He spoke in a news release from the European Heart Journal, which published the new findings June 26.
Advertisement
Two U.S. experts agreed that vaping is not a "safe" alternative to traditional smoking.
"Smoking tobacco produces long-range adverse effects -- COPD, coronary and vascular disease -- and the vaping craze brought serious cases of lung damage in young people," noted Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He was referring to the more than 2,500 people across all 50 states who were hospitalized in 2019 with life-threatening respiratory dysfunction tied to recent e-cigarette use. Fifty-four of those patients died.
Patricia Folan directs the Center for Tobacco Control at Northwell Health in Great Neck, N.Y. Reading over the new study, she agreed that "tobacco use in all forms places individuals at higher risk for developing several diseases and disabilities, often causing more severe consequences when exposed to infections such as influenza."
And Folan added, "With respect to COVID-19, Chinese researchers found that individuals who were smokers and developed pneumonia were several times more likely to have increased severity of disease from the virus with poorer outcomes. As more research and data emerge about COVID-19 and smokers, we may see additional evidence indicating increased suffering and severity of disease among this population."
Her advice to anyone hooked on any nicotine product? Quit.
Advertisement
"To quit all tobacco products, getting help from your health care provider in the form of counseling and cessation medications is one of the most important things you can do for general health, especially during the pandemic," Folan said.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers a guide for quitting smoking.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-06-27--Famous birthdays for June 27: Sam Claflin, Khloe Kardashian

June 27 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Cancer .

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Sam Claflin attends the Fashion Awards at Royal Albert Hall in London on December 2. The actor turns 34 on June 27. File Photo by Rune Hellestad/UPI | License Photo
June 27 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Cancer. They include: Advertisement
-- Irish patriot Charles Stewart Parnell in 1846
-- Anarchist Emma Goldman in 1869
-- Poet Paul Laurence Dunbar in 1872
-- Blind/deaf author Helen Keller in 1880
-- "Captain Kangaroo" Bob Keeshan in 1927
-- U.S. businessman/former presidential candidate H. Ross Perot in 1930
-- Poet Lucille Clifton in 1936
-- Singer/songwriter Bruce Johnston in 1942 (age 78)
File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
-- Fashion designer Norma Kamali in 1945 (age 75)
-- Fashion designer Vera Wang in 1949 (age 71)
-- Actor Julia Duffy in 1951 (age 69)
-- Actor Isabelle Adjani in 1955 (age 65)
-- Film/television writer/director/producer J.J. Abrams in 1966 (age 54)
-- Actor Tobey Maguire in 1975 (age 45)
-- TV celebrity Khloe Kardashian in 1984 (age 36)
File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
-- Actor Drake Bell in 1986 (age 34)
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-- Actor Sam Claflin in 1986 (age 34)
-- Actor Ed Westwick in 1987 (age 33)
-- Actor Alanna Masterson in 1988 (age 32)
-- Actor Matthew Lewis in 1989 (age 31)
-- Singer Lauren Jauregui in 1996 (age 24)
-- Actor Shannon Purser in 1997 (age 23)
-- Actor Chandler Riggs in 1999 (age 21)


upi--2020-06-27--On This Day, June 27: Atlantis blasts off for Mir rendezvous

On this date in history : In 1829 , English scientist James Smithson left a will that eventually funded the establishment of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington -- in a country he never visited .
In 1844 , Mormon founder Joseph Smith was slain by a mob at a jail in Carthage , Ill .
In 1847 , the first telegraph wire links were established between New York City and Boston .
In 1859 , Louisville , Ky. , schoolteacher Mildred Hill composed a tune for her students and called it `` Good Morning To You . ''
Her sister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , later added a verse that began `` Happy Birthday To You . ''
In 1950 , U.S. President Harry S. Truman ordered naval and air forces to help repel the North Korean invasion of South Korea .
In 1979 , the U.S. Supreme Court ruled private employers could give special preferences to black people to eliminate `` manifest racial imbalance '' in traditionally white-only jobs .
In 1991 , Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall announced he was retiring from the U.S. Supreme Court .
He was the first African American to sit on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the space shuttle Atlantis was launched from Cape Canaveral , Fla. , on a historic mission to dock with the Russian space station Mir .
Docking occurred two days later .
In 2003 , the U.S. Federal Trade Commission opened a long-awaited nationwide registry for people who want to block unwanted telemarketing calls .
In 2005 , Dennis Rader , the so-called `` BTK '' ( bind , torture , kill ) killer , pleaded guilty to 10 slayings in the Wichita , Kan. , area .
He was sentenced to life in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officially stepped down after a decade as British prime minister , submitting his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II .
Blair was succeeded by Gordon Brown and became Britain 's envoy to the Middle East .
In 2009 , a top health official said the H1N1 virus , known as swine flu , killed 127 people of the more than 1 million infected in the United States .
About 3,000 were reported hospitalized .
In 2011 , a federal court jury in Chicago convicted former Illinois Gov .
Rod Blagojevich on 17 felony corruption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama after the 2008 presidential election .
Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison .
In 2017 , the FARC rebel group officially disarmed in a ceremony with the Colombian government .
In 2019 , the Supreme Court ruled the federal government ca n't include a question about citizenship in the U.S. census .

1/4
This view of the space shuttle Atlantis during its move away from Russia's Mir Space Station was photographed by the Mir-19 crew on July 4, 1995. Photo courtesy of NASA
On this date in history: In 1829, English scientist James Smithson left a will that eventually funded the establishment of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington -- in a country he never visited. Advertisement
In 1844, Mormon founder Joseph Smith was slain by a mob at a jail in Carthage, Ill.
In 1847, the first telegraph wire links were established between New York City and Boston.
In 1859, Louisville, Ky., schoolteacher Mildred Hill composed a tune for her students and called it "Good Morning To You." Her sister, Patty, who wrote the lyrics, later added a verse that began "Happy Birthday To You."
In 1950, U.S. President Harry S. Truman ordered naval and air forces to help repel the North Korean invasion of South Korea.
UPI File Photo
In 1979, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled private employers could give special preferences to black people to eliminate "manifest racial imbalance" in traditionally white-only jobs.
In 1991, Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall announced he was retiring from the U.S. Supreme Court. He was the first African American to sit on the high court.
Advertisement
In 1995, the space shuttle Atlantis was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on a historic mission to dock with the Russian space station Mir. Docking occurred two days later.
In 2003, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission opened a long-awaited nationwide registry for people who want to block unwanted telemarketing calls.
In 2005, Dennis Rader, the so-called "BTK" (bind, torture, kill) killer, pleaded guilty to 10 slayings in the Wichita, Kan., area. He was sentenced to life in prison.
In 2007, Tony Blair officially stepped down after a decade as British prime minister, submitting his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II. Blair was succeeded by Gordon Brown and became Britain's envoy to the Middle East.
File Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI
In 2009, a top health official said the H1N1 virus, known as swine flu, killed 127 people of the more than 1 million infected in the United States. About 3,000 were reported hospitalized.
In 2011, a federal court jury in Chicago convicted former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on 17 felony corruption charges that included trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama after the 2008 presidential election. Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Advertisement
In 2017, the FARC rebel group officially disarmed in a ceremony with the Colombian government.
In 2019, the Supreme Court ruled the federal government can't include a question about citizenship in the U.S. census.


