upi--2020-04-24--Famous birthdays for April 24: Kelly Clarkson, Kehlani

April 24 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Taurus .

Kelly Clarkson attends the 54th annual Academy of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 7, 2019. The singer turns 38 on April 24. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
April 24 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Taurus. They include: Advertisement
-- French Roman Catholic St. Vincent de Paul in 1581
-- British novelist Anthony Trollope in 1815
-- French Gen. Philippe Petain in 1856
-- U.S. artist Willem de Kooning in 1904
-- Actor Shirley MacLaine in 1934 (age 86)
File Photo by Kris Tripplaar/UPI
-- Actor Jill Ireland in 1936
-- Writer Sue Grafton in 1940
-- Singer/actor/filmmaker Barbra Streisand in 1942 (age 78)
-- Former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley in 1942 (age 78)
-- Fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier in 1952 (age 68)
-- Actor Eric Bogosian in 1953 (age 67)
-- Actor Michael O'Keefe in 1955 (age 65)
-- Actor Cedric the Entertainer, born Cedric Antonio Kyles, in 1964 (age 56)
File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
-- Actor Rebecca Mader in 1977 (age 43)
-- Singer Kelly Clarkson in 1982 (age 38)
-- Actor Joe Keery in 1992 (age 28)
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-- Singer/actor Jordan Fisher in 1994 (age 26)
-- Singer Kehlani Parrish in 1995 (age 25)


upi--2020-04-24--UPI News Quiz: Protests, astronauts, the queen's birthday

U.S. News // 7 hours ago
Hunter Biden lawyer asks to withdraw from case because he could be called as witness
Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Hunter Biden's lawyer asked to withdraw from the criminal case against Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, over the possibility he might be called as a witness.


upi--2020-04-24--Tribes prepare hemp, CBD strategies after USDA approval

DENVER , April 24 ( UPI ) -- Newly approved federal plans for tribal industrial hemp production are giving U.S. sovereign nations a competitive advantage in growing the plant and selling CBD , the tribes say .
As U.S. farmers rush to plant industrial hemp after 80 years of prohibition , tribal sovereign governments find they have an advantage because they can cut through red tape and become the first entrepreneurs in state markets to offer their own CBD and hemp products .
`` The tribe is very excited about hemp , '' said Joseph VanGorp , hemp operations director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Mississippi in Iowa .
`` It 's been a long time coming . ''
The 2018 Farm Bill allowed tribes to apply directly for approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for hemp programs .
USDA has approved 20 tribal nations ' plans , with 18 more under review or in drafting stages .
As sovereign nations , tribes can craft their own hemp plans , and tribal hemp companies do not have to be licensed by the agriculture departments of states in which they are situated .
Tribal-owned hemp operations can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coffers to pay for member social services .
In Tama , Iowa , the 7,000-acre sovereign Sac & Fox Tribe , or Meskwaki Nation , can use its sovereign jurisdiction to regulate the CBD that the tribe will produce , hemp director VanGorp said .
Iowa has some of the most restrictive laws for CBD , which can only be sold with a doctor 's prescription , according to the state attorney general .
The tribe will sell its own CBD at its truck stop in Tama and through wholesalers .
It already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CBD is difficult to obtain in Iowa , '' VanGorp said .
`` It will be a lot easier for people to just come to Tama and choose what they want to buy . ''
VanGorp , who formerly worked in Colorado as a chemist in CBD extraction , said the tribe also plans to open an extraction facility -- the first in the state .
After hemp was allowed again in the 2018 Farm Bill , the Iowa Department of Agriculture approved a hemp plan for 2020 and some farmers are obtaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been approved in the state .
Iowa had a rich history of industrial hemp production before the plant was federally prohibited .
`` There were about 11 processing plants for hemp in the state in the 1940s , '' VanGorp said .
In New York 's Cayuga Nation , the new hemp program this year will get a jump on other New York farmers , said Clint Halftown , the tribe 's federal representative .
New York does not yet appear on the USDA 's list of state-approved plans , although Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 .
As a result , hemp-growing still must be coordinated through a university pilot program .
Approved hemp programs for Cayuga Nation , and the affiliated Seneca Nation , will have more flexibility to grow hemp and market their own CBD products , tribal leader Halftown said .
The tribe , which grows vegetables and soybeans and raises cattle near Seneca Falls , N.Y. , plans to plant hemp this spring .
`` Our nation-owned and operated hemp program and our own line of CBD will stimulate another avenue revenue source for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The USDA last week also approved a hemp plan for the Montana-based Blackfeet Nation .
The tribe belongs to the Blackfoot Confederacy , a family of tribes on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border .
Canadian farmers have been growing hemp for seed and fiber for more than 20 years , and some Canadian sovereign nations began to grow cannabis last year .
Canada legalized recreational marijuana in 2018 .

The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved an industrial hemp plan for the Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa, which has incorporated new hemp and CBD companies. Photo courtesy of Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa
DENVER, April 24 (UPI) -- Newly approved federal plans for tribal industrial hemp production are giving U.S. sovereign nations a competitive advantage in growing the plant and selling CBD, the tribes say. As U.S. farmers rush to plant industrial hemp after 80 years of prohibition, tribal sovereign governments find they have an advantage because they can cut through red tape and become the first entrepreneurs in state markets to offer their own CBD and hemp products. Advertisement
"The tribe is very excited about hemp," said Joseph VanGorp, hemp operations director for the Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa. "It's been a long time coming."
The 2018 Farm Bill allowed tribes to apply directly for approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for hemp programs. USDA has approved 20 tribal nations' plans, with 18 more under review or in drafting stages.
Advertisement
As sovereign nations, tribes can craft their own hemp plans, and tribal hemp companies do not have to be licensed by the agriculture departments of states in which they are situated.
Tribal-owned hemp operations can potentially bring new revenue into the tribal coffers to pay for member social services.
In Tama, Iowa, the 7,000-acre sovereign Sac & Fox Tribe, or Meskwaki Nation, can use its sovereign jurisdiction to regulate the CBD that the tribe will produce, hemp director VanGorp said.
Iowa has some of the most restrictive laws for CBD, which can only be sold with a doctor's prescription, according to the state attorney general. The tribe will sell its own CBD at its truck stop in Tama and through wholesalers. It already sells tobacco and vaping products.
"CBD is difficult to obtain in Iowa," VanGorp said. "It will be a lot easier for people to just come to Tama and choose what they want to buy."
VanGorp, who formerly worked in Colorado as a chemist in CBD extraction, said the tribe also plans to open an extraction facility -- the first in the state.
After hemp was allowed again in the 2018 Farm Bill, the Iowa Department of Agriculture approved a hemp plan for 2020 and some farmers are obtaining licenses. But no processing facilities have been approved in the state.
Advertisement
Iowa had a rich history of industrial hemp production before the plant was federally prohibited. "There were about 11 processing plants for hemp in the state in the 1940s," VanGorp said.
In New York's Cayuga Nation, the new hemp program this year will get a jump on other New York farmers, said Clint Halftown, the tribe's federal representative.
New York does not yet appear on the USDA's list of state-approved plans, although Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved hemp regulations in December 2019. As a result, hemp-growing still must be coordinated through a university pilot program.
Approved hemp programs for Cayuga Nation, and the affiliated Seneca Nation, will have more flexibility to grow hemp and market their own CBD products, tribal leader Halftown said.
The tribe, which grows vegetables and soybeans and raises cattle near Seneca Falls, N.Y., plans to plant hemp this spring.
"Our nation-owned and operated hemp program and our own line of CBD will stimulate another avenue revenue source for the community," Halftown said.
The USDA last week also approved a hemp plan for the Montana-based Blackfeet Nation. The tribe belongs to the Blackfoot Confederacy, a family of tribes on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border.
Advertisement
Canadian farmers have been growing hemp for seed and fiber for more than 20 years, and some Canadian sovereign nations began to grow cannabis last year. Canada legalized recreational marijuana in 2018.


upi--2020-04-24--Angus Macfadyen spent 20 years trying to make 'Robert the Bruce'

