upi--2020-10-01--House passes $2.2 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- The House on Thursday voted to pass a $ 2.2 trillion COVID-19 stimulus bill while both parties in Congress and the Trump administration remain divided on what the package should include .
The Democrat-led House voted 214-207 mostly along party lines to pass the measure Thursday night .
Eighteen Democrats joined Republicans in their opposition to the bill .
`` I urge President Trump and Senate Republicans to work with us to reach bipartisan agreement without further delay , '' House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer said in an appeal to fellow lawmakers and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , workers and small business owners are looking to Congress for help .
Let us come together , as we have before , to help Americans respond to the crisis of COVID-19 . ''
The measure is an update to the $ 3.4 trillion HEROES Act that passed in the House in May but never made it to the Senate floor .
It includes $ 600 in weekly unemployment benefits through January and a second round of $ 1,200 payments mailed to taxpayers as well as a $ 500 check for dependents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for grade schools , $ 39 billion for post-secondary institutions and $ 57 billion for childcare support , and would add funds to the Paycheck Protection Program .
It is not expected to move beyond the House as Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has opposed the legislation , proposing a narrower measure that was blocked by Democrats .
`` Anything above $ 1 trillion would be difficult , '' said Sen. Chuck Grassley of R-Iowa , chairman of the Senate finance committee .
`` There 's a real revulsion among Republicans to going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 trillion is real difficult . ''
Thursday 's vote comes one day after a scheduled vote was postponed to allow extended negotiations between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin .
The two emerged from a 90-minute meeting on Wednesday after which Mnuchin said they failed to reach an agreement .
Pelosi said they found areas where `` we are seeking further clarification . ''
Prior to Thursday 's vote Pelosi said she was hopeful to reach an agreement but negotiations were `` still way off '' in terms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments , adding Democrats continued to `` have concerns about a sufficient amount of money to address the unemployment insurance needs of the American people . ''

| License Photo The House passed a $2.2 trillion COVID-19 stimulus bill on Thursday, but Republicans in the Senate remain opposed to the deal as negotiations carry on. Photo by Stefani Reynolds/UPI
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- The House on Thursday voted to pass a $2.2 trillion COVID-19 stimulus bill while both parties in Congress and the Trump administration remain divided on what the package should include. The Democrat-led House voted 214-207 mostly along party lines to pass the measure Thursday night. Eighteen Democrats joined Republicans in their opposition to the bill. Advertisement
"I urge President Trump and Senate Republicans to work with us to reach bipartisan agreement without further delay," House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer said in an appeal to fellow lawmakers and the administration. "Millions of American families, workers and small business owners are looking to Congress for help. Let us come together, as we have before, to help Americans respond to the crisis of COVID-19."
The measure is an update to the $3.4 trillion HEROES Act that passed in the House in May but never made it to the Senate floor.
It includes $600 in weekly unemployment benefits through January and a second round of $1,200 payments mailed to taxpayers as well as a $500 check for dependents. It also sets aside $182 billion for grade schools, $39 billion for post-secondary institutions and $57 billion for childcare support, and would add funds to the Paycheck Protection Program.
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It is not expected to move beyond the House as Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has opposed the legislation, proposing a narrower measure that was blocked by Democrats.
"Anything above $1 trillion would be difficult," said Sen. Chuck Grassley of R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate finance committee. "There's a real revulsion among Republicans to going above $1 trillion and even $1 trillion is real difficult."
Thursday's vote comes one day after a scheduled vote was postponed to allow extended negotiations between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
The two emerged from a 90-minute meeting on Wednesday after which Mnuchin said they failed to reach an agreement. Pelosi said they found areas where "we are seeking further clarification."
Prior to Thursday's vote Pelosi said she was hopeful to reach an agreement but negotiations were "still way off" in terms of agreeing on funding for state and local governments, adding Democrats continued to "have concerns about a sufficient amount of money to address the unemployment insurance needs of the American people."


upi--2020-10-01--Pentagon reports increase in suicide rates among active-duty service members

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- Suicide rates among active-duty military service members in the United States increased in 2019 , the fifth year in a row , according to a report released by the Department of Defense on Thursday .
A total of 498 service members died by suicide in 2019 , including 344 active-duty members , the Pentagon said in its Annual Suicide Report .
The active-duty suicides represent a rate of 25.9 per 100,000 service members , up from 24.9 in 2018 and 22.1 in 2017 .
`` The [ calendar year ] 2019 suicide rate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CY 2017 , but not going in the right direction , '' the Pentagon said .
The department added that suicide rates among the Reserve and National Guard are statistically lower than 2017 and that while overall rates have increased among active-duty members since 2014 they have remained statistically consistent among the Reserve and National Guard members .
Enlisted men under the age of 30 were the most at-risk group according to the data -- they accounted for 61 % of all suicides in 2019 .
The Pentagon said it developed and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young and enlisted service members .
It also trained more than 2,000 non-medical military providers to provide counseling on `` access and safe storage of lethal means '' to service members and their families .
`` The loss of every life is heartbreaking and each suicide carries a deeply personal story .
Every suicide has wide-reaching impacts on families , friends , peers , the broader military community and the nation as a whole , '' said Elizabeth Van Winkle , executive director of the Office of Force Resiliency .
Data for 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they recognize and are `` closely monitoring '' the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on death by suicide within the military population .

The Pentagon reported that 344 active-duty members died by suicide in 2019, representing an increase in suicide rates over the past two years. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Suicide rates among active-duty military service members in the United States increased in 2019, the fifth year in a row, according to a report released by the Department of Defense on Thursday. A total of 498 service members died by suicide in 2019, including 344 active-duty members, the Pentagon said in its Annual Suicide Report. Advertisement
The active-duty suicides represent a rate of 25.9 per 100,000 service members, up from 24.9 in 2018 and 22.1 in 2017.
"The [calendar year] 2019 suicide rate for the Active Component is statistically comparable to the CY 2017, but not going in the right direction," the Pentagon said.
The department added that suicide rates among the Reserve and National Guard are statistically lower than 2017 and that while overall rates have increased among active-duty members since 2014 they have remained statistically consistent among the Reserve and National Guard members.
Enlisted men under the age of 30 were the most at-risk group according to the data -- they accounted for 61% of all suicides in 2019.
The Pentagon said it developed and began piloting educational and training programs for young and enlisted service members. It also trained more than 2,000 non-medical military providers to provide counseling on "access and safe storage of lethal means" to service members and their families.
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"The loss of every life is heartbreaking and each suicide carries a deeply personal story. Every suicide has wide-reaching impacts on families, friends, peers, the broader military community and the nation as a whole," said Elizabeth Van Winkle, executive director of the Office of Force Resiliency.
Data for 2020 is not yet available, but officials said they recognize and are "closely monitoring" the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on death by suicide within the military population.