upi--2020-06-27--Started early, drug combo eases fatigue of rheumatoid arthritis

Early and intensive treatment with methotrexate and prednisone can ease fatigue in people with rheumatoid arthritis ( RA ) , according to a new study .
RA causes chronically inflamed joints and that inflammation can lead to severe fatigue that is n't relieved by resting , according to the European League Against Rheumatism ( EULAR ) .
`` In addition to pain , profound fatigue reduces the quality of life for many people , even more than the swelling of the joints , '' EULAR 's president , Iain McInnes , said in a league news release .
He 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Glasgow in Scotland .
But doctors often do n't pay enough attention to patients ' fatigue , he added .
`` Up to 90 % of patients with rheumatoid arthritis report profound fatigue , '' said study author Diederik De Cock , a researcher at KU Leuven in Belgium .
His two-year study included 80 RA patients who began a drug regimen immediately after their diagnosis .
They received either 15 mg of methotrexate a week ( control group ) or a combination therapy .
The combo included 15 mg of methotrexate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) weekly , which was eventually reduced to 5 mg a week .
Patients who had intensive treatment with the drug combo for two years were less tired than those in the control group , even though both groups had similar disease activity over time , the study found .
Differences in fatigue levels between the two groups appeared to increase over time , according to the study .
`` The early course of the disease could provide an opportunity to manage fatigue , '' De Cock said in the release .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for EULAR 's E-Congress 2020 , which began earlier this month .
Findings presented at meetings are typically viewed as preliminary until they 've been published in a peer-reviewed journal .
Based on the findings , EULAR recommends early consideration of intensive treatment even in low-risk patients with RA .
RA affects about 1 % people worldwide , according to EULAR .
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more on rheumatoid arthritis .

Early and intensive treatment with methotrexate and prednisone can ease fatigue in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a new study.
RA causes chronically inflamed joints and that inflammation can lead to severe fatigue that isn't relieved by resting, according to the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR).
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"In addition to pain, profound fatigue reduces the quality of life for many people, even more than the swelling of the joints," EULAR's president, Iain McInnes, said in a league news release. He's a professor of rheumatology at the University of Glasgow in Scotland.
But doctors often don't pay enough attention to patients' fatigue, he added. "Up to 90% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis report profound fatigue," said study author Diederik De Cock, a researcher at KU Leuven in Belgium.
His two-year study included 80 RA patients who began a drug regimen immediately after their diagnosis. They received either 15 mg of methotrexate a week (control group) or a combination therapy. The combo included 15 mg of methotrexate and 30 mg of cortisone (prednisone) weekly, which was eventually reduced to 5 mg a week.
Methotrexate suppresses RA-related inflammation, while prednisone eases joint pain and inflammation.
Patients who had intensive treatment with the drug combo for two years were less tired than those in the control group, even though both groups had similar disease activity over time, the study found.
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Differences in fatigue levels between the two groups appeared to increase over time, according to the study. "The early course of the disease could provide an opportunity to manage fatigue," De Cock said in the release.
The study was presented as an abstract online for EULAR's E-Congress 2020, which began earlier this month. Findings presented at meetings are typically viewed as preliminary until they've been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Based on the findings, EULAR recommends early consideration of intensive treatment even in low-risk patients with RA.
RA affects about 1% people worldwide, according to EULAR.
More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more on rheumatoid arthritis.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-06-26--Baseball Hall of Fame reopens after three-month shutdown due to pandemic

June 26 ( UPI ) -- The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown , N.Y. , has reopened its doors after being closed for more than three months because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The Baseball Hall of Fame -- which closed on March 15 due to the virus -- welcomed visitors back Friday .
As part of its reopening , staff and guests were required to wear face masks .
`` As summer sets in , the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has reopened its doors in accordance with New York State 's regionally-focused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and safety procedures , '' the Hall of Fame announced Friday .
The shrine is selling tickets that allow visitors to reserve a specific date and time to tour the facility , reducing crowded areas in the front lobby and throughout the museum .
Some of the Hall of Fame 's larger gathering spots will remain closed .
The Baseball Hall of Fame announced in late April that it was canceling this year 's induction ceremony because of the COVID-19 outbreak .
MLB greats Derek Jeter , Larry Walker and Ted Simmons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- were to be inducted in July .
Instead , the 2020 class will be included at the 2021 induction festivities -- along with any additional inductees -- next July .

The Baseball Hall of Fame, which closed on March 15 due to the coronavirus, welcomed visitors back Friday. As part of its reopening, staff and guests were required to wear face masks. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
June 26 (UPI) -- The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y., has reopened its doors after being closed for more than three months because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Baseball Hall of Fame -- which closed on March 15 due to the virus -- welcomed visitors back Friday. As part of its reopening, staff and guests were required to wear face masks. Advertisement
"As summer sets in, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has reopened its doors in accordance with New York State's regionally-focused phased reopening plan and with many enhanced health and safety procedures," the Hall of Fame announced Friday.
The shrine is selling tickets that allow visitors to reserve a specific date and time to tour the facility, reducing crowded areas in the front lobby and throughout the museum. Some of the Hall of Fame's larger gathering spots will remain closed.
The Baseball Hall of Fame announced in late April that it was canceling this year's induction ceremony because of the COVID-19 outbreak. MLB greats Derek Jeter, Larry Walker and Ted Simmons -- along with the late Marvin Miller -- were to be inducted in July.
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Instead, the 2020 class will be included at the 2021 induction festivities -- along with any additional inductees -- next July.


upi--2020-06-27--3 dead, 1 blinded, 3 sickened after consuming tainted hand sanitizer

June 27 ( UPI ) -- Three people in New Mexico have died , one has been blinded and three others are in critical condition after drinking tainted hand sanitizer , health officials say .
The cases were reported in May in three New Mexico counties , and all are believed to have consumed hand sanitizer tainted with methanol .
According to New Mexico officials the recent poisonings were related to alcoholism .
The Food & Drug Administration has said methanol can be toxic when applied topically as well as when it is ingested .
`` If you think you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ containing methanol , please seek medical care , '' state Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel said .
`` An antidote to methanol poisoning is available , but the earlier someone gets treated for methanol poisoning the better the chance of recovery . ''
Hand sanitizer has been in high demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic , and health officials believe consumers have inadvertently bought toxic versions that have appeared on the market in recent months .
On June 19 the Food & Drug Administration released a list of hand sanitizer brands that have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers .
Most of the sanitizers on the list were produced by a Mexico-based company called Ekbiochem SA .
In its press release the FDA said it contacted Eskbiochem SA June 17 `` to recommend the company remove its hand sanitizer products from the market . ''
`` To date , the company has not taken action to remove these potentially dangerous products from the market .
Therefore , FDA recommends consumers stop using these hand sanitizers and dispose of them immediately in appropriate hazardous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pour these products down the drain , '' the FDA announcement said .