LOS ANGELES , April 24 ( UPI ) -- Angus Macfadyen played Robert the Bruce , a Scottish nobleman , whom William Wallace ( Mel Gibson ) sought to join the cause of Scottish freedom , in the Oscar-winning 1995 film Braveheart .
Robert became King of Scotland and led the Scots to freedom from England after the events of Braveheart .
For the past 20 years , Macfadyen has been trying to tell that story .
Macfadyen co-wrote Robert the Bruce with Eric Belgau , and it 's on video-on-demand and digital platforms Friday .
After discussing the project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draft in 2006 .
`` We had a big-budget Hollywood-style movie that was going to cost a lot of millions and could n't raise the money for that , '' Macfadyen told UPI in a phone interview .
`` I was n't considered some kind of a box office movie star , so [ a studio ] ca n't drop $ 65 million on a film like that . ''
While Macfadyen and Belgau were rewriting their script to reduce the cost , another Robert the Bruce movie came out .
Netflix released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Robert the Bruce , in 2018 .
`` Funnily enough , that actually helped , '' Macfadyen said .
`` If there could be one , there could be two because there was interest . ''
Hollywood has a history of releasing two similar movies around the same time , such as volcano movies Dante 's Peak and Volcano , asteroid movies Deep Impact and Armageddon , animated bug movies Antz and A Bug 's Life , and even two Truman Capote biopics with Capote and Infamous .
Macfadyen leveraged Outlaw King to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as the original Robert the Bruce , to go , 'Well , I 'm not dead and buried in the ground yet , so we can tell this version . '
'' MacFadyen said .
`` I have Outlaw King to thank in some way . ''
In rewriting his Robert the Bruce , Macfadyen focused on a point at which Robert the Bruce loses a battle against England 's forces .
The King of England places a bounty on Robert the Bruce and even some Scots turn against him .
Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that belongs to a widow ( Anna Hutchison ) and her children ( Talitha Bateman , Gabriel Bateman , Emma Kenney ) .
The patriarch and older brothers of the family died in battle with Wallace .
`` As a result , the story actually became about the consequences of war , violence and death , but also became a far more intimate and terrifying story , '' Macfadyen said .
`` It culminates in sort of a High Noon-type story .
The battle-hardened men who are hunting down Robert the Bruce are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's passion for Robert the Bruce predates his involvement in Braveheart .
Growing up in Scotland , he heard the stories of Robert the Bruce .
When Gibson , who won an Oscar for directing Braveheart , was casting the film , he 'd originally offered Macfadyen the role of Edward II .
`` I actually , rather arrogantly , refused to audition , '' Macfadyen said .
`` [ I ] went in and met Mel Gibson and on the spot said , ' I 'm not here to talk about that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role . '
I knew that it had already been offered to another actor , yet I still went in and fought for that role . ''
The other actor , whom Macfadyen would not name , was holding out for a role in Rob Roy , another Scottish historical epic released just one month before Braveheart in 1995 .
That role ultimately went to Tim Roth .
Meanwhile , Macfadyen landed his dream role .
Macfadyen did not consider asking Gibson to direct the follow-up .
Richard Gray directed Robert the Bruce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ghost of William Wallace showing up , '' Macfadyen said .
`` It 's not really a sequel , either .
It 's its own story .
It 's not a film that glorifies war .
It 's a film that observes consequences of the violence of it .
It 's an anti-war film really . ''
Braveheart depicted the brutality of war and the atrocities the Scots were fighting against .
However , Macfadyen became concerned the movie glorified violence with its epic battle scenes .
`` That 's always what happens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene , '' Macfadyen said .
`` On some level , it does glorify it . ''
Robert the Bruce still springs into action in Macfadyen 's movie .
He fights enemies one-on-one , as opposed to Braveheart 's hundreds of soldiers in battle .
Macfadyen had to train for the film 's fight scenes .
`` I showed up six weeks early and we were shooting in Montana , '' Macfadyen said .
`` So I started training at altitude for about four , five weeks before we shot to get into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do .
I was glad I did because that was one of the toughest shoots ever working in the cold like that . ''
Macfadyen also learned on Braveheart that he needs more time to train .
It only took one day to injure himself on that film .
`` I was throwing the big broadsword around my head for a couple of hours , '' Macfadyen said .
`` Then I went horse riding the same day .
Then I was laid up in bed for a week and I could n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out from overdoing that one exercise .
That was the extent of my training on Braveheart . ''
Macfadyen still hopes to make one more Robert the Bruce movie .
He has n't forgotten about the original 2006 script that originally covered more historical ground .
He still wants to tell the rest of Robert 's story .
`` I have it ready to go , '' Macfadyen said .
`` If this does well and I can raise the money , I have the other script ready to do .
I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wait too much longer , I 'll be too old to play the role . ''
Macfadyen continues his new career as a writer , too .
His next film is an adaptation of Macbeth .
`` I had a great co-writer on that whose name is William Shakespeare , or Bill as I like to call him , '' he joked .

1/3
Angus Macfadyen reprises his "Braveheart" role in "Robert the Bruce." Photo courtesy of Screen Media
LOS ANGELES, April 24 (UPI) -- Angus Macfadyen played Robert the Bruce, a Scottish nobleman, whom William Wallace (Mel Gibson) sought to join the cause of Scottish freedom, in the Oscar-winning 1995 film Braveheart. Robert became King of Scotland and led the Scots to freedom from England after the events of Braveheart. For the past 20 years, Macfadyen has been trying to tell that story. Macfadyen co-wrote Robert the Bruce with Eric Belgau, and it's on video-on-demand and digital platforms Friday. After discussing the project for years, they prepared a first draft in 2006. Advertisement
"We had a big-budget Hollywood-style movie that was going to cost a lot of millions and couldn't raise the money for that," Macfadyen told UPI in a phone interview. "I wasn't considered some kind of a box office movie star, so [a studio] can't drop $65 million on a film like that."
Advertisement
While Macfadyen and Belgau were rewriting their script to reduce the cost, another Robert the Bruce movie came out. Netflix released Outlaw King, starring Chris Pine as Robert the Bruce, in 2018.
"Funnily enough, that actually helped," Macfadyen said. "If there could be one, there could be two because there was interest."
Hollywood has a history of releasing two similar movies around the same time, such as volcano movies Dante's Peak and Volcano, asteroid movies Deep Impact and Armageddon, animated bug movies Antz and A Bug's Life, and even two Truman Capote biopics with Capote and Infamous. Macfadyen leveraged Outlaw King to his advantage.
"It allowed me, as the original Robert the Bruce, to go, 'Well, I'm not dead and buried in the ground yet, so we can tell this version.'" MacFadyen said. "I have Outlaw King to thank in some way."
In rewriting his Robert the Bruce, Macfadyen focused on a point at which Robert the Bruce loses a battle against England's forces. The King of England places a bounty on Robert the Bruce and even some Scots turn against him.
Robert spends the movie healing at a farm that belongs to a widow (Anna Hutchison) and her children (Talitha Bateman, Gabriel Bateman, Emma Kenney). The patriarch and older brothers of the family died in battle with Wallace.
Advertisement
"As a result, the story actually became about the consequences of war, violence and death, but also became a far more intimate and terrifying story," Macfadyen said. "It culminates in sort of a High Noon-type story. The battle-hardened men who are hunting down Robert the Bruce are going to find him."
Macfadyen's passion for Robert the Bruce predates his involvement in Braveheart. Growing up in Scotland, he heard the stories of Robert the Bruce. When Gibson, who won an Oscar for directing Braveheart, was casting the film, he'd originally offered Macfadyen the role of Edward II.
"I actually, rather arrogantly, refused to audition," Macfadyen said. "[I] went in and met Mel Gibson and on the spot said, 'I'm not here to talk about that role. Robert the Bruce is my role.' I knew that it had already been offered to another actor, yet I still went in and fought for that role."
The other actor, whom Macfadyen would not name, was holding out for a role in Rob Roy, another Scottish historical epic released just one month before Braveheart in 1995. That role ultimately went to Tim Roth. Meanwhile, Macfadyen landed his dream role.
Macfadyen did not consider asking Gibson to direct the follow-up. Richard Gray directed Robert the Bruce.
Advertisement
"We didn't want the ghost of William Wallace showing up," Macfadyen said. "It's not really a sequel, either. It's its own story. It's not a film that glorifies war. It's a film that observes consequences of the violence of it. It's an anti-war film really."
Braveheart depicted the brutality of war and the atrocities the Scots were fighting against. However, Macfadyen became concerned the movie glorified violence with its epic battle scenes.
"That's always what happens when you make a really great fight scene," Macfadyen said. "On some level, it does glorify it."
Robert the Bruce still springs into action in Macfadyen's movie. He fights enemies one-on-one, as opposed to Braveheart's hundreds of soldiers in battle. Macfadyen had to train for the film's fight scenes.
"I showed up six weeks early and we were shooting in Montana," Macfadyen said. "So I started training at altitude for about four, five weeks before we shot to get into shape to do what we had to do. I was glad I did because that was one of the toughest shoots ever working in the cold like that."
Macfadyen also learned on Braveheart that he needs more time to train. It only took one day to injure himself on that film.
Advertisement
"I was throwing the big broadsword around my head for a couple of hours," Macfadyen said. "Then I went horse riding the same day. Then I was laid up in bed for a week and I couldn't move because my entire neck had gone out from overdoing that one exercise. That was the extent of my training on Braveheart."
Macfadyen still hopes to make one more Robert the Bruce movie. He hasn't forgotten about the original 2006 script that originally covered more historical ground. He still wants to tell the rest of Robert's story.
"I have it ready to go," Macfadyen said. "If this does well and I can raise the money, I have the other script ready to do. I have one more in me. If I wait too much longer, I'll be too old to play the role."
Macfadyen continues his new career as a writer, too. His next film is an adaptation of Macbeth.
"I had a great co-writer on that whose name is William Shakespeare, or Bill as I like to call him," he joked.


upi--2020-04-24--Flight attendants union: Halt leisure travel until coronavirus contained

April 24 ( UPI ) -- The head of a large flight attendants union has called on the Trump administration to end all non-essential flights until the coronavirus has been contained to stop the spread and protect its tens of thousands of members .
In a letter Thursday , the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA urged the U.S .
Departments of Transportation and Health and Human Services to bar all leisure travel until the virus is contained .
`` We call on lawmakers and regulators to take further action to limit the spread of the virus by restricting air travel to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' AFA International President Sara Nelson wrote in the four-page letter , addressed to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and HHS Secretary Alex Azar .
`` While this global system is integral to our modern economy , its essential inter-connectedness also provides a convenient pathway for opportunistic pathogens to hitch rides on unsuspecting crewmembers and travelers and spread all over the world .
`` As some of the most frequent travelers , flight attendants feel a deep responsibility to ensure that our workplace risks of acquiring and spreading communicable diseases are minimized as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flight attendants have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic and have been `` hit hard '' as at least 250 of the union 's 50,000 members at 20 carriers have so far tested positive for the virus , and some have died .
`` The scars run deep , '' she added .
`` Recent media reports document the guilt felt by those who question if we are helping to spread the virus , feelings of fear and grief as coworkers die and wonder about when this will all be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the departments to mandate the use of masks by crew , employees and passengers on airplanes and in airports , as well as require employers to provide workers with personal protective equipment .
`` We believe that ... ensuring air travel is not aiding in spread of the virus requires a halt to all leisure travel until the pandemic is brought under control according to health authorities , '' it concludes.
`` In addition , we request messaging from all leadership to encourage the public to end leisure travel until we have 'flattened @ @ @ @ @