upi--2020-10-01--Atlanta Braves beat Cincinnati Reds for first playoff series win in 19 years

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- Behind a strong pitching performance from rookie Ian Anderson , the Atlanta Braves finished off a two-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds in the wild-card round to win a playoff series for the first time in nearly two decades .
Anderson ( 1-0 ) dazzled across six innings as the Braves closed out the Reds with a 5-0 victory Thursday at Truist Park in Atlanta .
He had two walks but struck out nine in his first postseason start .
Anderson said it was special to be part of the Braves ' two straight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fried started in Atlanta 's Game 1 win over the Reds , who were shut out in consecutive playoff games for the first time .
`` All the credit to Max for going out there [ Wednesday ] pitch for pitch with [ Reds starter Trevor ] Bauer and setting the tone for us , '' Anderson said Thursday .
With the Game 2 victory , the Braves snapped their record-tying streak of 10 consecutive playoff round losses .
Prior to Thursday 's win over the Reds , Atlanta 's last postseason series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will play either the Miami Marlins or Chicago Cubs in the NL Division Series in Houston .
`` I told them we 're just checking a box off in what we want to get done , '' Braves manager Brian Snitker said .
Ronald Acuna Jr. had three hits for the NL East champion Braves , including an RBI double in the fifth inning to give his club a 1-0 lead .
Atlanta had a pair of two-run homers by Marcell Ozuna and Adam Duvall in the eighth to clinch the win .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings in his first postseason start .
He allowed one earned run on six hits and was saddled with the loss .
`` No one feels worse than the guys who put everything they had on the line , and it did n't work out , '' Reds manager David Bell said .
`` We 've got to learn from it and find a way to be better from it . ''
The Braves will face either the Marlins or the Cubs in Game 1 of the @ @ @ @

1/11
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (R) celebrates with teammates after winning Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series on Thursday at Truist Park in Atlanta. Photo by Tami Chappell/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Behind a strong pitching performance from rookie Ian Anderson, the Atlanta Braves finished off a two-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds in the wild-card round to win a playoff series for the first time in nearly two decades. Anderson (1-0) dazzled across six innings as the Braves closed out the Reds with a 5-0 victory Thursday at Truist Park in Atlanta. He had two walks but struck out nine in his first postseason start. Advertisement
Anderson said it was special to be part of the Braves' two straight shutouts in the first-round series. Max Fried started in Atlanta's Game 1 win over the Reds, who were shut out in consecutive playoff games for the first time.
"All the credit to Max for going out there [Wednesday] pitch for pitch with [Reds starter Trevor] Bauer and setting the tone for us," Anderson said Thursday.
With the Game 2 victory, the Braves snapped their record-tying streak of 10 consecutive playoff round losses. Prior to Thursday's win over the Reds, Atlanta's last postseason series win came in 2001.
The Braves will play either the Miami Marlins or Chicago Cubs in the NL Division Series in Houston.
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"I told them we're just checking a box off in what we want to get done," Braves manager Brian Snitker said.
Ronald Acuna Jr. had three hits for the NL East champion Braves, including an RBI double in the fifth inning to give his club a 1-0 lead. Atlanta had a pair of two-run homers by Marcell Ozuna and Adam Duvall in the eighth to clinch the win.
Reds starter Luis Castillo (0-1) struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings in his first postseason start. He allowed one earned run on six hits and was saddled with the loss.
"No one feels worse than the guys who put everything they had on the line, and it didn't work out," Reds manager David Bell said. "We've got to learn from it and find a way to be better from it."
The Braves will face either the Marlins or the Cubs in Game 1 of the NLDS on Tuesday.
This week in Major League Baseball


upi--2020-10-01--New Army field manual recommends midday naps

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- The Army released a new field manual Thursday that officially embraces midday naps to help improve performance .
The new guide focuses on individual wellness rather than the health of whole units , and it updates the branch 's health and fitness recommendations for the first time since 2012 .
In addition to encouraging afternoon napping , the Army plans to shift its hourlong early-morning training sessions to fitness training regimens tailored to individuals .
`` This will require physical training to occur throughout the duty day , not just during a one-hour period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Megan Reed , a spokeswoman for the Center for Initial Military Training at Fort Eustis , Va. , which spearheaded the service 's health reform efforts outlined in the new field manual .
The new manual also has chapters on setting goals , visualizing success and `` spiritual readiness . ''
`` We 've made leaps and strides , by not looking at soldiers as carbon copies of one another , but as individuals .
That 's the point of Health and Holistic Fitness , '' said Maj. Gen. Lonnie Hibbard , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to overhaul the Army 's approach to wellness was driven by reports of injuries and other health issues that have placed a drag on soldiers ' performance .
According to Army statistics , more than 58,000 soldiers -- the equivalent of 13 brigade teams -- were considered nondeployable , with 15,000 of those being considered permanently nondeployable .
In 2018 , more than half of American soldiers reported a new injury , and Army medical documents said 71 % of soldiers hurt that year were diagnosed with preventable medical injuries caused by overuse @

A new Army field manual says it's OK for soldiers to take afternoon naps to make up for sleep deficits during training. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- The Army released a new field manual Thursday that officially embraces midday naps to help improve performance. The new guide focuses on individual wellness rather than the health of whole units, and it updates the branch's health and fitness recommendations for the first time since 2012. Advertisement
In addition to encouraging afternoon napping, the Army plans to shift its hourlong early-morning training sessions to fitness training regimens tailored to individuals.
"This will require physical training to occur throughout the duty day, not just during a one-hour period in the early morning," said Megan Reed, a spokeswoman for the Center for Initial Military Training at Fort Eustis, Va., which spearheaded the service's health reform efforts outlined in the new field manual.
The new manual also has chapters on setting goals, visualizing success and "spiritual readiness."
"We've made leaps and strides, by not looking at soldiers as carbon copies of one another, but as individuals. That's the point of Health and Holistic Fitness," said Maj. Gen. Lonnie Hibbard, the commander of the CIMT.
The decision to overhaul the Army's approach to wellness was driven by reports of injuries and other health issues that have placed a drag on soldiers' performance.
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According to Army statistics, more than 58,000 soldiers -- the equivalent of 13 brigade teams -- were considered nondeployable, with 15,000 of those being considered permanently nondeployable.
In 2018, more than half of American soldiers reported a new injury, and Army medical documents said 71% of soldiers hurt that year were diagnosed with preventable medical injuries caused by overuse.