Hand sanitizer, gloves and masks are placed by the entrance for people to use during a Senate committee hearing in Washington, D.C. in May. New Mexico health officials say three people have died after drinking hand sanitizer tainted with methanol. Pool photo by Alex Wong/UPI | License Photo
June 27 (UPI) -- Three people in New Mexico have died, one has been blinded and three others are in critical condition after drinking tainted hand sanitizer, health officials say. The cases were reported in May in three New Mexico counties, and all are believed to have consumed hand sanitizer tainted with methanol. Advertisement
According to New Mexico officials the recent poisonings were related to alcoholism.
The Food & Drug Administration has said methanol can be toxic when applied topically as well as when it is ingested.
"If you think you may have used or consumed hand sanitizer containing methanol, please seek medical care," state Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel said. "An antidote to methanol poisoning is available, but the earlier someone gets treated for methanol poisoning the better the chance of recovery."
Hand sanitizer has been in high demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and health officials believe consumers have inadvertently bought toxic versions that have appeared on the market in recent months.
Advertisement
On June 19 the Food & Drug Administration released a list of hand sanitizer brands that have been found to contain methanol, which it says is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers.
Most of the sanitizers on the list were produced by a Mexico-based company called Ekbiochem SA.
In its press release the FDA said it contacted Eskbiochem SA June 17 "to recommend the company remove its hand sanitizer products from the market."
"To date, the company has not taken action to remove these potentially dangerous products from the market. Therefore, FDA recommends consumers stop using these hand sanitizers and dispose of them immediately in appropriate hazardous waste containers. Do not flush or pour these products down the drain," the FDA announcement said.


upi--2020-06-27--Designer Milton Glaser dead at 91

Designer Milton Glaser dead at 91

June 27 ( UPI ) -- Milton Glaser , a graphic designer remembered for brightly colored posters , magazines , book covers and record sleeves -- and the iconic `` I NY '' logo -- died on Friday , his 91st birthday .
According to Glaser 's wife , Shirley , he died of a stroke , but had also suffered from renal failure .
Glaser also made his mark in publishing as part of a small team that reinvented the Sunday edition of the recently-defunct New York Herald Tribune as New York magazine .
`` If they 're talented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lob an icon out into the larger culture - Leo Fender 's Stratocaster guitar , say , or Shepard Fairey 's Obama poster .
If they 're great , maybe they create two .
Milton Glaser , though , operated on another plane - he just kept hitting the bull's-eye , again and again , throughout his seven decades as an illustrator , graphic designer , art director , and visual philosopher and paterfamilias , '' said the magazine 's obituary for Glaser .
Born in 1929 to Hungarian immigrants , Glaser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soyer , the social realist artists , then enrolled in the High School of Music & Art in Manhattan ( now the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts ) .
He then worked for a package-design company before enrolling at the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art .
Glaser graduated in 1951 and won a Fulbright scholarship to the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna , Italy In 1954 , Glaser opened Push Pin Studios with several Cooper Union classmates in and launched a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , later renamed Push Pin Monthly Graphic , credited with opening up design to a wider range of influences and styles and grabbing the attention of magazines and advertising agencies .
`` We were excited by the very idea that we could use anything in the visual history of humankind as influence , '' Glaser said .
For one of his best-known designs , a colorful 1967 poster included in `` Bob Dylan 's Greatest Hits , '' Glaser created an outline of the singer 's head that was inspired by Marcel Duchamp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1977 Glaser -- working pro bono for the New York State Department of Commerce as part of a campaign to bring tourists to New York State -- drew `` I NY '' in crayon on the back of an envelope in a taxi cab .
He expected the campaign to last just a couple of months .
Instead it became a widely recognized symbol of New York City , enjoying enduring popularity throughout the 1980s and a revival after the Sept. 11 , 2001 attacks felled the city 's Twin Towers .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this little , simple nothing of an idea , '' Glaser said in 2011 .

June 27 (UPI) -- Milton Glaser, a graphic designer remembered for brightly colored posters, magazines, book covers and record sleeves -- and the iconic "I NY" logo -- died on Friday, his 91st birthday.
According to Glaser's wife, Shirley, he died of a stroke, but had also suffered from renal failure.
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Glaser also made his mark in publishing as part of a small team that reinvented the Sunday edition of the recently-defunct New York Herald Tribune as New York magazine.
"If they're talented and they're lucky, designer-artist-creators get to lob an icon out into the larger culture - Leo Fender's Stratocaster guitar, say, or Shepard Fairey's Obama poster. If they're great, maybe they create two. Milton Glaser, though, operated on another plane - he just kept hitting the bull's-eye, again and again, throughout his seven decades as an illustrator, graphic designer, art director, and visual philosopher and paterfamilias," said the magazine's obituary for Glaser.
Born in 1929 to Hungarian immigrants, Glaser took drawing classes with Raphael and Moses Soyer, the social realist artists, then enrolled in the High School of Music & Art in Manhattan (now the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts).
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He then worked for a package-design company before enrolling at the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art.
Glaser graduated in 1951 and won a Fulbright scholarship to the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, Italy
In 1954, Glaser opened Push Pin Studios with several Cooper Union classmates in and launched a promotional publication called the Push Pin Almanack, later renamed Push Pin Monthly Graphic, credited with opening up design to a wider range of influences and styles and grabbing the attention of magazines and advertising agencies.
"We were excited by the very idea that we could use anything in the visual history of humankind as influence," Glaser said.
For one of his best-known designs, a colorful 1967 poster included in "Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits," Glaser created an outline of the singer's head that was inspired by Marcel Duchamp as well as Islamic art.
In 1977 Glaser -- working pro bono for the New York State Department of Commerce as part of a campaign to bring tourists to New York State -- drew "I NY" in crayon on the back of an envelope in a taxi cab.
He expected the campaign to last just a couple of months.
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Instead it became a widely recognized symbol of New York City, enjoying enduring popularity throughout the 1980s and a revival after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks felled the city's Twin Towers.
"I'm flabbergasted by what happened to this little, simple nothing of an idea," Glaser said in 2011.
Notable deaths of 2020


upi--2020-06-27--Asian Americans take campaign against ‘Kung Flu’ slur to the streets

NEW YORK , June 27 ( UPI ) -- Asian Americans most affected by U.S. President Donald Trump 's use of the phrase `` Kung Flu '' to refer to the novel coronavirus are not only voicing their opposition to the use of the term , they 're increasingly taking their campaign to the streets .
They say the term , along with the phrases `` China virus , '' `` Wuhan virus , '' and `` Wu-flu , '' are racist , and draw attention away from the president 's handling of the coronavirus .
Shirley Ng , co-founder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a grassroots organization , said during the group 's `` Asians Are Not A Virus '' campaign in Manhattan Chinatown , Trump is using the trope of China to distract from his administration 's record on COVID-19 .
`` He 's always trying to deflect , '' Ng told UPI .
`` It 's not him , it 's always somebody else . ''
Since the outbreak of the global coronavirus pandemic , Ng has been active on social media but felt calling out anti-Asian racism online was n't enough .
In May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the help of nearly 50 volunteers , launched their first campaign , `` Do n't Be Cruel , '' to inform Chinese American and other minority-owned businesses in New York to notify police if they encounter race-based harassment , or a hate crime .
CAAC NYC 's campaign on Saturday drew curious looks from random passersby at the corner of a street adjacent to Columbus Park , where the members of the local Chinatown community gather to practice Tai Chi or play chess .
Some people declined to sign the posters against racist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the opportunity .
Lillian Bit , a resident of Long Island , stopped by the group 's table to sign posters , which Ng says will be sent to the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus in Washington .
Trump is `` inciting division '' among Americans , and using phrases like `` Kung Flu virus '' to divert from his own mishandling of the coronavirus , Bit , who is Chinese American , said .
Other people stopped by the table to speak to Ng and the other organizers , initially unsure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a businessman with an office in Chinatown , said he did not have problems with Trump associating the coronavirus with China .
`` What 's the problem with the 'Wuhan virus ' ? ''
Wong said , referring to the origins of the disease .
Wong , who grew up in the neighborhood of Brownsville in Brooklyn in the '70s , said the outcry over recent anti-Asian racism may have deeper roots , and that Trump is not entirely to blame for the more than 2,200 reported anti-Asian hate incidents since the start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bony Asian kid in Brownsville , '' said Wong .
`` I had to literally fight my way through school , or I had to hide from people after school so I could get home . ''
Wong also said the dynamics of anti-Asian or anti-Chinese racism is complex , the perpetrators are not always White , and experiences with racism like his are not always addressed in his community .
Other Asian Americans disagree the recent surge in anti-Asian hate crimes have only a tenuous connection to the coronavirus pandemic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a CAAC NYC co-organizer , said she was walking to a grocery store when a pedestrian , a man , covered his face as he approached her .
The move felt ambiguously hostile , but enough to catch Ng 's eye .
As COVID-19 ran its course in New York , Ng , a single parent with a child , said she found herself staying indoors and hardly going outside .
Ng said she made her first major outing when meeting with Shirley at the end of May to prepare for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivers a message of hope to Asian Americans who have opted to stay in for fear of hate attacks .
`` I do n't want them to live that way , '' Ng said .
`` That 's what the racists want you to do .
They want you to live in fear . ''