1/11
Grounded commercial aircraft are stored at the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, Calif., on Wednesday. All U.S. carriers have cut most flights and parked aircraft during the coronavirus emergency. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
April 24 (UPI) -- The head of a large flight attendants union has called on the Trump administration to end all non-essential flights until the coronavirus has been contained to stop the spread and protect its tens of thousands of members. In a letter Thursday, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA urged the U.S. Departments of Transportation and Health and Human Services to bar all leisure travel until the virus is contained. Advertisement
"We call on lawmakers and regulators to take further action to limit the spread of the virus by restricting air travel to only that necessary to continue essential services," AFA International President Sara Nelson wrote in the four-page letter, addressed to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and HHS Secretary Alex Azar.
"While this global system is integral to our modern economy, its essential inter-connectedness also provides a convenient pathway for opportunistic pathogens to hitch rides on unsuspecting crewmembers and travelers and spread all over the world.
"As some of the most frequent travelers, flight attendants feel a deep responsibility to ensure that our workplace risks of acquiring and spreading communicable diseases are minimized as much as possible."
Advertisement
Nelson said flight attendants have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic and have been "hit hard" as at least 250 of the union's 50,000 members at 20 carriers have so far tested positive for the virus, and some have died.
"The scars run deep," she added. "Recent media reports document the guilt felt by those who question if we are helping to spread the virus, feelings of fear and grief as coworkers die and wonder about when this will all be over."
The letter calls for the departments to mandate the use of masks by crew, employees and passengers on airplanes and in airports, as well as require employers to provide workers with personal protective equipment.
"We believe that ... ensuring air travel is not aiding in spread of the virus requires a halt to all leisure travel until the pandemic is brought under control according to health authorities," it concludes. " In addition, we request messaging from all leadership to encourage the public to end leisure travel until we have 'flattened the curve.'"
COVID-19 pandemic alters life in New York City


upi--2020-04-24--Judge blocks California's ammunition purchase law

April 24 ( UPI ) -- A federal judge has blocked a California law requiring background checks for ammunition purchases , stating the regulation violates the Second Amendment .
In a strongly worded critique , Judge Roger Benitez in San Diego on Thursday preliminarily enjoined California from enforcing the background check provision of Proposition 63 as it is litigated , stating the new gun control measure is `` onerous , '' `` convoluted '' and `` constitutionally defective . ''
`` The background check experiment defies common sense while unduly and severely burdening the Second Amendment rights of every responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ammunition , '' he wrote in his 120-page ruling .
The provision was one of several included in Proposition 63 , which a majority of Californian voters approved in 2016 .
The plaintiffs -- the California Rifle and Pistol Association , Olympic skeet shooter Kim Rhode and other gun enthusiasts -- filed a motion for a preliminary injunction against the provision after it was rolled out in July 2018 , saying it placed `` an unconstitutionally excessive burden on law-abiding gun owners with little to no law enforcement value . ''
Chuck Michel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CRPA , called the ruling `` a devastating blow to the anti-gun-owner advocates who falsely pushed Prop 63 in the name of safety . ''
`` In truth , red tape and the state 's disastrous database errors made it impossible for hundreds of thousands of law-abiding Californians to purchase ammunition for sport or self-defense , '' Michel said in a statement .
`` The court found that the flimsy reasons offered by the government to justify these constitutional infringements were woefully inadequate . ''
Non-profit Brady : United Against Gun Violence chastised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patently wrong . ''
`` An unelected judge has -- temporarily -- deprived Californians of an important public safety law that they want and need , claiming an unprecedented , radical revision of the Second Amendment that is contrary to what the Framers intended , and to basic principles of democracy , '' Brady President Kris Brown said in a statement , vowing to support the law on appeal .

April 24 (UPI) -- A federal judge has blocked a California law requiring background checks for ammunition purchases, stating the regulation violates the Second Amendment.
In a strongly worded critique, Judge Roger Benitez in San Diego on Thursday preliminarily enjoined California from enforcing the background check provision of Proposition 63 as it is litigated, stating the new gun control measure is "onerous," "convoluted" and "constitutionally defective."
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"The background check experiment defies common sense while unduly and severely burdening the Second Amendment rights of every responsible, gun-owning citizen desiring to lawfully buy ammunition," he wrote in his 120-page ruling.
The provision was one of several included in Proposition 63, which a majority of Californian voters approved in 2016.
The plaintiffs -- the California Rifle and Pistol Association, Olympic skeet shooter Kim Rhode and other gun enthusiasts -- filed a motion for a preliminary injunction against the provision after it was rolled out in July 2018, saying it placed "an unconstitutionally excessive burden on law-abiding gun owners with little to no law enforcement value."
Chuck Michel, president and general counsel of the CRPA, called the ruling "a devastating blow to the anti-gun-owner advocates who falsely pushed Prop 63 in the name of safety."
Advertisement
"In truth, red tape and the state's disastrous database errors made it impossible for hundreds of thousands of law-abiding Californians to purchase ammunition for sport or self-defense," Michel said in a statement. "The court found that the flimsy reasons offered by the government to justify these constitutional infringements were woefully inadequate."
Non-profit Brady: United Against Gun Violence chastised the court for its decision as "patently wrong."
"An unelected judge has -- temporarily -- deprived Californians of an important public safety law that they want and need, claiming an unprecedented, radical revision of the Second Amendment that is contrary to what the Framers intended, and to basic principles of democracy," Brady President Kris Brown said in a statement, vowing to support the law on appeal.


upi--2020-04-24--Bengals pick Burrow, Dolphins get Tagovailoa in virtual 2020 NFL Draft

April 23 ( UPI ) -- Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa were the first quarterbacks selected in Thursday 's 2020 NFL Draft .
Burrow -- the No .
1 overall pick -- will play for the Cincinnati Bengals .
The Miami Dolphins picked Tagovailoa at No .
5 .
`` To jump to the No .
1 overall pick is crazy , '' Burrow said .
`` It 's a dream come true . ''
The Southeastern Conference broke its own record for players drafted in the first round , with 15 players picked .
Burrow was one of five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Four quarterbacks and six wide receivers were selected , and four trades were completed .
Ohio State teammates Chase Young and Jeff Okudah went with the No .
2 and No .
3 overall picks , respectively .
Young will play for the Washington Redskins , while Okudah is headed to the Detroit Lions .
`` It 's time to go to work and get back on my horse .
It 's go time now , '' Young said .
Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas was the No .
4 overall pick .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giants .
Former Oregon star Justin Herbert was drafted immediately after Tagovailoa .
Herbert will suit up for the Los Angeles Chargers .
`` This has been my entire family 's dream , '' Tagovailoa said of being drafted .
`` I 'm blessed to say that I carry all of them here with me . ''
The Carolina Panthers took Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown with the No .
7 overall pick .
The Arizona Cardinals picked Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons at No .
8 overall .
Florida cornerback C.J .
Henderson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No .
9 pick .
The Cleveland Browns rounded out the top-10 picks with Alabama offensive tackle Jedrick Wills .
The top college prospects sat with their families while at home during the unprecedented virtual draft .
The annual public player selection process initially had been planned for Las Vegas , but was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The Raiders made their first-ever draft selection as the Las Vegas Raiders at No .
12 when they chose Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III .
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draft .
Tampa Bay selected Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs with the No .
13 pick .
The 49ers took South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw with the next pick .
The New England Patriots also made a trade in the first round .
The Chargers acquired the Patriots ' No .
23 overall pick in the swap and selected Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray .
The 49ers were involved in another trade later in the round .
San Francisco picked up the No .
25 overall pick from the Minnesota Vikings and drafted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Miami Dolphins traded their No .
26 pick to the Green Bay Packers .
The Packers selected Utah State quarterback Jordan Love with the pick .
The second and third rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft start at 7 p.m. EDT Friday and air on ESPN , NFL Network and ABC .

1/3
Joe Burrow will join veteran quarterback Andy Dalton on the Cincinnati Bengals' roster after being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. File Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo
April 23 (UPI) -- Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa were the first quarterbacks selected in Thursday's 2020 NFL Draft. Burrow -- the No. 1 overall pick -- will play for the Cincinnati Bengals. The Miami Dolphins picked Tagovailoa at No. 5. "To jump to the No. 1 overall pick is crazy," Burrow said. "It's a dream come true." Advertisement
The Southeastern Conference broke its own record for players drafted in the first round, with 15 players picked. Burrow was one of five LSU players taken in the round. Four quarterbacks and six wide receivers were selected, and four trades were completed.
Ohio State teammates Chase Young and Jeff Okudah went with the No. 2 and No. 3 overall picks, respectively. Young will play for the Washington Redskins, while Okudah is headed to the Detroit Lions.
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"It's time to go to work and get back on my horse. It's go time now," Young said.
Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas was the No. 4 overall pick. Thomas is headed to the New York Giants. Former Oregon star Justin Herbert was drafted immediately after Tagovailoa. Herbert will suit up for the Los Angeles Chargers.
"This has been my entire family's dream," Tagovailoa said of being drafted. "I'm blessed to say that I carry all of them here with me."
The Carolina Panthers took Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown with the No. 7 overall pick. The Arizona Cardinals picked Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons at No. 8 overall.
Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson went to the Jacksonville Jaguars with the No. 9 pick. The Cleveland Browns rounded out the top-10 picks with Alabama offensive tackle Jedrick Wills.
The top college prospects sat with their families while at home during the unprecedented virtual draft. The annual public player selection process initially had been planned for Las Vegas, but was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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The Raiders made their first-ever draft selection as the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 12 when they chose Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers made the first trade of the draft. Tampa Bay selected Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs with the No. 13 pick. The 49ers took South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw with the next pick.
The New England Patriots also made a trade in the first round. The Chargers acquired the Patriots' No. 23 overall pick in the swap and selected Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray. The 49ers were involved in another trade later in the round. San Francisco picked up the No. 25 overall pick from the Minnesota Vikings and drafted Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
The Miami Dolphins traded their No. 26 pick to the Green Bay Packers. The Packers selected Utah State quarterback Jordan Love with the pick.
The second and third rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft start at 7 p.m. EDT Friday and air on ESPN, NFL Network and ABC.
2020 NFL Round 1 Draft results
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1. Cincinnati Bengals: LSU quarterback Joe Burrow
2. Washington Redskins: Ohio State defensive end Chase Young
3. Detroit Lions: Ohio State defensive back Jeffrey Okudah
4. New York Giants: Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas
5. Miami Dolphins: Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa
6. Los Angeles Chargers: Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert
7. Carolina Panthers: Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown
8. Arizona Cardinals: Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons
9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson
10. Cleveland Browns: Alabama offensive tackle Jedrick Wills
11. New York Jets: Louisville offensive tackle Mekhi Becton
12. Las Vegas Raiders: Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (traded from San Francisco 49ers): Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs
14. San Francisco 49ers (from Tampa Bay Buccaneers): South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw
15. Denver Broncos: Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy
16. Atlanta Falcons: Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell
17. Dallas Cowboys: Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb
18. Miami Dolphins: USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson
19. Las Vegas Raiders: Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette
20. Jacksonville Jaguars: LSU edge K'Lavon Chaisson
21. Philadelphia Eagles: TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor
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22. Minnesota Vikings: LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson
23. Los Angeles Chargers (trade from New England Patriots): Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray
24. New Orleans Saints: Michigan center Cesar Ruiz
25. San Francisco 49ers (trade from Minnesota Vikings): Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk
26. Green Bay Packers (trade from Miami Dolphins): Utah State quarterback Jordan Love
27. Seattle Seahawks: Texas Tech linebacker Jordyn Brooks
28. Baltimore Ravens: LSU linebacker Patrick Queen
29. Tennessee Titans: Georgia offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson
30. Miami Dolphins (trade from Green Bay Packers): Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene
31. Minnesota Vikings (from San Francisco 49ers): TCU cornerback Jeff Gladney
32. Kansas City Chiefs: LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire


upi--2020-04-24--Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, CDC says

April 24 ( UPI ) -- Nearly half of all American adults have high blood pressure , according to new figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
In estimates released Friday , the agency reported that , in 2017-18 , more than 45 percent of people 18 years of age and older had blood pressure above the threshold for hypertension -- high blood pressure -- of 130/80 mmHg .
Notably , this figure has remained relatively stable for 20 years -- though it dipped briefly to roughly 42 percent in 2009-2010 and 2013-2014 .
In 1999-2000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. met the CDC 's criteria for high blood pressure , according to the latest report .
And , as was the case two decades ago , high blood pressure remains more common among men than women .
The CDC estimates that , in 2017-18 , 51 percent of men had high blood pressure , compared to slightly less than 40 percent of women .
Part of the explanation for the lack of change in the prevalence in hypertension over the first two decades of the 21st century involves revisions to how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted .
In 2017 , the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association released new guidelines that lowered the threshold for high blood pressure from 140 mmHg for systolic and 90 mmHg for diastolic .
If the old threshold was still being used , the agency 's 2017-2018 estimate for the prevalence of hypertension would be less than 31 percent .
`` In general , lowering the blood pressure threshold for the diagnosis of hypertension is expected to result in earlier treatment , '' the CDC noted .
The prevalence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age , the CDC found .
In all , 22 percent of Americans between 18 and 39 years of age had the condition in 2017-18 , but that figure increased to 55 percent among those between 40 and 59 years age and to 75 percent among those 60 years of age and older .
There are racial differences as well , with the prevalence of hypertension higher among black adults , at 57 percent , than white or Hispanic adults , at roughly 44 percent each .
In addition , college graduates had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at 39 percent , than adults with high school education or less , at 47 percent .

Half of all U.S. adults have high blood pressure, according to the CDC's latest estimates. Photo by agilemktg1/Flickr
April 24 (UPI) -- Nearly half of all American adults have high blood pressure, according to new figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In estimates released Friday, the agency reported that, in 2017-18, more than 45 percent of people 18 years of age and older had blood pressure above the threshold for hypertension -- high blood pressure -- of 130/80 mmHg. Advertisement
Notably, this figure has remained relatively stable for 20 years -- though it dipped briefly to roughly 42 percent in 2009-2010 and 2013-2014.
In 1999-2000, 47 percent of all adults in the U.S. met the CDC's criteria for high blood pressure, according to the latest report.
And, as was the case two decades ago, high blood pressure remains more common among men than women. The CDC estimates that, in 2017-18, 51 percent of men had high blood pressure, compared to slightly less than 40 percent of women.
Part of the explanation for the lack of change in the prevalence in hypertension over the first two decades of the 21st century involves revisions to how the condition is defined, the CDC noted. In 2017, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association released new guidelines that lowered the threshold for high blood pressure from 140 mmHg for systolic and 90 mmHg for diastolic.
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If the old threshold was still being used, the agency's 2017-2018 estimate for the prevalence of hypertension would be less than 31 percent.
"In general, lowering the blood pressure threshold for the diagnosis of hypertension is expected to result in earlier treatment," the CDC noted.
The prevalence of high blood pressure seems to increase with age, the CDC found. In all, 22 percent of Americans between 18 and 39 years of age had the condition in 2017-18, but that figure increased to 55 percent among those between 40 and 59 years age and to 75 percent among those 60 years of age and older.
There are racial differences as well, with the prevalence of hypertension higher among black adults, at 57 percent, than white or Hispanic adults, at roughly 44 percent each. In addition, college graduates had a significantly lower prevalence of the condition, at 39 percent, than adults with high school education or less, at 47 percent.


upi--2020-04-23--Dems urge Trump to reinstate WHO funding; Pompeo says it may never happen

April 23 ( UPI ) -- House Democrats urged President Donald Trump on Thursday to reinstate funding to the World Health Organization as the State Department 's top diplomat said they may never contribute to the United Nations agency again .
Democratic members of the House committee on foreign affairs told Trump in a letter that his decision last week to halt funding to the WHO is `` profoundly misguided , '' charging the president with using the agency as a `` scapegoat '' to deflect from his `` mismanaged and politicized response to the pandemic . ''
Last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States -- the U.N. health agency 's largest contributor at more than $ 890 million -- would be halting future funding over its `` mismanaging and covering up the spread '' of the coronavirus .
Amid the pandemic , the Trump administration has frequently leveled criticism at China for conducting a cover-up of its initial response to the virus and at the WHO for its handling of the situation .
The foreign affairs committee said the WHO is not perfect and a review of its early handling of the health crisis should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China , but now is not the time to halt funding .
`` Halting funding to the WHO at this time is like cutting funding to the fire department in the middle of a blaze , '' read the letter signed by all 26-panel Democratic members .
`` Retreating from global health institutions at this time will only hinder our ability to fight the coronavirus , thus putting our national security and American lives at risk . ''
The letter was sent to the president on the heels of Secretary of State Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that the WHO is in need of `` a structural fix . ''
Pompeo charged China in an interview with Laura Ingraham of Fox News late Wednesday with continuing to be opaque and closed with the United States about the information it has on COVID-19 and said the WHO is failing its responsibility to achieve that needed transparency .
`` They 're not doing it .
They need to be held accountable , '' he said of the WHO .
Days after Trump pulled the WHO 's funding , 17 Republicans called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the resignation of the agency 's director-general , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus .
Asked if he thought Ghebreyesus ' removal might be a requirement for the resumption of funding , Pompeo replied that may not be enough .
`` Even more than that , it may be the case that the United States can never return to underwriting having U.S. taxpayer dollars go to the WHO , '' he said .
`` We may need to have bolder change than that . ''
China has frequently refuted U.S. accusations over its response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO over its response during the early days of the outbreak .
On Wednesday , Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters that China has been transparent since the outbreak began .
`` The Chinese government has been nothing but open , transparent and responsible in timely informing the WHO and relevant countries and regions , including the United States , of pandemic-related information , '' he said .
On Thursday , China said it was donating an additional $ 30 million to the WHO to make up for the U.S shortfall .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ him to reconsider , calling for unity against a common enemy .

United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo participates in a news briefing with members of the Coronavirus Task Force at the White House on April 8 in Washington, D.C. Photo by Chris Kleponis/UPI | License Photo
April 23 (UPI) -- House Democrats urged President Donald Trump on Thursday to reinstate funding to the World Health Organization as the State Department's top diplomat said they may never contribute to the United Nations agency again. Democratic members of the House committee on foreign affairs told Trump in a letter that his decision last week to halt funding to the WHO is "profoundly misguided," charging the president with using the agency as a "scapegoat" to deflect from his "mismanaged and politicized response to the pandemic." Advertisement
Last week, President Donald Trump announced the United States -- the U.N. health agency's largest contributor at more than $890 million -- would be halting future funding over its "mismanaging and covering up the spread" of the coronavirus.
Amid the pandemic, the Trump administration has frequently leveled criticism at China for conducting a cover-up of its initial response to the virus and at the WHO for its handling of the situation.
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The foreign affairs committee said the WHO is not perfect and a review of its early handling of the health crisis should be thoroughly reviewed, especially its dealings with China, but now is not the time to halt funding.
"Halting funding to the WHO at this time is like cutting funding to the fire department in the middle of a blaze," read the letter signed by all 26-panel Democratic members. "Retreating from global health institutions at this time will only hinder our ability to fight the coronavirus, thus putting our national security and American lives at risk."
The letter was sent to the president on the heels of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stating funding may never be restored and that the WHO is in need of "a structural fix."
Pompeo charged China in an interview with Laura Ingraham of Fox News late Wednesday with continuing to be opaque and closed with the United States about the information it has on COVID-19 and said the WHO is failing its responsibility to achieve that needed transparency.
"They're not doing it. They need to be held accountable," he said of the WHO.
Days after Trump pulled the WHO's funding, 17 Republicans called for its reinstatement to be conditioned on the resignation of the agency's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
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Asked if he thought Ghebreyesus' removal might be a requirement for the resumption of funding, Pompeo replied that may not be enough.
"Even more than that, it may be the case that the United States can never return to underwriting having U.S. taxpayer dollars go to the WHO," he said. "We may need to have bolder change than that."
China has frequently refuted U.S. accusations over its response to the pandemic, pointing to praise from the WHO over its response during the early days of the outbreak.
On Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters that China has been transparent since the outbreak began.
"The Chinese government has been nothing but open, transparent and responsible in timely informing the WHO and relevant countries and regions, including the United States, of pandemic-related information," he said.
On Thursday, China said it was donating an additional $30 million to the WHO to make up for the U.S shortfall.
After Trump pulled funding, Ghebreyesus urged him to reconsider, calling for unity against a common enemy.


upi--2020-04-24--Bengals get Tee Higgins, Eagles pick Jalen Hurts in Round 2 of 2020 NFL Draft

April 24 ( UPI ) -- One day removed from adding star quarterback Joe Burrow with the No .
1 overall pick , the Cincinnati Bengals selected ex-Clemson receiver Tee Higgins with the first pick in the second round of the virtual 2020 NFL Draft on Friday .
Burrow , who won the Heisman Trophy and a national title at LSU last season , faced off against Higgins and Clemson in the College Football Playoff championship game .
Now , the duo will head to Cincinnati and join an offense that already consists of Pro Bowl wideout A.J .
Green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indianapolis Colts picked USC wideout Michael Pittman Jr. , the son of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Michael Pittman Sr. , with the second pick in Round 2 .
The Detroit Lions chose Georgia star running back D'Andre Swift with the No .
35 overall pick in the draft .
The New York Giants took Alabama defensive back Xavier McKinney at No .
36 overall .
The New England Patriots , making their first selection in this year 's draft after trading away their first-round choice Thursday , picked Lenoir-Rhyne University defensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the second round .
Dugger is the first Division II defensive back to be selected in the first three rounds since Danieal Manning in 2006 .
The Carolina Panthers selected Penn State defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos with the sixth pick of the second round .
The Miami Dolphins added another offensive lineman to protect new franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa , picking Louisiana guard Robert Hunt at No .
39 .
TCU defensive tackle Ross Blacklock went to the Houston Texans with the 40th overall pick .
The Cleveland Browns traded the No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who selected Wisconsin tailback Jonathan Taylor .
With the 53rd pick in the draft , the Eagles selected former Alabama and Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts .
Former Iowa defensive lineman A.J .
Epensea went to the Buffalo Bills at No .
54 .
Much like the first round of the draft , NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced picks from his home while the top prospects sat with their families and friends in their houses .
The annual public player selection process originally was planned to take place in Las Vegas but was moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic .

Former Clemson Tigers wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) faced off against ex-LSU quarterback Joe Burrow in the national championship game last season. File Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo
April 24 (UPI) -- One day removed from adding star quarterback Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick, the Cincinnati Bengals selected ex-Clemson receiver Tee Higgins with the first pick in the second round of the virtual 2020 NFL Draft on Friday. Burrow, who won the Heisman Trophy and a national title at LSU last season, faced off against Higgins and Clemson in the College Football Playoff championship game. Now, the duo will head to Cincinnati and join an offense that already consists of Pro Bowl wideout A.J. Green and running back Joe Mixon. Advertisement
The Indianapolis Colts picked USC wideout Michael Pittman Jr., the son of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Michael Pittman Sr., with the second pick in Round 2.
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The Detroit Lions chose Georgia star running back D'Andre Swift with the No. 35 overall pick in the draft. The New York Giants took Alabama defensive back Xavier McKinney at No. 36 overall.
The New England Patriots, making their first selection in this year's draft after trading away their first-round choice Thursday, picked Lenoir-Rhyne University defensive back Kyle Dugger with the fifth pick in the second round. Dugger is the first Division II defensive back to be selected in the first three rounds since Danieal Manning in 2006.
The Carolina Panthers selected Penn State defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos with the sixth pick of the second round. The Miami Dolphins added another offensive lineman to protect new franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, picking Louisiana guard Robert Hunt at No. 39.
TCU defensive tackle Ross Blacklock went to the Houston Texans with the 40th overall pick. The Cleveland Browns traded the No. 41 pick to the Colts, who selected Wisconsin tailback Jonathan Taylor.
With the 53rd pick in the draft, the Eagles selected former Alabama and Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts. Former Iowa defensive lineman A.J. Epenesa went to the Buffalo Bills at No. 54.
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The Bengals kicked off the third round by selecting Wyoming linebacker Logan Wilson with the No. 65 overall pick. The Redskins took versatile receiver Antonio Gibson out of Memphis at No. 66.
The Las Vegas Raiders had back-to-back third-round picks at Nos. 80 and 81. The team used both selections on wide receivers, adding Kentucky star Lynn Bowden Jr. and South Carolina's Bryan Edwards.
The Los Angeles Rams and Patriots each took Alabama linebackers in the middle of the third. The Rams grabbed Terrell Lewis, while Anfernee Jennings went to the Patriots.
Much like the first round of the draft, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced picks from his home while the top prospects sat with their families and friends in their houses. The annual public player selection process originally was planned to take place in Las Vegas but was moved to a virtual format due to the coronavirus pandemic.
2020 NFL Draft Round 2 results:
33. Cincinnati Bengals: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
34. Indianapolis Colts: Michael Pittman Jr., WR, USC
35. Detroit Lions: D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
36. New York Giants: Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
37. New England Patriots (from Los Angeles Chargers): Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne
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38. Carolina Panthers: Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
39. Miami Dolphins: Robert Hunt, OG, Louisiana
40. Houston Texans: Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU
41. Indianapolis Colts (from Cleveland Browns): Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
42. Jacksonville Jaguars: Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado
43. Chicago Bears: Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame
44. Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis Colts): Grant Delpit, S, LSU
45. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota
46. Denver Broncos: K.J. Hamler, WR, Penn State
47. Atlanta Falcons: Marlon Davidson, DL, Auburn
48. Seattle Seahawks: Darrell Taylor, DE, Tennessee
49. Pittsburgh Steelers: Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame
50. Chicago Bears: Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah
51. Dallas Cowboys: Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
52. Los Angeles Rams: Cam Akers, RB, Florida State
53. Philadelphia Eagles: Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma
54. Buffalo Bills: A.J. Epenesa, DL, Iowa
55. Baltimore Ravens: J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State
56. Miami Dolphins: Raekwon Davis, DL, Alabama
57. Los Angeles Rams: Van Jefferson, WR, Florida
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58. Minnesota Vikings: Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State
59. New York Jets: Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
60. New England Patriots (from Baltimore Ravens): Josh Uche, DE, Michigan
61. Tennessee Titans: Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
62. Green Bay Packers: A.J. Dillon, RB, Boston College
63. Kansas City Chiefs: Willie Gay Jr., LB, Mississippi State
64. Carolina Panthers (from Seattle Seahawks): Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois
2020 NFL Draft Round 3 results:
65. Cincinnati Bengals: Logan Wilson, LB, Wyoming
66. Washington Redskins: Antonio Gibson, WR, Memphis
67. Detroit Lions: Julian Okwara, LB, Notre Dame
68. New York Jets (from New York Giants): Ashtyn Davis, S, California
69. Seattle Seahawks (from Carolina Panthers): Damien Lewis, OG, LSU
70. Miami Dolphins: Brandon Jones, S, Texas
71. Baltimore Ravens (from Los Angeles Chargers): Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M
72. Arizona Cardinals: Josh Jones, OT, Houston
73. Jacksonville Jaguars: Davon Hamilton, DT, Ohio State
74. New Orleans Saints (from Cleveland Browns): Zack Baun, LB, Wisconsin
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75. Detroit Lions (from Indianapolis Colts): Jonah Jackson, OG, Ohio State
76. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ke'Shawn Vaughn, RB, Vanderbilt
77. Denver Broncos: Michael Ojemudia, CB, Iowa
78. Atlanta Falcons: Matt Hennessy, C, Temple
79. New York Jets: Jabari Zuniga, DE, Florida
80. Las Vegas Raiders: Lynn Bowden Jr., WR, Kentucky
81. Las Vegas Raiders (from Chicago Bears): Bryan Edwards, WR, South Carolina
82. Dallas Cowboys: Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma
83. Denver Broncos (from Pittsburgh Steelers): Lloyd Cushenberry III, C, LSU
84. Los Angeles Rams: Terrell Lewis, LB, Alabama
85. Indianapolis Colts (from Philadelphia Eagles): Julian Blackmon, S, Utah
86. Buffalo Bills: Zack Moss, RB, Utah
87. New England Patriots: Anfernee Jennings, LB, Alabama
88. Cleveland Browns (from New Orleans Saints): Jordan Elliott, DT, Missouri
89. Minnesota Vikings: Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi State
90. Houston Texans: Jonathan Greenard, LB, Florida
91. New England Patriots (from Seattle Seahawks): Devin Asiasi, TE, UCLA
92. Baltimore Ravens: Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas
93. Tennessee Titans: Darrynton Evans, RB, Appalachian State
94. Green Bay Packers: Josiah Deguara, TE, Cincinnati
95. Denver Broncos (from San Francisco 49ers): McTelvin Agim, DT, Arkansas
96. Kansas City Chiefs: Lucas Niang, OT, TCU
97. Cleveland Browns: Jacob Phillips, LB, LSU
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98. Baltimore Ravens: Malik Harrison, LB, Ohio State
99. New York Giants: Matt Peart, OT, UConn
100. Las Vegas Raiders: Tanner Muse, S, Clemson
101. New England Patriots (from New York Jets): Dalton Keene, TE, Virginia Tech
102. Pittsburgh Steelers: Alex Highsmith, LB, Charlotte
103. Philadelphia Eagles: Davion Taylor, LB, Colorado
104. Los Angeles Rams: Terrell Burgess, S, Utah
105. New Orleans Saints (from Minnesota Vikings): Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton
106. Baltimore Ravens: Tyre Phillips, OL, Mississippi State


upi--2020-04-24--160,000 Nintendo accounts breached

160,000 Nintendo accounts breached

April 24 ( UPI ) -- Hackers have breached 160,000 Nintendo accounts since the beginning of April , the gaming @ @ @ @ @ Japanese-based company said it was tipped off to the breach after users complained of funds @ @ @ @ @ that their money was used to buy Fortnite 's virtual currency .
Additionally , users @ @ @ @ @ countries and email addresses may have been accessed .
`` We sincerely apologize to our @ @ @ @ @ any inconvenience and concern , a statement from Nintendo said .
`` In the future @ @ @ @ @ efforts to strengthen security and ensure safety so that similar events do not occur .
@ @ @ @ @ hacking , Nintendo said it is disabling the ability for users to log in to @ @ @ @ @ Nintendo Network IDs .
The company also said all affected accounts will have their passwords @ @ @ @ @ it will notify the affected users and recommends customers use two-factor authentication to access their @ @ @ @

Nintendo said it was disabling users' ability to log into the gaming system using older account logins. File Photo by Phil McCarten/UPI | License Photo
April 24 (UPI) -- Hackers have breached 160,000 Nintendo accounts since the beginning of April, the gaming company revealed Friday. The Japanese-based company said it was tipped off to the breach after users complained of funds missing from their accounts or that their money was used to buy Fortnite's virtual currency. Advertisement
Additionally, users' nicknames, birthdates, countries and email addresses may have been accessed.
"We sincerely apologize to our customers and related parties for any inconvenience and concern, a statement from Nintendo said. "In the future, we will make further efforts to strengthen security and ensure safety so that similar events do not occur."
In response to the hacking, Nintendo said it is disabling the ability for users to log in to a Nintendo account through older Nintendo Network IDs. The company also said all affected accounts will have their passwords reset.
The company said it will notify the affected users and recommends customers use two-factor authentication to access their accounts going forward.