upi--2020-10-01--Gilead Sciences resumes control of remdesivir distribution

The U.S. government had taken control of distribution of remdesivir in May because of short supplies of the drug. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Gilead Sciences will resume control of the distribution of remdesivir as a COVID-19 treatment to U.S. hospitals, the Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday. Gilead manufactures remdesivir under the name Veklury, but the FDA had taken over its distribution in May after giving emergency approval for the drug as a coronavirus treatment. Advertisement
Gilead said it has since increased manufacturing capacity to meet the demand for the drug in U.S. hospitals and will soon meet capacity worldwide.
"Over the past five months, [the Department of Health and Human Services] rapidly, fairly, and equitably worked to distribute approximately 150,000 treatment courses of donated Veklury and make more than 500,000 treatment courses of the commercial drug available to help treat patients in U.S. hospitals," HHS Secretary Alex Azar said.
"Now, federal government oversight of the allocation of Veklury is not required because the drug is no longer a scarce resource -- a tribute to progress we have made against COVID-19 and to the strength of our partnerships with the private sector."
The HHS updated its Emergency Use Authorization for the drug to reflect the new arrangement. AmerisourceBergen will continue to be the sole distributor of remdesivir in the United States.
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Clinical results for the antiviral have been mixed, with one study in August showing the drug doesn't improve outcomes in people hospitalized with moderate pneumonia caused by COVID-19.
But research published in May suggested the drug might be effective in people with severe COVID-19.
A study published by the New England Journal of Medicine found that seriously ill patients infected with the new coronavirus had an average recovery time of 11 days after receiving the drug, compared to 15 days for those given a placebo.
Researched published last month showed that remdesivir administered in combination with baricitinib -- treatment for rheumatoid arthritis -- can reduce the recovery time for people with COVID-19 when compared to people treated with just the antiviral.
Originally developed to treat Ebola virus, remdesivir works by slowing the production of enzymes that play a key role in the replication of viruses, including coronaviruses, according to Gilead Sciences.
COVID-19 pandemic alters life in New York City


upi--2020-10-01--GAO to investigate racism in Veterans Administration

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- The Government Accountability Office plans to investigate claims of systemic racism within the Department of Veterans Affairs , according to lawmakers .
Sens .
Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass.
, and Brian Schatz , D-Hawaii , requested the investigation after an August survey of 1,500 union-affiliated VA employees said nearly 80 % of staffers considered racism a moderate or serious issue in the agency .
Half of those who responded to the survey had personally witnessed racism directed at veterans .
`` Reports that racism is a serious problem at VA are especially concerning and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to confront systemic racism across our institutions ... Racism and racial discrimination at VA must be taken seriously , and the steps to address it must be robust and enduring , '' said a joint statement from Schatz and Warren .
The audit is expected to begin in six months .
According to the VA , about 40 percent of the agency 's employees are racial minorities , and in 2019 the agency substantiated about 70 claims of equal opportunity violations .
`` VA does not tolerate harassment or discrimination in any form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The senators ' request to GAO is nothing more than a shameful attempt to besmirch the reputations of hundreds of thousands of dedicated career government employees at VA. '' The American Federation of Government employees , which represents about 270,000 of the 400,000 people who work for the VA , welcomed the investigation .
The union successfully sued the Federal Labor Relations Authority this summer for limiting federal workers ' bargaining rights , and has AFGE president Everett Kelley has said the problem of racism within the VA has been exacerbated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last week Army Gen. Mark Milley , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , said top military brass are working to remove identifying information -- including photos but also names and other information that could reveal the applicant 's race or gender -- from promotion packets .
And this summer the Pentagon created a Board on Diversity and Inclusion which is soliciting input from service members via crowdsourcing and other means on the best ways to improve diversity and inclusion within military ranks .

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), shown here on Capitol Hill Sept. 22, has called for an investigation into systemic racism within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI. | License Photo
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- The Government Accountability Office plans to investigate claims of systemic racism within the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to lawmakers. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, requested the investigation after an August survey of 1,500 union-affiliated VA employees said nearly 80% of staffers considered racism a moderate or serious issue in the agency. Advertisement
Half of those who responded to the survey had personally witnessed racism directed at veterans.
"Reports that racism is a serious problem at VA are especially concerning and demand rigorous scrutiny as our country works to confront systemic racism across our institutions ... Racism and racial discrimination at VA must be taken seriously, and the steps to address it must be robust and enduring," said a joint statement from Schatz and Warren.
The audit is expected to begin in six months.
According to the VA, about 40 percent of the agency's employees are racial minorities, and in 2019 the agency substantiated about 70 claims of equal opportunity violations.
"VA does not tolerate harassment or discrimination in any form," VA spokeswoman Christina Noel said. "The senators' request to GAO is nothing more than a shameful attempt to besmirch the reputations of hundreds of thousands of dedicated career government employees at VA."
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The American Federation of Government employees, which represents about 270,000 of the 400,000 people who work for the VA, welcomed the investigation.
The union successfully sued the Federal Labor Relations Authority this summer for limiting federal workers' bargaining rights, and has AFGE president Everett Kelley has said the problem of racism within the VA has been exacerbated under President Donald Trump's administration.
Last week Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said top military brass are working to remove identifying information -- including photos but also names and other information that could reveal the applicant's race or gender -- from promotion packets.
And this summer the Pentagon created a Board on Diversity and Inclusion which is soliciting input from service members via crowdsourcing and other means on the best ways to improve diversity and inclusion within military ranks.


upi--2020-10-01--Doc Rivers to become Philadelphia 76ers' next head coach

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- Just days after parting ways with the Los Angeles Clippers , Doc Rivers has agreed to become the next head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers .
League sources told ESPN , The Athletic and NBC Sports Philadelphia on Thursday that Rivers reached an agreement on a five-year deal with the 76ers .
The team has yet to confirm the contract .
Rivers ' pact with the Sixers comes only three days after the veteran coach left the Clippers .
He will return to the Atlantic Division , where he coached the Boston Celtics to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general manager Elton Brand reached out to Rivers and his representative , Lonnie Cooper , on Monday to determine whether he was interested in the team 's coaching vacancy , according to ESPN .
Rivers met with Brand and other high-ranking officials in the organization Wednesday , and the sides quickly moved toward a multiyear agreement .
Rivers will take over a 76ers team that had a disappointing first-round exit in the Eastern Conference playoffs this year .
The Celtics swept the 76ers in the opening round of the postseason , leading to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in late August .
The 58-year-old Rivers had two years remaining on his contract with the Clippers , according to ESPN .
In his seven years in Los Angeles , he guided the franchise to a 356-208 record -- the fifth-best mark in the league and the best by any team without a trip to the conference finals .
Rivers led the Clippers to the Western Conference semifinals this season but blew a 3-1 series lead to the Denver Nuggets .
He went 3-8 in potential series-clinching games with the Clippers , tied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coach with one team .