1/2
Members of Concerned AsAm Citizens of NYC greet people on the street and ask them to take part in the "Asians Are Not A Virus 2020" campaign in the Chinatown section of New York City on Saturday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
NEW YORK, June 27 (UPI) -- Asian Americans most affected by U.S. President Donald Trump's use of the phrase "Kung Flu" to refer to the novel coronavirus are not only voicing their opposition to the use of the term, they're increasingly taking their campaign to the streets. They say the term, along with the phrases "China virus," "Wuhan virus," and "Wu-flu," are racist, and draw attention away from the president's handling of the coronavirus. Advertisement
Shirley Ng, co-founder of Concerned AsAm citizens of NYC, a grassroots organization, said during the group's "Asians Are Not A Virus" campaign in Manhattan Chinatown, Trump is using the trope of China to distract from his administration's record on COVID-19.
"He's always trying to deflect," Ng told UPI. "It's not him, it's always somebody else."
Since the outbreak of the global coronavirus pandemic, Ng has been active on social media but felt calling out anti-Asian racism online wasn't enough. In May, Ng and her co-organizers, with the help of nearly 50 volunteers, launched their first campaign, "Don't Be Cruel," to inform Chinese American and other minority-owned businesses in New York to notify police if they encounter race-based harassment, or a hate crime.
Advertisement
CAAC NYC's campaign on Saturday drew curious looks from random passersby at the corner of a street adjacent to Columbus Park, where the members of the local Chinatown community gather to practice Tai Chi or play chess. Some people declined to sign the posters against racist speech, even as others jumped immediately at the opportunity.
Lillian Bit, a resident of Long Island, stopped by the group's table to sign posters, which Ng says will be sent to the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus in Washington.
Trump is "inciting division" among Americans, and using phrases like "Kung Flu virus" to divert from his own mishandling of the coronavirus, Bit, who is Chinese American, said.
Other people stopped by the table to speak to Ng and the other organizers, initially unsure about the campaign.
Nelson Wong, a businessman with an office in Chinatown, said he did not have problems with Trump associating the coronavirus with China.
"What's the problem with the 'Wuhan virus'?" Wong said, referring to the origins of the disease.
Wong, who grew up in the neighborhood of Brownsville in Brooklyn in the '70s, said the outcry over recent anti-Asian racism may have deeper roots, and that Trump is not entirely to blame for the more than 2,200 reported anti-Asian hate incidents since the start of the pandemic.
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"I was a bony Asian kid in Brownsville," said Wong. "I had to literally fight my way through school, or I had to hide from people after school so I could get home."
Wong also said the dynamics of anti-Asian or anti-Chinese racism is complex, the perpetrators are not always White, and experiences with racism like his are not always addressed in his community.
Other Asian Americans disagree the recent surge in anti-Asian hate crimes have only a tenuous connection to the coronavirus pandemic and its association with China.
Judy Ng, a CAAC NYC co-organizer, said she was walking to a grocery store when a pedestrian, a man, covered his face as he approached her.
The move felt ambiguously hostile, but enough to catch Ng's eye. As COVID-19 ran its course in New York, Ng, a single parent with a child, said she found herself staying indoors and hardly going outside.
Ng said she made her first major outing when meeting with Shirley at the end of May to prepare for the campaigns.
Shirley Ng said her campaign delivers a message of hope to Asian Americans who have opted to stay in for fear of hate attacks.
"I don't want them to live that way," Ng said. "That's what the racists want you to do. They want you to live in fear."


upi--2020-06-27--Mississippi legislature clears path to changing the state flag

June 27 ( UPI ) -- Mississippi 's state senate voted 36-14 Saturday in favor of a resolution that would allow lawmakers to change the state flag .
The resolution , passed 85-34 in state house earlier in the day , gives the state legislature the necessary two-third majority to change the state flag and paves the way for lawmakers in both the house and the senate to pass a bill to remove the flag and adopt a new design .
Gov .
Tate Reeves has said he would sign whatever flag bill the legislature passes .
Lawmakers in both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flag-removal bill and begin the process of adopting a new one .
Mississippi is the last state in the country with a flag that still features a Confederate battle emblem , but the legislature began weighing the possibility of changing the flag again in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor , and weeks of sustained protests against racism and police brutality .
The current flag , adopted in 1894 , features red , white and blue stripes with the Confederate battle emblem in the corner .
`` This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by many , '' said Sen. Briggs Hopson , R-Vicksburg , who also said the flag does n't represent Mississippians and has cost the state economic opportunities .
`` I 'm ready to rip the Band-Aid off . ''
Earlier this month the NCAA board of governors banned championship events from being held in states that still fly the Confederate flag , and Walmart announced it would no longer display the state flag at its Mississippi locations .
Sen. Chris McDaniel , R-Ellisville , argued that some see the American flag as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be decided by a state referendum .
The state did refer the matter to voters in 2001 , and 64 percent voted against changing the flag .

Mississippi's legislature voted Saturday on a resolution that allows lawmakers to change the state flag, paving the way for removal of the Confederate emblem that has been part of the official flag's design since 1894. Photo by Tony Webster via Flickr (CC BY SA 2.0)
June 27 (UPI) -- Mississippi's state senate voted 36-14 Saturday in favor of a resolution that would allow lawmakers to change the state flag. The resolution, passed 85-34 in state house earlier in the day, gives the state legislature the necessary two-third majority to change the state flag and paves the way for lawmakers in both the house and the senate to pass a bill to remove the flag and adopt a new design. Advertisement
Gov. Tate Reeves has said he would sign whatever flag bill the legislature passes.
Lawmakers in both legislative houses are expected to pass the flag-removal bill and begin the process of adopting a new one.
Mississippi is the last state in the country with a flag that still features a Confederate battle emblem, but the legislature began weighing the possibility of changing the flag again in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and weeks of sustained protests against racism and police brutality.
The current flag, adopted in 1894, features red, white and blue stripes with the Confederate battle emblem in the corner.
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"This flag is beloved by some, reviled by many," said Sen. Briggs Hopson, R-Vicksburg, who also said the flag doesn't represent Mississippians and has cost the state economic opportunities. "I'm ready to rip the Band-Aid off."
Earlier this month the NCAA board of governors banned championship events from being held in states that still fly the Confederate flag, and Walmart announced it would no longer display the state flag at its Mississippi locations.
Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville, argued that some see the American flag as a symbol of oppression and said the matter should be decided by a state referendum.
The state did refer the matter to voters in 2001, and 64 percent voted against changing the flag.


upi--2020-06-27--Brazil signs $127M agreement to produce COVID-19 vaccine

June 27 ( UPI ) -- Brazil 's government announced Saturday that it has signed a $ 127 million agreement to start producing an experimental COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca .
The vaccine developed by AstraZeneca , a British pharmaceutical manufacturer , is considered the world 's leading candidate and most likely to be licensed as an official vaccine against the novel coronavirus .
In May AstraZeneca , which has been working since the end of May to develop a vaccine against the virus , began working with Oxford University on a trial to test a vaccine candidate .
Earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has reached an agreement with the Inclusive Vaccines Alliance of Europe to supply as many as 400 million doses of the University of Oxford 's COVID-19 vaccine , with deliveries beginning at the end of the calendar year .
According to Elcio Franco , Brazil 's deputy public health official , Brazil 's public health organization will initially produce about 30 million doses of the vaccine -- half by December and half by January of next year .
As of Friday Brazil had more than 1.2 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affected country in the world .