upi--2020-04-24--Winter to strike back at northeastern U.S. with another dose of snow

Old Man Winter will take yet another parting swipe at the northeastern United States , meteorologists say , with more accumulating snow forecast for some of the higher elevations .
The region will be between storms on Saturday , following wet weather into Friday night and ahead of another storm heading in for the latter part of the weekend .
Most of the region can expect a decent day Saturday .
`` Saturday will be the day for a break outside by way of a walk or jog while social distancing , '' AccuWeather Meteorologist Dean DeVore said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of severe weather from Oklahoma and Arkansas to the Carolinas this weekend will spread rain from southwest to northeast spanning Saturday evening over the central Appalachians to Sunday evening over eastern New England .
`` Much of the Northeast will suffer another setback of colder air just as the storm pivots up from the South during the second half of the weekend , '' said DeVore .
`` The entire storm will be in the form of rain , drizzle and unwanted chill in the corridor from Washington , D.C. , to Philadelphia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' DeVore added .
AccuWeather RealFeel Temperatures can dip into the 30s F at times , even in the larger cities , factoring in wind , rain and other conditions on Sunday and Sunday night .
Enough cold air will be injected into the region not only to make it chilly , but also to allow snow to fall and accumulate over the higher elevations from northern Pennsylvania to Maine .
The cold air will allow some wet snow to mix in at intermediate elevations and perhaps the valley floors in the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Most of the accumulating snow will fall at elevations near and above 2,000 feet in the region , '' AccuWeather senior meteorologist Brett Anderson said .
There are not many well-traveled roads that go that high up , but motorists venturing over the ridges in the region over the central and northern Appalachians could encounter some slush .
`` A general 1-3 inches of snow is forecast above 2,000 feet with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 8 inches over the highest elevations in New York state and northern New England , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines that extend over the higher elevations , and especially the ridges , can be weighed down to the point of causing sporadic power outages .
The ongoing and reoccurring chill in the region is begin caused by a persistent southward dip in the jet stream .
While the polar vortex set up shop for a time near Hudson Bay a couple of weeks ago , it has since departed .
However , pockets of cold air remain and can continue to develop in place as long as the overall jet stream remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appears as though the jet stream will tend to flatten out more and take on a nearly straight west to east configuration during May , but there will still be some reoccurring or persistent southward dip in the Northeast , '' AccuWeather lead long-range meteorologist Paul Pastelok said .
As long as that continues to happen , warmups can occur , but they will be brief with more setbacks of cool or chilly air to come , especially farther toward the northeastern corner of the nation , such as New England .
Farther @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Plains and Midwest , warmups will be more frequent and longer lasting .
Although quite rare , snow has fallen and accumulated into late May in the northern tier of the Northeast over the higher elevations .
It has also snowed and accumulated in parts of the central Appalachians into early May .
Around New York City , the last reported inch of snow or greater was on April 25 , 1875 , when 3 inches fell on Central Park .
The latest snowflakes , or frozen precipitation , of the season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1977 .
Snowflakes or some sort of frozen precipitation have been observed on the last day of May at both Burlington , Vermont , in 1945 , and Caribou , Maine , in 1961 .
It has snowed every month of the year on Mt .
Washington , N.H. , which is at an elevation of approximately 6,300 feet above sea level .

Old Man Winter will take yet another parting swipe at the northeastern United States, meteorologists say, with more accumulating snow forecast for some of the higher elevations.
The region will be between storms on Saturday, following wet weather into Friday night and ahead of another storm heading in for the latter part of the weekend.
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Most of the region can expect a decent day Saturday.
"Saturday will be the day for a break outside by way of a walk or jog while social distancing," AccuWeather Meteorologist Dean DeVore said.
The same storm expected to produce a round of severe weather from Oklahoma and Arkansas to the Carolinas this weekend will spread rain from southwest to northeast spanning Saturday evening over the central Appalachians to Sunday evening over eastern New England.
"Much of the Northeast will suffer another setback of colder air just as the storm pivots up from the South during the second half of the weekend," said DeVore.
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"The entire storm will be in the form of rain, drizzle and unwanted chill in the corridor from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia, New York City and Boston," DeVore added.
AccuWeather RealFeel Temperatures can dip into the 30s F at times, even in the larger cities, factoring in wind, rain and other conditions on Sunday and Sunday night.
Enough cold air will be injected into the region not only to make it chilly, but also to allow snow to fall and accumulate over the higher elevations from northern Pennsylvania to Maine. The cold air will allow some wet snow to mix in at intermediate elevations and perhaps the valley floors in the same swath from Sunday night to Monday.
"Most of the accumulating snow will fall at elevations near and above 2,000 feet in the region," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Brett Anderson said.
There are not many well-traveled roads that go that high up, but motorists venturing over the ridges in the region over the central and northern Appalachians could encounter some slush.
"A general 1-3 inches of snow is forecast above 2,000 feet with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 8 inches over the highest elevations in New York state and northern New England," Anderson said.
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Some trees and power lines that extend over the higher elevations, and especially the ridges, can be weighed down to the point of causing sporadic power outages.
The ongoing and reoccurring chill in the region is begin caused by a persistent southward dip in the jet stream.
While the polar vortex set up shop for a time near Hudson Bay a couple of weeks ago, it has since departed. However, pockets of cold air remain and can continue to develop in place as long as the overall jet stream remains suppressed to the south.
"It appears as though the jet stream will tend to flatten out more and take on a nearly straight west to east configuration during May, but there will still be some reoccurring or persistent southward dip in the Northeast," AccuWeather lead long-range meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.
As long as that continues to happen, warmups can occur, but they will be brief with more setbacks of cool or chilly air to come, especially farther toward the northeastern corner of the nation, such as New England.
Farther to the west and south, over the Plains and Midwest, warmups will be more frequent and longer lasting.
Although quite rare, snow has fallen and accumulated into late May in the northern tier of the Northeast over the higher elevations. It has also snowed and accumulated in parts of the central Appalachians into early May.
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Around New York City, the last reported inch of snow or greater was on April 25, 1875, when 3 inches fell on Central Park. The latest snowflakes, or frozen precipitation, of the season were observed was on May 9, 1977.
Snowflakes or some sort of frozen precipitation have been observed on the last day of May at both Burlington, Vermont, in 1945, and Caribou, Maine, in 1961.
It has snowed every month of the year on Mt. Washington, N.H., which is at an elevation of approximately 6,300 feet above sea level.


upi--2020-04-24--Boeing nabs $75.1M for Super Hornet service life modification

April 24 ( UPI ) -- Boeing received a $ 75.1 million contract Friday to support the F/A-18E-F Super Hornet service life modification program , according to the Pentagon .
Under the contract Boeing will provide engineering services to extend the aircraft 's service life beyond the original design of 6,000 flight hours .
In February Boeing delivered the first Super Hornet modified under the Service Life Modification program .
The SLM upgrades are expected to extend each aircraft 's service life from 6,000 to 7,500 flight hours , with future modification plans that may extend it to 10,000 flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are now 15 Super Hornets in the SLM program on production lines in St. Louis and San Antonio .
Earlier this month General Electric was awarded $ 51.5 million to provide engines for the Super Hornet , a twin-engine multirole fighter used by the United States and Australia and which first became operational in June 2001 .
According to the Department of Defense , funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued .
Work on this contract will be divided evenly between St. Louis , Mo.
, and El Segundo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be complete by April 2025 .

An F/A-18E Super Hornet prepares for landing at Volk Field Air National Guard Base, Camp Douglas, Wisc., in this August 2018 photo. Boeing has just been awarded a $75.1 million contract to extend the service lives of the aircraft, which have been in use since 2001. Photo by Mary E. Greenwood/U.S. Air National Guard
April 24 (UPI) -- Boeing received a $75.1 million contract Friday to support the F/A-18E-F Super Hornet service life modification program, according to the Pentagon. Under the contract Boeing will provide engineering services to extend the aircraft's service life beyond the original design of 6,000 flight hours. Advertisement
In February Boeing delivered the first Super Hornet modified under the Service Life Modification program.
The SLM upgrades are expected to extend each aircraft's service life from 6,000 to 7,500 flight hours, with future modification plans that may extend it to 10,000 flight hours.
According to Boeing, there are now 15 Super Hornets in the SLM program on production lines in St. Louis and San Antonio.
Earlier this month General Electric was awarded $51.5 million to provide engines for the Super Hornet, a twin-engine multirole fighter used by the United States and Australia and which first became operational in June 2001.
According to the Department of Defense, funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued.
Work on this contract will be divided evenly between St. Louis, Mo., and El Segundo, Calif., and is expected to be complete by April 2025.


upi--2020-04-24--Brazilian Justice Minister Sergio Moro resigns in clash with President Jair Bolsonaro

April 24 ( UPI ) -- Brazilian Justice Minister Sergio Moro resigned Friday after disagreeing with President Jair Bolsonaro over his firing of the head of the country 's federal police .
The clash between Moro and Jair , both popular far-right figures , could cause political turmoil in the South American country as it attempts to stem the spread of the coronavirus .
The pandemic has sickened more than 52,000 people and killed at least 3,600 people in Brazil , according to Johns Hopkins University .
In his resignation speech , Moro said he attempted to persuade Jair not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief Mauricio Valeixo .
`` I have to protect my biography and above all the commitment I took on ... that we would stand firm against corruption , organized crime and violent crime , '' Moro said .
Shortly after the former justice minister 's announcement , critics pounded pots and pans and shouted from their windows and balconies : `` Bolsonaro out !
Bolsonaro out ! ''
The clash comes one week after Bolsonaro fired Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta after the two disagreed on how best to combat the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downplaying the pandemic despite overwhelmed healthcare facilities .