Former Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers (R) reached an agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers only three days after the veteran coach left the Clippers. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Just days after parting ways with the Los Angeles Clippers, Doc Rivers has agreed to become the next head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. League sources told ESPN, The Athletic and NBC Sports Philadelphia on Thursday that Rivers reached an agreement on a five-year deal with the 76ers. The team has yet to confirm the contract. Advertisement
Rivers' pact with the Sixers comes only three days after the veteran coach left the Clippers. He will return to the Atlantic Division, where he coached the Boston Celtics to an NBA title in 2009.
76ers general manager Elton Brand reached out to Rivers and his representative, Lonnie Cooper, on Monday to determine whether he was interested in the team's coaching vacancy, according to ESPN. Rivers met with Brand and other high-ranking officials in the organization Wednesday, and the sides quickly moved toward a multiyear agreement.
Rivers will take over a 76ers team that had a disappointing first-round exit in the Eastern Conference playoffs this year. The Celtics swept the 76ers in the opening round of the postseason, leading to the firing of former coach Brett Brown in late August.
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The 58-year-old Rivers had two years remaining on his contract with the Clippers, according to ESPN. In his seven years in Los Angeles, he guided the franchise to a 356-208 record -- the fifth-best mark in the league and the best by any team without a trip to the conference finals.
Rivers led the Clippers to the Western Conference semifinals this season but blew a 3-1 series lead to the Denver Nuggets. He went 3-8 in potential series-clinching games with the Clippers, tied for the worst mark by a single coach with one team.


upi--2020-10-01--American Medical Association petitions Supreme Court to review Title X 'gag order'

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- The American Medical Association led a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday to review a Trump administration revised rule banning federally funded family planning clinics from referring women for abortions .
The petition , filed alongside the American Civil Liberties Union , Planned Parenthood and the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association , calls on the court to weigh conflicting decisions in a pair of appeals courts regarding the so-called `` gag rule '' earlier this year .
Under the revised rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would require `` clear financial and physical separation '' between Title X-compliant facilities and those that provide abortions or abortion referrals .
`` The AMA strongly believes that our nation 's highest court must step in to remove government overreach and interference in the patient-physician relationship .
Restricting the information that physicians can provide to their Title X patients blocks honest , informed conversations about health care options -- an unconscionable violation that is essentially a gag rule , '' AMA President Susan Bailey said in a statement .
In February , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upheld the rule , stating that it allows family clinics to mention abortion , but not to refer or encourage it , and that it was a `` reasonable interpretation '' of federal law and was not `` arbitrary and capricious , '' as challengers including Planned Parenthood had argued .
However , the 4th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals blocked enforcement of the federal rule in Maryland earlier this month , saying the Trump administration 's rule revision `` failed to recognize and address the ethical concerns of literally every major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The petitioners argue that until the Ninth CIrcuit 's erroneous decision is corrected , the administration 's gag rule is harming patient care and causing physicians and other health care professionals to violate ethical obligations by preventing Title X clinics from providing full information to patients about all of their reproductive care options , '' AMA said .
The petition also comes as the Senate prepares to confirm President Donald Trump 's nomination to the Supreme Court , Amy Coney Barrett , shifting the court 's makeup to a 6-3 conservative majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ginsburg .

The American Medical Association on Thursday petitioned the Supreme Court to review two appeals court decisions on a revised rule banning federally funded family planning clinics from referring women for abortions. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- The American Medical Association led a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday to review a Trump administration revised rule banning federally funded family planning clinics from referring women for abortions. The petition, filed alongside the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood and the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, calls on the court to weigh conflicting decisions in a pair of appeals courts regarding the so-called "gag rule" earlier this year. Advertisement
Under the revised rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2019, the government said it would require "clear financial and physical separation" between Title X-compliant facilities and those that provide abortions or abortion referrals.
"The AMA strongly believes that our nation's highest court must step in to remove government overreach and interference in the patient-physician relationship. Restricting the information that physicians can provide to their Title X patients blocks honest, informed conversations about health care options -- an unconscionable violation that is essentially a gag rule," AMA President Susan Bailey said in a statement.
In February, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the rule, stating that it allows family clinics to mention abortion, but not to refer or encourage it, and that it was a "reasonable interpretation" of federal law and was not "arbitrary and capricious," as challengers including Planned Parenthood had argued.
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However, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked enforcement of the federal rule in Maryland earlier this month, saying the Trump administration's rule revision "failed to recognize and address the ethical concerns of literally every major medical organization in the country."
"The petitioners argue that until the Ninth CIrcuit's erroneous decision is corrected, the administration's gag rule is harming patient care and causing physicians and other health care professionals to violate ethical obligations by preventing Title X clinics from providing full information to patients about all of their reproductive care options," AMA said.
The petition also comes as the Senate prepares to confirm President Donald Trump's nomination to the Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett, shifting the court's makeup to a 6-3 conservative majority following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.


upi--2020-10-01--State Department approves $14B sales of F-35s, F-18s to Switzerland

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- The State Department approved the possible sales -- for $ 14 billion -- of 80 military aircraft to Switzerland this week .
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency issued two separate press releases relating to the deals this week : one announcing a possible $ 6.58 billion deal to sell 40 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft to Switzerland , and another announcing the possible $ 7.452 billion sale of F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft to the country .
According to DSCA , the government of Switzerland asked to buy the aircraft along with related equipment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Plus ) Tactical Missiles for the F-35s , 12 Bomb MK-82s for the F-35s and 16 spare F414-GE-400 engines for the Super Hornets .
Both requests also included U.S. government contractor engineering , technical , and logistics support services and other related elements of logistical and program support .
Both types of aircraft are intended to replace Switzerland 's F/A-18C/D , which the country 's air force currently operates but which is reaching its end of life .
`` This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a friendly European nation that continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in Europe , '' the DCSA said in both releases .
The principal contractors on the F-35 deal would be Lockheed Martin , Pratt and Whitney , Boeing and Raytheon .
Boeing would also serve as a primary contractor on the Super Hornet deal , along with Raytheon , Northrop Grumman and General Electric .