People with face masks walk in a street amid coronavirus pandemic in Sao Paulo, Brazil on June 19. This week Brazil's government announced that it has signed a $127 million deal to begin producing an experimental COVID-19 vaccine. Photo by Sebastio Moreira/EPA-EFE
June 27 (UPI) -- Brazil's government announced Saturday that it has signed a $127 million agreement to start producing an experimental COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca. The vaccine developed by AstraZeneca, a British pharmaceutical manufacturer, is considered the world's leading candidate and most likely to be licensed as an official vaccine against the novel coronavirus. Advertisement
In May AstraZeneca, which has been working since the end of May to develop a vaccine against the virus, began working with Oxford University on a trial to test a vaccine candidate.
Earlier this month the company announced that it has reached an agreement with the Inclusive Vaccines Alliance of Europe to supply as many as 400 million doses of the University of Oxford's COVID-19 vaccine, with deliveries beginning at the end of the calendar year.
According to Elcio Franco, Brazil's deputy public health official, Brazil's public health organization will initially produce about 30 million doses of the vaccine -- half by December and half by January of next year.
As of Friday Brazil had more than 1.2 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 55,000 deaths, making it the second-most affected country in the world.


upi--2020-06-27--Florida breaks new single-day record with 9,585 COVID-19 cases

A volunteer wearing a mask is shown at a drive-thru food distribution event sponsored by Feeding South Florida of Boynton Beach at the Boynton Beach mall parking lot. File Photo By Gary I Rothstein/UPI | License Photo
June 27 (UPI) -- Florida broke its single-day record for COVID-19 cases again Saturday with 9,585 cases in 24 hours. The statewide numbers broke Friday's record of 8,942 cases as COVID-19 cases surged from a previous record of 5,508 new cases Thursday. Advertisement
Since the coronavirus pandemic began, the Florida Department of Health said Saturday that 132,545 cases have been reported statewide and over 3,300 people have died from the virus.
Out of 67 counties statewide, new cases Saturday show that South Florida counties have been hardest hit. Miami-Dade County alone reported 1,366 new cases, Broward County reported 726 new cases, and Palm Beach County reported 430 new cases.
About 1.83 million people statewide have been tested for COVID-19 since the pandemic began, the Florida Department of Health said Saturday. In South Florida, 9.2 percent of people tested for COVID-19 have been diagnosed. Statewide, about 7.2 percent of people tested have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
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Florida and Texas both closed bars Friday as COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations increased.
In Texas, more than 5,100 new COVID-19 patients were admitted to hospitals Friday, the 15th straight day of record hospitalizations.
Texas Gov. Greg Abott told ABC-7 he regretted opening bars earlier.
"If I could go back and redo anything, it probably would have been to slow down the re-opening of bars," Abbott told ABC-17. "Now, seeing in the aftermath of how quickly the coronavirus spread in the bar setting."
Patrons "go to bars to get close and to drink and to socialize, and that's the kind of thing that stokes the spread of the coronavirus," Abbott added.
In Hidalgo County, Texas, officials Thursday imposed a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. for those 17 and under and 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. for those above 18. The county has also mandated face mask use in businesses and has encouraged residents to stay home when possible.
Since the pandemic began, Texas Health and Human Services has reported 137,624 cases of COVID-19 and 2,324 fatalities. Hidalgo County alone reported 179 new cases Saturday bringing total cases to 2,892 cases with 31 deaths. The number of new cases was down from 210 new cases in Hidalgo County Thursday.
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On Friday, Abbott also ordered restaurants to limit dine-in service capacity to no more than 50 percent beginning Monday.
Along with Texas, at least nine other states have paused reopening phases, including Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico and North Carolina.
In Florida, the announcement that bars would be shuttered did not come from Gov. Ron DeSantis' office, but from Secretary of Department of Business and Professional Regulation Halsey Beshears in a tweet.
"Effective immediately, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is suspending on premises consumption of alcohol at bars statewide," Beshears tweeted.
DeSantis was one of the last governors to institute a statewide stay-at-home order and the state began reopening businesses in May.
"Nothing has changed in the last week," and the spike was because of a "test dump," DeSantis told reporters Friday.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, the testing line was cut off due to overwhelming response, the Florida Association of Public Information Officers tweeted at about 1:30 p.m. The Florida PIO Deployment Team said that it would keep processing those already in line until 5 p.m. and it would reopen Sunday.
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Axios confirmed Saturday that President Donald Trump's campaign has postponed Vice President Mike Pence's visits to Arizona and Florida due to surge in infections in both states, NBC News first reported.
Arizona cases increased 3,591 cases since Friday, bringing total COVID-19 cases to 70,051 cases, and 1,579 deaths from COVID-19 have also been reported statewide.
In addition to Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Tennessee and Utah also reported their highest-ever daily caseloads Friday, with Florida beating its record again on Saturday.
In Idaho, Gov. Brad Little announced Thursday the state would remain in Stage 4 of reopening for at least the next two weeks, which advises face coverings, frequent washing of hands, staying home if sick and social distancing of at least six feet.
Furthermore, under a Central District Health order Ada County, Idaho, moved back to Stage 3, closing bars and limiting gatherings to 50 people. Boise Mayor Lauren McLean issued a similar order that also moves Boise back to Stage 3, closing bars and nightclubs.
Idaho has reported 5,149 cases and 91 deaths with 1,752 cases and 23 deaths in Ada County alone, according to a New York Times analysis.
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Amid increasing cases in Utah, Gov. Gary Herbert said a member of his senior staff tested positive for COVID-19, and he would issue an executive order requiring people in state office buildings, including liquor stores, to wear masks at all times.
Herbert also ordered a two-week moratorium on request to alter current reopening guidelines, but said he would not stop the restart of the economy.
Utah "didn't shut down the economy completely" at the start of the pandemic, and despite the spike "we're not going to shut it down now," Herbert said.
Utah has reported 20,218 COVID-19 cases and 166 deaths from the virus, according to the New York Times analysis.
In Georgia, bars and restaurants remain open.
Amid the spike in cases, Gov. Brian Kemp said Friday that he had no plans to impose new restrictions or require use of masks.
Georgia has reported 74,985 cases and 2,776 deaths from COVID-19, according to the state's Department of Public Health.
In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee similarly said that he would not reimpose any restrictions to curb COVID-19 that were lifted to restart the economy after the single-day record Friday.
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In Michigan, health officials recently linked 51 COVID-19 cases to Harper's Restaurant and Brew Pub in East Lansing.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who faced protests after implementing stringent requirements to curb COVID-19, lifted a stay-at-home order earlier this month, allowing bars, restaurants and retail outlets to reopen.
Michigan has reported 69,679 cases and 6,153 deaths from COVID-19.
While New York still has the most cases, hospitalization and death rates have continued to decline.
New York has 396,669 cases and 31,105 deaths, the New York Times analysis of COVID-19 cases shows.
In California, COVID-19 cases are surging in Imperial County where the rate of testing positive is approaching 23 percent compared to 5.7 percent statewide, Gov. Gavin Newsom warned.
In response, Newsom advised leaders in Imperial County Friday to reimpose a stay-at-home order.
California has reported 208,397 cases and 5,873 deaths from the virus, according to New York Times analysis.
In New Jersey, COVID-19 transmission rate has increased in 16 of New Jersey's 21 counties over the past week as the state moves ahead with reopening plans.
New Jersey has reported 172,727 cases and 14,948 deaths from COVID-19, according to the New York Times analysis.
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Across the United States, COVID-19 has infected more than 2.4 million people and killed more than 125,000 people, according to Johns Hopkins University global tracker.
U.S. copes with COVID-19 pandemic