Brazil's, justice minister, Sergio Moro announces his resignation from government during a news conference in Brasilia, Brazil, on Friday. Photo by Joedson Alves/EPA-EFE
April 24 (UPI) -- Brazilian Justice Minister Sergio Moro resigned Friday after disagreeing with President Jair Bolsonaro over his firing of the head of the country's federal police. The clash between Moro and Jair, both popular far-right figures, could cause political turmoil in the South American country as it attempts to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The pandemic has sickened more than 52,000 people and killed at least 3,600 people in Brazil, according to Johns Hopkins University. Advertisement
In his resignation speech, Moro said he attempted to persuade Jair not to force the resignation of federal police chief Mauricio Valeixo.
"I have to protect my biography and above all the commitment I took on ... that we would stand firm against corruption, organized crime and violent crime," Moro said.
Shortly after the former justice minister's announcement, critics pounded pots and pans and shouted from their windows and balconies: "Bolsonaro out! Bolsonaro out!"
Brazilian Attorney General Augusto Aras asked the Supreme Court to investigate Valeixo's firing.
The clash comes one week after Bolsonaro fired Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta after the two disagreed on how best to combat the spread of COVID-19. Bolsonaro has faced criticism for downplaying the pandemic despite overwhelmed healthcare facilities.


upi--2020-04-24--Democrats Elizabeth Warren, Bennie Thompson call for border wall contract review

April 24 ( UPI ) -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
and Rep. Bennie Thompson ( D-Miss . )
have asked the acting Inspector General of the Department of Defense to review a border wall contract awarded earlier this month .
In mid-April the Army awarded BFBC , an affiliate of Bozeman , Mont.-based Barnard Construction with a $ 569 million contract to build 17.17 miles of wall in southern California .
The letter calls attention to the high price of the wall -- $ 33 million per mile -- which they said was more than a price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the $ 20 million per-mile average reported in January .
`` The decision to award a no-bid contract to BFBC-whose parent firm , Barnard Construction , is led by a reliable Republican campaign donor who has donated thousands of dollars to President Trump 's reelection campaign - raises serious questions about both potential government waste and the fairness of the procurement process .
BFBC has so far received more than $ 1 billion of taxpayer money to build the border wall , '' said the letter .
Last week , Sen. Jack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member of the Senate Armed Services Committee , also released a statement saying he had asked the Government Accountability Office to include Barnard Construction in its investigation of border wall contracts involving politically-connected contractors .
`` The contracting process should be merit-based and free from political influence and corruption , '' Reed said .
`` Equally important is the fact that at a time when the Trump Administration should be mobilizing resources , including the Army Corps of Engineers , to help effectively combat coronavirus and save lives , the Trump Administration is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a no-bid contract to build an ineffective wall .
This raises troubling questions about the timing of this contract and how it was given to this private contractor . ''
According to Federal Election Commission filings , in 2019 Timothy Barnard , listed as the chairman of Barnard Construction on the company 's website , gave $ 2,800 to President Donald Trump 's reelection campaign .
Barnard 's political contributions also include a number of Montana-based Republicans politicians and political action committees .
In 2015 and 2016 , he gave to several of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Marco Rubio , Ben Carson and Jeb Bush .
Reed had already asked the GAO to investigate Fisher Sand & Gravel , which in December received a $ 400 million contract to build a 31-mile section of the wall .
The North Dakota firm has sought contracts for the wall since at least 2017 and its CEO has said his company can work faster and cheaper than competitors .
The per-mile price of the December contract is $ 12.9 million .
Earlier this month four Congressional Democrats , including Thompson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construction due to the coronavirus pandemic , which the Department of Defense has continued to award despite the pandemic , political opposition and litigation .
At the beginning of April SLSCO Ltd. was awarded a $ 61.4 million modification to a previously awarded $ 789 million contract for work on a section of wall near El Paso , Texas .
The award announcement did not specify the length of this section of wall .
In March Southwest Valley Constructors , a division of the Omaha-based Kiewit , received a $ 524 million modification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border wall construction in Tucson , Ariz. Southwest also received a $ 175.4 million deal in February for border wall construction in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas .

Two Congressional Democrats have asked the Pentagon's acting inspector general to investigate a border wall contract awarded to a Montana contractor this month. In this June 2019 photo, a dog roams the U.S. - Mexico border fence at International Friendship Park in Imperial Beach, Calif. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
April 24 (UPI) -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) have asked the acting Inspector General of the Department of Defense to review a border wall contract awarded earlier this month. In mid-April the Army awarded BFBC, an affiliate of Bozeman, Mont.-based Barnard Construction with a $569 million contract to build 17.17 miles of wall in southern California. Advertisement
The letter calls attention to the high price of the wall -- $33 million per mile -- which they said was more than a price that is more than 50 percent higher than the $20 million per-mile average reported in January.
"The decision to award a no-bid contract to BFBC-whose parent firm, Barnard Construction, is led by a reliable Republican campaign donor who has donated thousands of dollars to President Trump's reelection campaign - raises serious questions about both potential government waste and the fairness of the procurement process. BFBC has so far received more than $1 billion of taxpayer money to build the border wall," said the letter.
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Last week, Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), a ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also released a statement saying he had asked the Government Accountability Office to include Barnard Construction in its investigation of border wall contracts involving politically-connected contractors.
"The contracting process should be merit-based and free from political influence and corruption," Reed said. "Equally important is the fact that at a time when the Trump Administration should be mobilizing resources, including the Army Corps of Engineers, to help effectively combat coronavirus and save lives, the Trump Administration is instead directing half a billion dollars to a no-bid contract to build an ineffective wall. This raises troubling questions about the timing of this contract and how it was given to this private contractor."
According to Federal Election Commission filings, in 2019 Timothy Barnard, listed as the chairman of Barnard Construction on the company's website, gave $2,800 to President Donald Trump's reelection campaign.
Barnard's political contributions also include a number of Montana-based Republicans politicians and political action committees. In 2015 and 2016, he gave to several of Trump's opponents in the Republican primary, including Marco Rubio, Ben Carson and Jeb Bush.
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Reed had already asked the GAO to investigate Fisher Sand & Gravel, which in December received a $400 million contract to build a 31-mile section of the wall.
Fisher has faced similar questions of undue influence.
The North Dakota firm has sought contracts for the wall since at least 2017 and its CEO has said his company can work faster and cheaper than competitors. The per-mile price of the December contract is $12.9 million.
Earlier this month four Congressional Democrats, including Thompson, called for a halt to border wall construction due to the coronavirus pandemic, which the Department of Defense has continued to award despite the pandemic, political opposition and litigation.
At the beginning of April SLSCO Ltd. was awarded a $61.4 million modification to a previously awarded $789 million contract for work on a section of wall near El Paso, Texas. The award announcement did not specify the length of this section of wall.
In March Southwest Valley Constructors, a division of the Omaha-based Kiewit, received a $524 million modification to a $646 million deal for border wall construction in Tucson, Ariz. Southwest also received a $175.4 million deal in February for border wall construction in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.


upi--2020-04-24--Police: Nova Scotia mass shooting started with girlfriend's assault

April 24 ( UPI ) -- Last weekend 's mass shooting that killed 22 people in Nova Scotia , Canada , started when the gunman attacked his girlfriend , the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Friday .
The agency released a timeline of Saturday and Sunday 's attack , which started in the town of Portapique and ended in Enfield with the gunman 's death 12 hours later .
RCMP Superintendent Darren Campbell said the shooter , Gabriel Wortman , assaulted his longtime girlfriend .
`` The victim managed to escape from the gunman and she hid overnight in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news conference .
He said the woman eventually came out of the woods and provided police with key details about the gunman during his rampage .
The RCMP said that after leaving his girlfriend , Wortman traveled to another residence in Portapique , where police received a call about a shooting .
Upon arriving at the second location , police found several bodies and multiple structures on fire .
Police also encountered a man in the area who said the gunman shot him while the two drove past each other on a road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told police the gunman drove what appeared to be a police cruiser .
In all , police said Wortman killed 13 people and injured two others in Portapique , mostly along two roads near the beach .
Police identified the dead in this area as Lisa McCully , Greg Blair , Jamie Blair , Jolene Oliver , Emily Tuck , Aaron Tuck , Joanne Thomas , John Zahl , Dawn Gulenchyn , Frank Gulenchyn , Peter Bond , Joy Bond and Corrie Ellison .
On Sunday morning , Campbell said Wortman traveled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shubenacadie and Enfield , killing another nine people .
He also set more structures on fire while wearing what appeared to be a police uniform and driving an old police vehicle .
In Wentworth , police said Wortman killed two men and a woman -- Tom Bagley , Sean McLeod and Alanna Jenkins -- at a residence he also set on fire .
The gunman knew at least two of those victims .
Traveling on Highway 4 , he shot and killed Lillian Hyslop as she was walking .
In Debert , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , fatally shooting the driver and another driver who passed by .
Police identified the victims as Kristen Beaton and Heather O'Brien .
Campbell said that later Sunday morning , RCMP Constable Chad Morrison arranged to meet up with Constable Heidi Stevenson during their shifts .
Wortman pulled up near Morrison and shot and injured the constable , who thought the gunman was Stevenson .
Stevenson was then killed after engaging Wortman , who set fire to his and Stevenson 's cruisers .
The gunman shot and killed a passerby who stopped to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his vehicle , taking it to the home of another acquaintance , Gina Goulet .
He shot and killed her , before traveling to Enfield .
In Enfield , Wortman stopped at a gas station to fuel Goulet 's vehicle , where an officer spotted , engaged and killed the gunman .
Campbell said Wortman 's use of a law enforcement vehicle and uniform complicated their search for him .
`` I 've been a police officer for almost 30 years now and I ca n't imagine any more horrific set of circumstances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for someone who looks like you , '' he said .
`` The dangers that that causes , the complications that that causes .
That obviously was an advantage that the suspect had on police , had on the public and had on every person who encountered through the course of his rampage . ''
Campbell said Wortman 's girlfriend was still recovering from serious injuries .