The U.S. State Department has approved two sales totaling more than $14 billion of F-35s and F-18s to Switzerland. Photo by R. Nial Bradshaw/U.S. Air Force/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- The State Department approved the possible sales -- for $14 billion -- of 80 military aircraft to Switzerland this week. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency issued two separate press releases relating to the deals this week: one announcing a possible $6.58 billion deal to sell 40 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft to Switzerland, and another announcing the possible $7.452 billion sale of F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft to the country. Advertisement
According to DSCA, the government of Switzerland asked to buy the aircraft along with related equipment, including 40 Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II+ (Plus) Tactical Missiles for the F-35s, 12 Bomb MK-82s for the F-35s and 16 spare F414-GE-400 engines for the Super Hornets.
Both requests also included U.S. government contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services and other related elements of logistical and program support.
Both types of aircraft are intended to replace Switzerland's F/A-18C/D, which the country's air force currently operates but which is reaching its end of life.
"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly European nation that continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in Europe," the DCSA said in both releases.
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The principal contractors on the F-35 deal would be Lockheed Martin, Pratt and Whitney, Boeing and Raytheon.
Boeing would also serve as a primary contractor on the Super Hornet deal, along with Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and General Electric.


upi--2020-10-01--Texas Gov. Abbott limits counties to one absentee ballot drop-off location

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott threw the weight of his office Thursday behind Republican efforts to limit options for Texas voters who want to hand-deliver their completed absentee ballots for the November election -- a rebuke to some large , Democratic counties that have set up multiple drop-off locations in what they call an effort to maximize voter convenience .
The Republican governor issued a proclamation directing counties to designate just one location for ballot drop-offs , and allowing political parties to install poll watchers to observe the process .
An unprecedented number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year as voters who qualify under Texas ' unusually strict vote-by-mail rules opt to avoid the health risks of voting in person .
Republican officials have aggressively fought Democratic efforts to expand access to mail-in ballots during the pandemic .
President Donald Trump and many Republicans have sowed misinformation and confusion about the integrity of mail-in voting , which experts say is safe .
With the U.S .
Postal Service warning of potential delays , many Texans are eager to deliver their completed absentee ballots in person .
Harris County , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic stronghold , had designated a dozen locations where voters could deliver their own ballots -- and already began collecting them this week .
The locations are spread out across the county 's roughly 1,700 square miles , an area larger than the state of Rhode Island .
In Travis County , also a major Democratic stronghold , officials had designated four locations where voters could deliver their ballots .
`` This is a deliberate attempt to manipulate the election , '' Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir said Thursday at a press conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locations .
Travis County officials say they plan to fight the order .
Lina Hidalgo , the Democratic Harris County judge , said `` this is n't security , it 's suppression . ''
And Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins said `` to force hundreds of thousands of seniors and voters with disabilities to use a single drop-off location in a county that stretches over nearly 2,000 square miles is prejudicial and dangerous . ''
The ballot drop-off locations are staffed , and voters must present an approved form of identification to deliver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in ballots for other voters .
Voting rights advocates say Abbott 's move will make absentee balloting more difficult in a year when more Texans than ever are expected to vote by mail .
Drop-off locations , advocates said , are particularly important given concerns about Postal Service delays , especially for disabled voters or those without access to reliable transportation .
`` It raises a real concern that people are going to have just one more barrier to successfully submitting their ballot , '' barriers that will disproportionately hurt voters of color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marziani , president of the Texas Civil Rights Project , which advocates for voting rights among other issues .
`` And it opens the door to voter intimidation . ''
Texas has extended the early voting period by six days and is allowing voters to drop off absentee ballots before Election Day , but has done little else to give voters more options for safely casting ballots during the coronavirus pandemic .
Other states have allowed for universal absentee voting or even set up drop-off boxes where voters can deliver their ballots .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to `` strengthen ballot security protocols throughout the state . ''
A spokesperson did not respond to questions about how allowing multiple drop-off locations might lead to fraud .
There is `` not a shred of evidence , '' Marziani said , that it would .
Abbott also announced that election clerks may collect absentee ballots only if they also permit poll watchers to observe the delivery of those ballots , `` including the presentation of an acceptable form of identification . ''
Nationally , the Republican Party is ramping up a multimillion-dollar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the first presidential election in almost 40 years that the Republican National Committee has not been under a federal court order imposed to rein in the party 's `` ballot security '' efforts , which have a history of trying to intimidate voters of color .
In Texas , poll watchers are selected by candidates , political parties , or proponents or opponents of ballot measures -- that is , people who have a stake in the outcome of the election .
They must stand as silent sentinels and are not permitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting booths .
But they , like voters themselves , are not required to wear masks to polling places this year , an exemption from the governor 's statewide mask order .
`` These enhanced security protocols will ensure greater transparency and will help stop attempts at illegal voting , '' Abbott said .
While there are documented cases of voter fraud in Texas , they are rare , and experts say absentee ballots are a secure way to vote this year .
`` Republicans are on the verge of losing , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules last minute , '' Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement .
`` We are creating a movement that will beat them at the ballot box on November 3 , and there 's nothing these cheaters can do about it . ''
Wesley Story , spokesperson for the liberal group Progress Texas , called the proclamation `` a blatant attempt to suppress voters . ''
Harris County has already begun collecting absentee ballots at a number of locations across the sprawling county .
Abbott said that ballots collected prior to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules .
In July , Abbott gave voters more time to deliver their absentee ballots in person , an option typically available only on Election Day .
Texas has maintained its unusually strict criteria for absentee ballots during the pandemic .
Voters qualify only if they are 65 or older , confined in jail but otherwise eligible , outside of their county through the election period or cite disability .
The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that lack of immunity to the coronavirus does not itself constitute disability , but that voters must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history to decide whether they are eligible .
Election administrators do not have the power to vet a voter 's disability claims or demand documentation , but providing false information is a crime .
The question of absentee ballot delivery in Harris County is already being disputed in a legal challenge filed by Houston Republicans earlier this week .
A group of candidates and officials including the Harris County GOP has asked the Texas Supreme Court to limit the locations where voters can drop off their ballots , as well as to shorten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out .
That case is pending before the court .
On Wednesday , the day before the governor 's proclamation , Texas Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins weighed in at the request of the court and backed Harris County 's efforts as lawful under the governor 's earlier orders .
Nothing in the law says that multiple drop-off locations can not be used , Hawkins argued , and `` accordingly , the Secretary of State has advised local officials that the Legislature has permitted ballots to be returned to any early-voting clerk office .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas Tribune .
Read the original here .
The Texas Tribune is a non-profit , non-partisan media organization that informs Texans -- and engages with them -- about public policy , politics , government and statewide issues .