upi--2020-06-27--New Minneapolis ordinance could remove requirement for police

June 27 ( UPI ) -- The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously Friday to approve an ordinance that , if approved by voters , would remove the requirement for a police department from the city charter .
The ordinance creates a Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention , which could include `` licensed peace officers , '' but would not be required to do so .
The current city charter requires the city to have a police department and fund a force of at least .0017 employees per resident .
Changing it would require a citywide vote , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get their proposed measure on the November ballot .
`` We have committed to a community engagement process which is only just beginning .
This vote , if it 's on the ballot in November , as I hope it is , gives the voters a chance to check in in the middle of that engagement process to tell us we are on the right track .
I believe that 's the right thing for us to do , put it to the voters of Minneapolis to make this change , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ago a majority of council members pledged to begin defunding the city 's police department in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis officers .
Council member Cam Gordon said Friday 's vote was consistent with the previous promise .
`` Those things that we called the police department are gone , '' Gordon said .
`` Certainly , there is a provision in here that would allow this council or future councils to maintain a Division of Law Enforcement Services , but I think what we need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk to people about what the future should look like . ''
`` We can change the name of the public safety -- you know , the makeup -- but until we really address racism , nothing is going to change , '' Jenkins told WCCO .
The new Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention would be nominated by the mayor and approved by the city council , and would have `` non-law enforcement experience in community safety services , including but not limited to public health and/or restorative justice approaches , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city council .
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he still has questions about the future of the police department .
`` We need precision , and the precision of the solutions must match the precision of the harm that was initially inflicted , '' Frey said .
Frey also said he is `` standing by '' the current chief , Medaria Arradondo .
`` To the extent this demotes him , relieves him of power , makes it more difficult for him , because he has to report to 14 people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I think that 's all a problem , '' Frey said .

June 27 (UPI) -- The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously Friday to approve an ordinance that, if approved by voters, would remove the requirement for a police department from the city charter.
The ordinance creates a Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention, which could include "licensed peace officers," but would not be required to do so.
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The current city charter requires the city to have a police department and fund a force of at least .0017 employees per resident.
Changing it would require a citywide vote, and council members are using an expedited process to get their proposed measure on the November ballot.
"We have committed to a community engagement process which is only just beginning. This vote, if it's on the ballot in November, as I hope it is, gives the voters a chance to check in in the middle of that engagement process to tell us we are on the right track. I believe that's the right thing for us to do, put it to the voters of Minneapolis to make this change," council member Steve Fletcher said.
Three weeks ago a majority of council members pledged to begin defunding the city's police department in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis officers.
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Council member Cam Gordon said Friday's vote was consistent with the previous promise.
"Those things that we called the police department are gone," Gordon said. "Certainly, there is a provision in here that would allow this council or future councils to maintain a Division of Law Enforcement Services, but I think what we need to do is have that possibility there and talk to people about what the future should look like."
Council member Andrea Jenkins expressed some hesitation.
"We can change the name of the public safety -- you know, the makeup -- but until we really address racism, nothing is going to change," Jenkins told WCCO.
The new Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention would be nominated by the mayor and approved by the city council, and would have "non-law enforcement experience in community safety services, including but not limited to public health and/or restorative justice approaches," according to a press release from the city council.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he still has questions about the future of the police department.
"We need precision, and the precision of the solutions must match the precision of the harm that was initially inflicted," Frey said.
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Frey also said he is "standing by" the current chief, Medaria Arradondo.
"To the extent this demotes him, relieves him of power, makes it more difficult for him, because he has to report to 14 people, a structural change made without community engagement, I think that's all a problem," Frey said.


upi--2020-06-27--Princeton to remove Woodrow Wilson's name from School of Public Affairs

June 27 ( UPI ) -- Princeton 's Board of Trustees has voted to remove Woodrow Wilson 's name from the university 's School of Public and International Affairs .
`` We have taken this extraordinary step because we believe that Wilson 's racist thinking and policies make him an inappropriate namesake for a school whose scholars , students , and alumni must be firmly committed to combatting the scourge of racism in all its forms , '' said a press release issued by the university Saturday .
The school has been known as the Woodrow Wilson School of Public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will now simply be called The Princeton School of Public and International Affairs .
The release notes that in 2015 student-led protests at the university `` called attention to Wilson 's racism , '' and the university formed an ad hoc committee to study the late U.S. president 's legacy at the school .
Traces of Wilson 's legacy include not just the name of the School of Public and International Affairs but the name of a residential college , which the university intends to shutter after two new residential colleges complete construction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ university will `` accelerate retirement of the honorific naming '' and call the residential college First College for the remainder of its existence .
The board 's statement also notes that Princeton 's highest honor for an undergraduate alumnus or alumna bears Wilson 's name .
That award , according to the board of trustees , is the result of a gift and when the school accepted it , it was legally obligated to name the prize for Wilson .
Princeton will continue to award the Woodrow Wilson Award without changing the name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States , serving from 1913 to 1921 .
Prior to his presidency , he served as president of Princeton , from which he graduated in 1870 , for eight years beginning in 1902 .
Every leadership role he held was marred by racist views , including adamant opposition to integration and statements that Princeton 's `` whole temper and tradition '' were such that `` no Negro has ever applied for admission , and it seems unlikely that the question will ever assume practical form . ''
`` If the question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's achievements against his failures , members of the Princeton community might reach varying judgments , '' said the board 's statement .
`` We believe , however , that these times present the University with a different question .
Identifying a political leader as the namesake for a public policy school inevitably suggests that the honoree is a role model for those who study in the school .
We must therefore ask whether it is acceptable for this University 's school of public affairs to bear the name of a racist who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it had been integrated for decades . ''

Princeton's Board of Trustees voted Friday to remove Woodrow Wilson's name from its School of Public and International Affairs. Photo by Zane R. via Wikipedia (CC BY 2.0)
June 27 (UPI) -- Princeton's Board of Trustees has voted to remove Woodrow Wilson's name from the university's School of Public and International Affairs. "We have taken this extraordinary step because we believe that Wilson's racist thinking and policies make him an inappropriate namesake for a school whose scholars, students, and alumni must be firmly committed to combatting the scourge of racism in all its forms," said a press release issued by the university Saturday. Advertisement
The school has been known as the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs since 1948, but will now simply be called The Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.
The release notes that in 2015 student-led protests at the university "called attention to Wilson's racism," and the university formed an ad hoc committee to study the late U.S. president's legacy at the school.
Traces of Wilson's legacy include not just the name of the School of Public and International Affairs but the name of a residential college, which the university intends to shutter after two new residential colleges complete construction.
On Saturday the board said the university will "accelerate retirement of the honorific naming" and call the residential college First College for the remainder of its existence.
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The board's statement also notes that Princeton's highest honor for an undergraduate alumnus or alumna bears Wilson's name. That award, according to the board of trustees, is the result of a gift and when the school accepted it, it was legally obligated to name the prize for Wilson.
Princeton will continue to award the Woodrow Wilson Award without changing the name.
Wilson was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921.
Prior to his presidency, he served as president of Princeton, from which he graduated in 1870, for eight years beginning in 1902.
Every leadership role he held was marred by racist views, including adamant opposition to integration and statements that Princeton's "whole temper and tradition" were such that "no Negro has ever applied for admission, and it seems unlikely that the question will ever assume practical form."
"If the question before us were how to weigh Wilson's achievements against his failures, members of the Princeton community might reach varying judgments," said the board's statement. "We believe, however, that these times present the University with a different question. Identifying a political leader as the namesake for a public policy school inevitably suggests that the honoree is a role model for those who study in the school. We must therefore ask whether it is acceptable for this University's school of public affairs to bear the name of a racist who segregated the nation's civil service after it had been integrated for decades."
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upi--2020-06-27--Margot Robbie to star in new 'Pirates of the Caribbean' film