April 24 (UPI) -- Last weekend's mass shooting that killed 22 people in Nova Scotia, Canada, started when the gunman attacked his girlfriend, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Friday.
The agency released a timeline of Saturday and Sunday's attack, which started in the town of Portapique and ended in Enfield with the gunman's death 12 hours later.
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RCMP Superintendent Darren Campbell said the shooter, Gabriel Wortman, assaulted his longtime girlfriend.
"The victim managed to escape from the gunman and she hid overnight in the woods," Campbell said during a news conference.
He said the woman eventually came out of the woods and provided police with key details about the gunman during his rampage.
The RCMP said that after leaving his girlfriend, Wortman traveled to another residence in Portapique, where police received a call about a shooting. Upon arriving at the second location, police found several bodies and multiple structures on fire.
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Police also encountered a man in the area who said the gunman shot him while the two drove past each other on a road near the second location. The victim told police the gunman drove what appeared to be a police cruiser.
In all, police said Wortman killed 13 people and injured two others in Portapique, mostly along two roads near the beach. Police identified the dead in this area as Lisa McCully, Greg Blair, Jamie Blair, Jolene Oliver, Emily Tuck, Aaron Tuck, Joanne Thomas, John Zahl, Dawn Gulenchyn, Frank Gulenchyn, Peter Bond, Joy Bond and Corrie Ellison.
On Sunday morning, Campbell said Wortman traveled to the towns of Wentworth, Desert, Shubenacadie and Enfield, killing another nine people. He also set more structures on fire while wearing what appeared to be a police uniform and driving an old police vehicle.
In Wentworth, police said Wortman killed two men and a woman -- Tom Bagley, Sean McLeod and Alanna Jenkins -- at a residence he also set on fire. The gunman knew at least two of those victims.
Traveling on Highway 4, he shot and killed Lillian Hyslop as she was walking.
In Debert, the RCMP said Wortman pulled over one vehicle, fatally shooting the driver and another driver who passed by. Police identified the victims as Kristen Beaton and Heather O'Brien.
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Campbell said that later Sunday morning, RCMP Constable Chad Morrison arranged to meet up with Constable Heidi Stevenson during their shifts. Wortman pulled up near Morrison and shot and injured the constable, who thought the gunman was Stevenson.
Stevenson was then killed after engaging Wortman, who set fire to his and Stevenson's cruisers. The gunman shot and killed a passerby who stopped to help, Joey Webber, and stole his vehicle, taking it to the home of another acquaintance, Gina Goulet. He shot and killed her, before traveling to Enfield.
In Enfield, Wortman stopped at a gas station to fuel Goulet's vehicle, where an officer spotted, engaged and killed the gunman.
Campbell said Wortman's use of a law enforcement vehicle and uniform complicated their search for him.
"I've been a police officer for almost 30 years now and I can't imagine any more horrific set of circumstances than when you are trying to search for someone who looks like you," he said.
"The dangers that that causes, the complications that that causes. That obviously was an advantage that the suspect had on police, had on the public and had on every person who encountered through the course of his rampage."
Campbell said Wortman's girlfriend was still recovering from serious injuries.


upi--2020-04-24--Navy leaders recommend Mark Esper reinstate fired Roosevelt commander

April 24 ( UPI ) -- Top Navy officials have asked Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper to reinstate Brett Crozier as captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt , but Esper has asked for more time before signing off on the decision .
Chief of Naval operations Admiral Michael M. Gilday and Acting Navy secretary James McPherson recommended Crozier 's reinstatement in a briefing that took place as officials waited for results on Navy investigation into the matter Friday .
On Friday Pentagon officials confirmed Esper had `` received a verbal update '' regarding the Navy 's inquiry into the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Secretary receives a written copy of the completed inquiry , he intends to thoroughly review the report and will meet again with Navy leadership to discuss next steps .
He remains focused on and committed to restoring the full health of the crew and getting the ship at sea again soon , '' the statement said .
Crozier was dismissed from his post at the beginning of April after sending a memo asking for more resources to contain a COVID-19 outbreak on the aircraft carrier .
Then-Acting Navy Secretary Thomas B. Modly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recording of him calling Crozier `` naive or stupid '' went public .
Modly had also claimed that Crozier had sent the email to `` 20 or 30 '' other individuals , but an investigation by the Washington Post found that it was actually sent to a small number of Navy officials .
`` While Captain Crozier 's actions at the outset of the health crisis aboard the TR were drastic and imperfect , it is clear he only took such steps to protect his crew , '' Smith wrote .
`` Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support of his crew , he also attempted to work within his chain of command .
During this time of crisis , Captain Crozier is exactly what our Sailors need : a leader who inspires confidence . ''
The Roosevelt has been docked in Guam since the end of March to isolate and test its crew of 4,800 for the novel coronavirus .
As of Friday , 840 crew members had tested positive for the virus .
One has died , four are in the hospital and 88 have recovered from the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crew remains isolated on the island .

Top Navy officials have recommended that Brett Crozier, seen during an all-hands call on the flight deck of the USS Theodore Roosevelt in November 2019, be reinstated to his role as captain of the aircraft carrier. Photo by Nicholas Huynh/U.S. Navy | License Photo
April 24 (UPI) -- Top Navy officials have asked Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper to reinstate Brett Crozier as captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, but Esper has asked for more time before signing off on the decision. Chief of Naval operations Admiral Michael M. Gilday and Acting Navy secretary James McPherson recommended Crozier's reinstatement in a briefing that took place as officials waited for results on Navy investigation into the matter Friday. Advertisement
On Friday Pentagon officials confirmed Esper had "received a verbal update" regarding the Navy's inquiry into the COVID-19 outbreak on the Roosevelt.
"After the Secretary receives a written copy of the completed inquiry, he intends to thoroughly review the report and will meet again with Navy leadership to discuss next steps. He remains focused on and committed to restoring the full health of the crew and getting the ship at sea again soon," the statement said.
Crozier was dismissed from his post at the beginning of April after sending a memo asking for more resources to contain a COVID-19 outbreak on the aircraft carrier.
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Then-Acting Navy Secretary Thomas B. Modly subsequently resigned from his post after a recording of him calling Crozier "naive or stupid" went public.
Modly had also claimed that Crozier had sent the email to "20 or 30" other individuals, but an investigation by the Washington Post found that it was actually sent to a small number of Navy officials.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released a statement Friday calling for Crozier's reinstatement.
"While Captain Crozier's actions at the outset of the health crisis aboard the TR were drastic and imperfect, it is clear he only took such steps to protect his crew," Smith wrote. "Not only did Captain Crozier have the full support of his crew, he also attempted to work within his chain of command. During this time of crisis, Captain Crozier is exactly what our Sailors need: a leader who inspires confidence."
The Roosevelt has been docked in Guam since the end of March to isolate and test its crew of 4,800 for the novel coronavirus.
As of Friday, 840 crew members had tested positive for the virus. One has died, four are in the hospital and 88 have recovered from the virus.
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The rest of the ship's crew remains isolated on the island.


upi--2020-04-24--'Vikings' star Alexander Ludwig relishes unconventional techie role in 'Bad Boys'

April 24 ( UPI ) -- Vikings and The Hunger Games actor Alexander Ludwig said he wanted to play Dorn , a brawny , brilliant technological device expert who does n't like to fight , in Bad Boys For Life because the role upends expectations .
`` He 's so against type , '' the 27-year-old Vancouver native told UPI in a phone interview Friday , alluding to the fact that he is as smart as he is strong .
`` When you hear about the techie , I think an image comes up in your head of what that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how he is supposed to be , '' Ludwig added .
`` It was such an interesting character with such a great back story .
He 's the silent guy who is kind of afraid of himself because of everything he has been through in the past and , finally seeing him have his moment at the end , it 's just a great arc . ''
Dorn is part of the young and highly skilled tactical team that helps Mike and Marcus ( Will Smith and Martin Lawrence ) when the retirement-flirting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vengeful widow ( Kate del Castillo ) of a Mexican drug kingpin , her son ( Jacob Scipio ) and his crew in the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced action-comedy .
`` Any movie -- big , action movie , superhero movie -- if it 's not rooted in some sort of theme that everybody can relate to , then it 's nothing .
It 's just a bunch of explosions , '' Ludwig said , noting that Bruckheimer , Smith and Lawrence understand this concept very well .
`` This is about a family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with their mortality and their age .
It 's a lot of themes that I think a lot of people in the world can relate to , '' Ludwig said .
Bad Boys For Life , the blockbuster sequel to 1995 's Bad Boys and 2005 's Bad Boys II , was released on VOD and digital platforms , as well as DVD and Blu-ray , earlier than planned in an effort to offer some much-needed entertainment to those stuck at home social-distancing during the coronavirus pandemic .
`` I grew up watching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Jerry 's careers , '' Ludwig said .
`` Being a part of that and creating such an amazing family was just a gift and , look , if [ the movie ] helps let people forget about how crazy this world is right now for two hours , then that is just icing on the cake , '' he said .

1/3
Alexander Ludwig's action-comedy "Bad Boys For Life" is now available on digital, DVD and Blu-ray. File Photo by Will Newton/UPI | License Photo
April 24 (UPI) -- Vikings and The Hunger Games actor Alexander Ludwig said he wanted to play Dorn, a brawny, brilliant technological device expert who doesn't like to fight, in Bad Boys For Life because the role upends expectations. "He's so against type," the 27-year-old Vancouver native told UPI in a phone interview Friday, alluding to the fact that he is as smart as he is strong. Advertisement
"When you hear about the techie, I think an image comes up in your head of what that person is supposed to look like or how he is supposed to be," Ludwig added.
"It was such an interesting character with such a great back story. He's the silent guy who is kind of afraid of himself because of everything he has been through in the past and, finally seeing him have his moment at the end, it's just a great arc."
Dorn is part of the young and highly skilled tactical team that helps Mike and Marcus (Will Smith and Martin Lawrence) when the retirement-flirting Miami police detectives find themselves up against the vengeful widow (Kate del Castillo) of a Mexican drug kingpin, her son (Jacob Scipio) and his crew in the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced action-comedy.
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"Any movie -- big, action movie, superhero movie -- if it's not rooted in some sort of theme that everybody can relate to, then it's nothing. It's just a bunch of explosions," Ludwig said, noting that Bruckheimer, Smith and Lawrence understand this concept very well.
"This is about a family and it's people coming to terms with their mortality and their age. It's a lot of themes that I think a lot of people in the world can relate to," Ludwig said.
Bad Boys For Life, the blockbuster sequel to 1995's Bad Boys and 2005's Bad Boys II, was released on VOD and digital platforms, as well as DVD and Blu-ray, earlier than planned in an effort to offer some much-needed entertainment to those stuck at home social-distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.
"I grew up watching those films and admiring Will and Martin and Jerry's careers," Ludwig said.
"Being a part of that and creating such an amazing family was just a gift and, look, if [the movie] helps let people forget about how crazy this world is right now for two hours, then that is just icing on the cake," he said.