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said each county may only have one mail-in ballot drop-off box. File Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott threw the weight of his office Thursday behind Republican efforts to limit options for Texas voters who want to hand-deliver their completed absentee ballots for the November election -- a rebuke to some large, Democratic counties that have set up multiple drop-off locations in what they call an effort to maximize voter convenience. Advertisement
The Republican governor issued a proclamation directing counties to designate just one location for ballot drop-offs, and allowing political parties to install poll watchers to observe the process.
An unprecedented number of absentee ballots are expected to be cast this year as voters who qualify under Texas' unusually strict vote-by-mail rules opt to avoid the health risks of voting in person. Republican officials have aggressively fought Democratic efforts to expand access to mail-in ballots during the pandemic.
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President Donald Trump and many Republicans have sowed misinformation and confusion about the integrity of mail-in voting, which experts say is safe. With the U.S. Postal Service warning of potential delays, many Texans are eager to deliver their completed absentee ballots in person.
Harris County, the state's most populous and a major Democratic stronghold, had designated a dozen locations where voters could deliver their own ballots -- and already began collecting them this week. The locations are spread out across the county's roughly 1,700 square miles, an area larger than the state of Rhode Island.
In Travis County, also a major Democratic stronghold, officials had designated four locations where voters could deliver their ballots.
"This is a deliberate attempt to manipulate the election," Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir said Thursday at a press conference outside one of the county's drop-off locations. Travis County officials say they plan to fight the order.
Lina Hidalgo, the Democratic Harris County judge, said "this isn't security, it's suppression."
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And Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins said "to force hundreds of thousands of seniors and voters with disabilities to use a single drop-off location in a county that stretches over nearly 2,000 square miles is prejudicial and dangerous."
The ballot drop-off locations are staffed, and voters must present an approved form of identification to deliver their ballots. They may not turn in ballots for other voters.
Voting rights advocates say Abbott's move will make absentee balloting more difficult in a year when more Texans than ever are expected to vote by mail. Drop-off locations, advocates said, are particularly important given concerns about Postal Service delays, especially for disabled voters or those without access to reliable transportation.
"It raises a real concern that people are going to have just one more barrier to successfully submitting their ballot," barriers that will disproportionately hurt voters of color and those with disabilities, said Mimi Marziani, president of the Texas Civil Rights Project, which advocates for voting rights among other issues. "And it opens the door to voter intimidation."
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Texas has extended the early voting period by six days and is allowing voters to drop off absentee ballots before Election Day, but has done little else to give voters more options for safely casting ballots during the coronavirus pandemic. Other states have allowed for universal absentee voting or even set up drop-off boxes where voters can deliver their ballots.
Abbott described his proclamation as an effort to "strengthen ballot security protocols throughout the state." A spokesperson did not respond to questions about how allowing multiple drop-off locations might lead to fraud.
There is "not a shred of evidence," Marziani said, that it would.
Abbott also announced that election clerks may collect absentee ballots only if they also permit poll watchers to observe the delivery of those ballots, "including the presentation of an acceptable form of identification."
Nationally, the Republican Party is ramping up a multimillion-dollar effort to recruit poll watchers this year, the first presidential election in almost 40 years that the Republican National Committee has not been under a federal court order imposed to rein in the party's "ballot security" efforts, which have a history of trying to intimidate voters of color.
Advertisement
In Texas, poll watchers are selected by candidates, political parties, or proponents or opponents of ballot measures -- that is, people who have a stake in the outcome of the election. They must stand as silent sentinels and are not permitted to speak to voters or be inside voting booths.
But they, like voters themselves, are not required to wear masks to polling places this year, an exemption from the governor's statewide mask order.
"These enhanced security protocols will ensure greater transparency and will help stop attempts at illegal voting," Abbott said.
While there are documented cases of voter fraud in Texas, they are rare, and experts say absentee ballots are a secure way to vote this year.
The Texas Democratic Party slammed Abbott's move.
"Republicans are on the verge of losing, so Governor Abbott is trying to adjust the rules last minute," Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement. "We are creating a movement that will beat them at the ballot box on November 3, and there's nothing these cheaters can do about it."
Advertisement
Wesley Story, spokesperson for the liberal group Progress Texas, called the proclamation "a blatant attempt to suppress voters."
Harris County has already begun collecting absentee ballots at a number of locations across the sprawling county. Abbott said that ballots collected prior to Oct. 2 remain valid subject to earlier rules. In July, Abbott gave voters more time to deliver their absentee ballots in person, an option typically available only on Election Day.
Texas has maintained its unusually strict criteria for absentee ballots during the pandemic. Voters qualify only if they are 65 or older, confined in jail but otherwise eligible, outside of their county through the election period or cite disability. The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that lack of immunity to the coronavirus does not itself constitute disability, but that voters must consider that alongside their own personal medical history to decide whether they are eligible. Election administrators do not have the power to vet a voter's disability claims or demand documentation, but providing false information is a crime.
The question of absentee ballot delivery in Harris County is already being disputed in a legal challenge filed by Houston Republicans earlier this week. A group of candidates and officials including the Harris County GOP has asked the Texas Supreme Court to limit the locations where voters can drop off their ballots, as well as to shorten the early voting period Abbott has laid out. That case is pending before the court.
Advertisement
On Wednesday, the day before the governor's proclamation, Texas Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins weighed in at the request of the court and backed Harris County's efforts as lawful under the governor's earlier orders.
Nothing in the law says that multiple drop-off locations cannot be used, Hawkins argued, and "accordingly, the Secretary of State has advised local officials that the Legislature has permitted ballots to be returned to any early-voting clerk office."
Early voting is set to begin Oct. 13.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune. Read the original here. The Texas Tribune is a non-profit, non-partisan media organization that informs Texans -- and engages with them -- about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.


upi--2020-10-01--Ontario man wins his second lottery jackpot in three months

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- An Ontario man is celebrating a double dose of luck after winning two lottery @ @ @ @ @ just three months .
Ninos Barcham , 39 , of Bradford , told Ontario Lottery @ @ @ @ @ was still getting used to having won $ 75,000 in a Lottario drawing in June @ @ @ @ @ time with a $ 75,000 jackpot from the Sept. 17 Daily Grand drawing .
`` @ @ @ @ @ win this year , '' Barcham said .
He said he had not expected to @ @ @ @ @ soon .
`` When I realized I won big again , I just started to @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's wonderful and unexpected . ''
Bracham said he bought his ticket @ @ @ @ @ in Maple .