June 27 ( UPI ) -- I , Tonya , Suicide Squad and Once Upon in Hollywood actress Margot Robbie @ @ @ @ @ in a new film in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise .
Birds of Prey @ @ @ @ @ the screenplay for Disney 's as-yet-untitled project and Jerry Bruckheimer will once again serve as @ @ @ @ @ in five previous Pirates movies -- released between 2003 and 2017 -- which were inspired @ @ @ @ @ ride .
The Robbie movie is not intended to be a spin-off of the Depp @ @ @ @ @ original story with new characters .
No details about the plot are known at this @ @

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Margot Robbie is set to star in a new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
June 27 (UPI) -- I, Tonya, Suicide Squad and Once Upon in Hollywood actress Margot Robbie has signed on to star in a new film in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Birds of Prey scribe Christina Hodson is penning the screenplay for Disney's as-yet-untitled project and Jerry Bruckheimer will once again serve as producer. Advertisement
Johnny Depp starred in five previous Pirates movies -- released between 2003 and 2017 -- which were inspired by the Disney theme park ride.
The Robbie movie is not intended to be a spin-off of the Depp blockbusters and will be an original story with new characters.
No details about the plot are known at this time.


upi--2020-06-27--Roger Stone ordered to report to prison July 14

June 27 ( UPI ) -- A federal judge has ordered Roger Stone to report to prison July 14 -- marking a two-week delay in the beginning of his sentence but denying the two-month wait he requested .
Stone , 67 , is a former Trump campaign adviser who in November was convicted of lying and witness tampering in a congressional investigation .
Stone has been out on bail since his sentencing in February .
He had been scheduled to start serving his 40-month sentence in April , but that date was pushed back to June 30 .
Stone then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the COVID-19 pandemic , saying the Justice Department 's policy has been to grant up to 60 days if defendants ask for them , `` without respect to age , health , or other COVID-19 risk factors . ''
`` This will address the defendant 's stated medical concerns during the current increase of reported cases in Florida , and Broward County in particular , and it will respect and protect the health of other inmates who share defendant 's anxiety over the potential introduction and spread of the virus at this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order signed by U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson .
Jackson also ordered Stone to remain under home confinement until July 14 , saying the two-week delay would allow him time to quarantine himself to ensure he did not take the novel coronavirus from his home in South Florida to the prison .
Stone was convicted of lying during a September 2017 testimony to the House Intelligence Committee to hide his role as an `` access point '' for WikiLeaks , which in 2016 published information about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton @ @ @ @

Former Trump adviser Roger Stone, shown here at sentencing hearing in Washington, D.C., in February, was granted a two-week delay in the beginning of his prison sentence. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
June 27 (UPI) -- A federal judge has ordered Roger Stone to report to prison July 14 -- marking a two-week delay in the beginning of his sentence but denying the two-month wait he requested. Stone, 67, is a former Trump campaign adviser who in November was convicted of lying and witness tampering in a congressional investigation. Advertisement
Stone has been out on bail since his sentencing in February.
He had been scheduled to start serving his 40-month sentence in April, but that date was pushed back to June 30.
Stone then requested a delay until Sept. 3 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the Justice Department's policy has been to grant up to 60 days if defendants ask for them, "without respect to age, health, or other COVID-19 risk factors."
"This will address the defendant's stated medical concerns during the current increase of reported cases in Florida, and Broward County in particular, and it will respect and protect the health of other inmates who share defendant's anxiety over the potential introduction and spread of the virus at this now-unaffected facility," said the court order signed by U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson.
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Jackson also ordered Stone to remain under home confinement until July 14, saying the two-week delay would allow him time to quarantine himself to ensure he did not take the novel coronavirus from his home in South Florida to the prison.
Stone was convicted of lying during a September 2017 testimony to the House Intelligence Committee to hide his role as an "access point" for WikiLeaks, which in 2016 published information about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton obtained by hackers.


upi--2020-06-27--NORAD F-22s intercept 4 Russian spy planes off Alaskan coast

June 27 ( UPI ) -- North American Aerospace Defense Command aircraft intercepted four Russian Tu-142 spy planes entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone on Saturday .
According to NORAD , U.S. F-22s , with assistance from KC-135 air refuelers and E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System , intercepted the Tu-142s , which came within 65 nautical miles of the Aleutian island chain off the coast of Alaska and `` loitered in the ADIZ for nearly 8 hours . ''
The planes remained in international airspace and did not fly into U.S. or Canadian airspace .
The interception marks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near the U.S. border this week and the 10th this year , with multiple incidents taking place this month near the coast of Alaska .
On Wednesday NORAD F-22s intercepted two Russian IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft in the ADIZ .
On June 10 , NORAD aircraft intercepted two waves of Russian bombers near Russian airspace -- and on June 16 , U.S. aircraft intercepted eight Russian military aircraft flying near Alaska in two separate incidents .
`` This year alone , NORAD forces have identified and intercepted Russian military aircraft including bombers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 separate occasions when they have flown into the ADIZ , '' said NORAD Cmdr .
Gen. Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy in a statement posted to Twitter .
`` Despite COVID-19 , we remain fully ready and capable of conducting our no-fail mission of homeland defense . ''

June 27 (UPI) -- North American Aerospace Defense Command aircraft intercepted four Russian Tu-142 spy planes entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone on Saturday.
According to NORAD, U.S. F-22s, with assistance from KC-135 air refuelers and E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System, intercepted the Tu-142s, which came within 65 nautical miles of the Aleutian island chain off the coast of Alaska and "loitered in the ADIZ for nearly 8 hours."
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The planes remained in international airspace and did not fly into U.S. or Canadian airspace.
The interception marks the second incidence of a Russian aircraft near the U.S. border this week and the 10th this year, with multiple incidents taking place this month near the coast of Alaska.
On Wednesday NORAD F-22s intercepted two Russian IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft in the ADIZ.
On June 10, NORAD aircraft intercepted two waves of Russian bombers near Russian airspace -- and on June 16, U.S. aircraft intercepted eight Russian military aircraft flying near Alaska in two separate incidents.
"This year alone, NORAD forces have identified and intercepted Russian military aircraft including bombers, fighters, and maritime patrol aircraft on 10 separate occasions when they have flown into the ADIZ," said NORAD Cmdr. Gen. Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy in a statement posted to Twitter. "Despite COVID-19, we remain fully ready and capable of conducting our no-fail mission of homeland defense."


upi--2020-06-27--Delhi officials warn residents to close windows as locusts swarm region

June 27 ( UPI ) -- Local officials in India advised residents near Delhi to be on alert and close their windows as a swarm of desert locusts entered the capital Saturday .
The swarm arrived in the neighboring city of Gurugram in Haryana state , as well as the South and West districts of Delhi .
The government of Haryana issued a high alert , and Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai called for an emergency meeting .
`` All district magistrates have been advised to remain on high alert and to cooperate with the district fire department personnel for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Delhi advisory said .
Rai said he ordered districts to contain the spread of the insects by advising residents to make loud noises and burn Neem leaves .
The Delhi government advised people to keep their windows closed and cover plants with plastic sheets .
They also suggested the use of insecticides after sunset .
K L Gunjar of the Locust Warning Organization told the Press Trust of India that the swarm was moving toward Faridabad and Palwal in Haryana state .
Locusts pose a threat to crops and food supply , endangering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in their path .