Ninos Barcham of Bradford, Ontario, won his second $75,000 lottery jackpot in the span of three months. Photo courtesy of the Ontario Lotteries and Gaming Corp.
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Oct. 1 (UPI) -- An Ontario man is celebrating a double dose of luck after winning two lottery jackpots in the span of just three months. Ninos Barcham, 39, of Bradford, told Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. officials he was still getting used to having won $75,000 in a Lottario drawing in June when luck struck a second time with a $75,000 jackpot from the Sept. 17 Daily Grand drawing. Advertisement
"This is my second major win this year," Barcham said.
He said he had not expected to win a second prize so soon.
"When I realized I won big again, I just started to laugh," he said. "It's wonderful and unexpected."
Bracham said he bought his ticket from the Circle K store in Maple.


upi--2020-10-01--Judge orders Justice Department's police commission to halt work

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- A federal judge on Thursday ordered a law enforcement commission established by President Donald Trump not to release their findings in a report because their meetings violated transparency laws .
U.S. District Judge John Bates in the District of Columbia said the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice violates the Federal Advisory Committee Act because it did n't include `` fairly balanced '' perspectives .
Also , he said , the commission held meetings in private without first notifying the public .
Trump announced the commission in October 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body .
He directed the commission to study policing and how best to ensure peace in American communities .
`` The job of a cop is tougher now than ever before ; and the expectation for a cop 's responsibilities to blur the lines between law enforcement and public health is more pronounced now than ever before , '' Attorney General William Barr said in January when announcing details of the commission .
`` And they must manage these demands in an environment in which their moral and legal legitimacy is under constant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The NAACP challenged the formation of the commission , saying that its composition of only law enforcement officials reflects the administration 's rejection of policing reform efforts .
The organization 's Legal Defense and Educational Fund welcomed Thursday 's ruling .
`` The country has been demanding accountability for police misconduct and violence , and clamoring for a reimagined notion of public safety for many months following the police killings of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , and countless other Black people , '' said Sherrilyn Ifill , the president and director-counsel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fund .
`` Any federal committee designed to make recommendations about law enforcement must include representation from people and communities impacted by police violence , civil rights organizations , the criminal defense bar , and other stakeholders . ''
Bates ordered the commission to halt its work and not publish its findings .
`` LDF has an interest in and is directly impacted by the commission 's function of studying policing , '' he wrote in his ruling .
`` Because Attorney General [ William ] Barr appointed the commissioners at the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only selected from those with law enforcement backgrounds , it does not appear that LDF and its representatives had an opportunity to formally apply for commission membership . ''

Hundreds of protesters rally near the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. and Obama boulevards to mark Juneteenth in Los Angeles. On Thursday, a judge found that a policing commission established by the Trump administration lacked diversity because only law enforcement officials were named to the body. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- A federal judge on Thursday ordered a law enforcement commission established by President Donald Trump not to release their findings in a report because their meetings violated transparency laws. U.S. District Judge John Bates in the District of Columbia said the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice violates the Federal Advisory Committee Act because it didn't include "fairly balanced" perspectives. Also, he said, the commission held meetings in private without first notifying the public. Advertisement
Trump announced the commission in October 2019, naming 18 law enforcement officials to the body. He directed the commission to study policing and how best to ensure peace in American communities.
"The job of a cop is tougher now than ever before; and the expectation for a cop's responsibilities to blur the lines between law enforcement and public health is more pronounced now than ever before," Attorney General William Barr said in January when announcing details of the commission.
"And they must manage these demands in an environment in which their moral and legal legitimacy is under constant attack from a variety of voices."
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The NAACP challenged the formation of the commission, saying that its composition of only law enforcement officials reflects the administration's rejection of policing reform efforts. The organization's Legal Defense and Educational Fund welcomed Thursday's ruling.
"The country has been demanding accountability for police misconduct and violence, and clamoring for a reimagined notion of public safety for many months following the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black people," said Sherrilyn Ifill, the president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
"Any federal committee designed to make recommendations about law enforcement must include representation from people and communities impacted by police violence, civil rights organizations, the criminal defense bar, and other stakeholders."
Bates ordered the commission to halt its work and not publish its findings.
"LDF has an interest in and is directly impacted by the commission's function of studying policing," he wrote in his ruling. "Because Attorney General [William] Barr appointed the commissioners at the same time as establishing the commission, and only selected from those with law enforcement backgrounds, it does not appear that LDF and its representatives had an opportunity to formally apply for commission membership."