June 27 (UPI) -- Local officials in India advised residents near Delhi to be on alert and close their windows as a swarm of desert locusts entered the capital Saturday.
The swarm arrived in the neighboring city of Gurugram in Haryana state, as well as the South and West districts of Delhi. The government of Haryana issued a high alert, and Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai called for an emergency meeting.
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"All district magistrates have been advised to remain on high alert and to cooperate with the district fire department personnel for spraying prescribed pesticides/insecticides," the a Delhi advisory said.
Rai said he ordered districts to contain the spread of the insects by advising residents to make loud noises and burn Neem leaves.
The Delhi government advised people to keep their windows closed and cover plants with plastic sheets. They also suggested the use of insecticides after sunset.
K L Gunjar of the Locust Warning Organization told the Press Trust of India that the swarm was moving toward Faridabad and Palwal in Haryana state.
Locusts pose a threat to crops and food supply, endangering the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in their path.


upi--2020-06-27--Teen social media star Siya Kakkar dies

Teen social media star Siya Kakkar dies

June 27 ( UPI ) -- Siya Kakkar , a teen TikTok star known for her viral dance videos , has died at her home in India , her manager said .
Kakkar 's representative Arjun Sarin announced the news on Instagram on Thursday .
`` No more words .
You will always be the best artist .
Rest In Peace , '' Sarin captioned a photo of Kakkar smiling .
He told Entertainment Tonight he spoke with Kakkar hours before her death .
`` She sounded very normal , just like we talk every day , '' Sarin said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was one of the finest artists and her focus was not money .
Her focus was to work for her happiness . ''
Dehli Police confirmed to India Today Television that Kakkar took her own life , but they did not offer further details about the manner of her death .
`` Siya died by suicide at her residence in New Delhi at around 9 p.m. on June 25 .
She lived with her family .
Her family is in shock and has requested privacy .
No suicide note has been recovered , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Investigators said Kakkar -- who has been identified in media reports as either 16 or 17 years old -- was suffering from depression during the coronavirus pandemic .
Police said they have her phone and are hoping to find more answers by combing through her records .
Kakkar had about 2 million followers on social media .

Siya Kakkar, a teen TikTok star known for her viral dance videos, has died by suicide at her home in India. Photo courtesy of Arjun Sarin/Instagram
June 27 (UPI) -- Siya Kakkar, a teen TikTok star known for her viral dance videos, has died at her home in India, her manager said. Kakkar's representative Arjun Sarin announced the news on Instagram on Thursday. Advertisement
"No more words. You will always be the best artist. Rest In Peace," Sarin captioned a photo of Kakkar smiling.
He told Entertainment Tonight he spoke with Kakkar hours before her death.
"She sounded very normal, just like we talk every day," Sarin said. "I can just say she was one of the finest artists and her focus was not money. Her focus was to work for her happiness."
Dehli Police confirmed to India Today Television that Kakkar took her own life, but they did not offer further details about the manner of her death.
"Siya died by suicide at her residence in New Delhi at around 9 p.m. on June 25. She lived with her family. Her family is in shock and has requested privacy. No suicide note has been recovered," officials said in a statement.
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Investigators said Kakkar -- who has been identified in media reports as either 16 or 17 years old -- was suffering from depression during the coronavirus pandemic.
Police said they have her phone and are hoping to find more answers by combing through her records.
Kakkar had about 2 million followers on social media.


upi--2020-06-27--Irish Oireachtas elects Michael Martin as new taoiseach

June 27 ( UPI ) -- The Irish Parliament elected veteran opposition leader Michael Martin as the country 's new prime minister Saturday .
The lower chamber , the Dail , voted 93-63 with three abstentions to elect Martin , a member of the center-right politician Fianna Fail Party , as taoiseach .
Martin , a 31-year veteran member of Parliament and nine-year party leader , was one of two nominees for the prime minister position .
He faced Sinn Fein Party leader Mary Lou McDonald in the election .
Martin will lead an unprecedented three-party government , which includes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Fine Gael , along with a smaller Green Party .
He pledged `` recovery and renewal '' would be the focus of the new government 's priorities amid the coronavirus pandemic , Brexit , a housing crisis , long hospital waiting times and the `` existential crisis posed by climate change . ''
He added that he was proud to accept the position and the pandemic would be his greatest challenge .
COVID-19 `` is the fastest moving recession ever to hit our country and to overcome it we must act with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while addressing the Dail gathered in the Dublin Convention Center , which had enough room to allow for social distancing .
`` Our country has shown time and time again that we can overcome the toughest challenges , '' he added , `` and we will do so again . ''
Martin replaces Leo Varadkar , of the Fine Gael Party , who resigned in February after no single political party in the general election won enough of a majority to secure a mandate to govern .
He stayed on in a caretaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sinn Fein Party won a slim lead in seats .
Varadkar , a retired doctor , drew acclaim for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as he reactivated his medical doctor registration while in office as a caretaker and spent half a day each week fielding calls from people who said they might have contracted the virus .
Elected in 2017 , Varadkar was also the country 's first openly gay prime minister .

Ireland's Fianna Fail Party leader Micheal Martin arrives at the Convention Centre in Dublin, shortly before the Dail elected him prime minister. Photo by Aidan Crawley/EPA-EFE
June 27 (UPI) -- The Irish Parliament elected veteran opposition leader Michael Martin as the country's new prime minister Saturday. The lower chamber, the Dail, voted 93-63 with three abstentions to elect Martin, a member of the center-right politician Fianna Fail Party, as taoiseach. Advertisement
Martin, a 31-year veteran member of Parliament and nine-year party leader, was one of two nominees for the prime minister position. He faced Sinn Fein Party leader Mary Lou McDonald in the election.
Martin will lead an unprecedented three-party government, which includes rival center-right political movements, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, along with a smaller Green Party. He pledged "recovery and renewal" would be the focus of the new government's priorities amid the coronavirus pandemic, Brexit, a housing crisis, long hospital waiting times and the "existential crisis posed by climate change."
He added that he was proud to accept the position and the pandemic would be his greatest challenge.
COVID-19 "is the fastest moving recession ever to hit our country and to overcome it we must act with urgency and ambition," Martin said while addressing the Dail gathered in the Dublin Convention Center, which had enough room to allow for social distancing.
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"Our country has shown time and time again that we can overcome the toughest challenges," he added, "and we will do so again."
Martin replaces Leo Varadkar, of the Fine Gael Party, who resigned in February after no single political party in the general election won enough of a majority to secure a mandate to govern. He stayed on in a caretaker role since the election. The center-left Sinn Fein Party won a slim lead in seats.
Varadkar, a retired doctor, drew acclaim for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as he reactivated his medical doctor registration while in office as a caretaker and spent half a day each week fielding calls from people who said they might have contracted the virus.
Elected in 2017, Varadkar was also the country's first openly gay prime minister.