upi--2020-10-01--Blue whale singing patterns reverse when they start to migrate

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- For the last five years , an underwater microphone deployed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute , positioned on the Monterey Bay seafloor , several hundred feet beneath the surface of the ocean , has been recording the sounds of sea -- including the spooky songs of blue whales .
While analyzing the tremendous wealth of data , researchers noticed blue whale songs follow a seasonal pattern , according to a study published Thursday in the journal Current Biology .
Recordings from the summer months , when the blue whales were visiting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , revealed a preference for nighttime singing .
But the audio recorded during the fall and winter demonstrated a reversal -- silent nights and days filled with song .
`` This was a very striking signal to observe in such an enormous dataset , and led us to ask the questions : what drives these population-level patterns in song , and do these patterns indicate changes in blue whale behavior through the seasonal cycle ? ''
lead researcher William Oestreich , a doctoral candidate in biology at Stanford University , told UPI in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Oestreich and his colleagues turned to tags , which helped the research team track the diving , movement , feeding and singing behaviors of individual whales .
`` We found that individual blue whales that are feeding and have not yet started migrating south sing primarily during the night , whereas blue whales which are migrating sing primarily during the day , '' said Oestreich , lead author of new paper .
`` By analyzing data from these tags , we discovered that the nighttime tendency for singing that these whales display @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a tradeoff between singing and feeding behaviors within a 24-hour day , '' he said .
During the day , krill are often found densely packed deep beneath the ocean surface .
To take advantage of this concentration of food , blue whales spend most of the daylight hours during the summer diving and eating .
At night , the krill rise to the surface and spread out , and as a result , whales have more time to sing .
`` Once these whales begin migrating south , however , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all , '' Oestreich said .
`` Because there is no longer a tradeoff between this deep water feeding behavior and singing , the individual whales are able to sing throughout the daytime during migration . ''
Scientists are n't sure why migrating blue whales tend to stop singing at nighttime .
The acoustic signature discovered by Oestreich and his research partners will help marine biologists and conservation scientists track blue whale migrations .
Blue whales , the largest mammals on Earth , rely on the large krill populations found off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their trek south to their breeding grounds off the Pacific coast of Central America .
According to Oestreich , understanding their season movements is key to protecting blue whale populations .
`` We are now better able to monitor when these blue whales are migrating in relation to changes in the ecosystem they inhabit , '' Oestreich said .
The newly analyzed acoustic recordings have also offered researchers new insights into why blue whales sing .
The data showed the whales tend to sing more and more as they prepare to migrate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is mostly the domain of male whales and used to attract mates .
It 's possible blue whale songs serve multiple purposes , and researchers hope to continue using a combination of tracking data and hydrophobic recordings to better understand how and why blue whales deploy their vocal tools .
`` Now that humans are able to determine whether these blue whales are feeding or migrating just by listening , it begs the question : do blue whales listen and use this signal as well ? ''
Oestreich said .
`` These animals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stretches of the Pacific Ocean with variable conditions and food supplies , meaning that making a 'well-informed ' decision about when to give up on feeding and start migrating south is difficult based on one 's immediate surroundings , '' he said .
It 's possible the songs of individual whales encode information that help their relatives make better decisions about when to feed and when to begin their trek south to breed , but Oestreich said more research is needed .

Researchers say that blue whales singing patterns are seasonal, based on eating and migrating patterns. Photo by NOAA /Flickr/Wikimedia
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- For the last five years, an underwater microphone deployed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, positioned on the Monterey Bay seafloor, several hundred feet beneath the surface of the ocean, has been recording the sounds of sea -- including the spooky songs of blue whales. While analyzing the tremendous wealth of data, researchers noticed blue whale songs follow a seasonal pattern, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Current Biology. Advertisement
Recordings from the summer months, when the blue whales were visiting the Pacific and spending their days eating krill, revealed a preference for nighttime singing. But the audio recorded during the fall and winter demonstrated a reversal -- silent nights and days filled with song.
"This was a very striking signal to observe in such an enormous dataset, and led us to ask the questions: what drives these population-level patterns in song, and do these patterns indicate changes in blue whale behavior through the seasonal cycle?" lead researcher William Oestreich, a doctoral candidate in biology at Stanford University, told UPI in an email.
Advertisement
To answer those questions, Oestreich and his colleagues turned to tags, which helped the research team track the diving, movement, feeding and singing behaviors of individual whales.
"We found that individual blue whales that are feeding and have not yet started migrating south sing primarily during the night, whereas blue whales which are migrating sing primarily during the day," said Oestreich, lead author of new paper.
"By analyzing data from these tags, we discovered that the nighttime tendency for singing that these whales display during their months of feeding is driven by a tradeoff between singing and feeding behaviors within a 24-hour day," he said.
During the day, krill are often found densely packed deep beneath the ocean surface. To take advantage of this concentration of food, blue whales spend most of the daylight hours during the summer diving and eating. At night, the krill rise to the surface and spread out, and as a result, whales have more time to sing.
"Once these whales begin migrating south, however, they feed very sparsely -- and often not at all," Oestreich said. "Because there is no longer a tradeoff between this deep water feeding behavior and singing, the individual whales are able to sing throughout the daytime during migration."
Advertisement
Scientists aren't sure why migrating blue whales tend to stop singing at nighttime.
The acoustic signature discovered by Oestreich and his research partners will help marine biologists and conservation scientists track blue whale migrations.
Blue whales, the largest mammals on Earth, rely on the large krill populations found off the west coast of North America to fuel their trek south to their breeding grounds off the Pacific coast of Central America. According to Oestreich, understanding their season movements is key to protecting blue whale populations.
"We are now better able to monitor when these blue whales are migrating in relation to changes in the ecosystem they inhabit," Oestreich said.
The newly analyzed acoustic recordings have also offered researchers new insights into why blue whales sing. The data showed the whales tend to sing more and more as they prepare to migrate, which lends support to theories that singing is mostly the domain of male whales and used to attract mates.
It's possible blue whale songs serve multiple purposes, and researchers hope to continue using a combination of tracking data and hydrophobic recordings to better understand how and why blue whales deploy their vocal tools.
"Now that humans are able to determine whether these blue whales are feeding or migrating just by listening, it begs the question: do blue whales listen and use this signal as well?" Oestreich said.
Advertisement
"These animals live in low population densities over vast stretches of the Pacific Ocean with variable conditions and food supplies, meaning that making a 'well-informed' decision about when to give up on feeding and start migrating south is difficult based on one's immediate surroundings," he said.
It's possible the songs of individual whales encode information that help their relatives make better decisions about when to feed and when to begin their trek south to breed, but Oestreich said more research is needed.


upi--2020-10-01--Europe tightens controls again amid second wave of COVID-19

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- Several European countries have imposed or are planning to impose new coronavirus restrictions this week after seeing spikes in new cases Thursday .
The British government on Thursday revealed new restrictions on gatherings indoors in several northern municipalities , including the port city of Liverpool .
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said the country 's second peak of COVID-19 cases is `` highly localized '' and `` spreading fast . ''
The government banned mixing of people among different households indoors , and recommended against attending sporting events , visiting care homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more people follow the rules and reduce their social contact , the quicker we can get Liverpool , and the northeast , back on their feet , '' Hancock said in a speech to Parliament .
He said there were 7,108 new cases Wednesday in Britain , its second-highest number since the start of the pandemic .
The highest figure , 7,143 , came Tuesday as the country enters a second wave of the virus .
There was an 89 % increase in the number of new daily cases over the past two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of cases to 460,000 , according to The New York Times ' tracker .
Britain reported 71 new deaths Wednesday , a 212 % increase over the past week .
More than 42,000 people have died in the country from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic .
Britain is n't alone as several European countries begin seeing evidence of a second wave of infection as the fall season opens .
Spain reported 11,016 new cases Wednesday , a 7 % increase over the past two weeks , and 177 new deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been more than 769,000 confirmed cases and nearly 32,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic .
The country 's current seven-day average of new cases -- about 10,000 -- surpasses its spring peak of about 8,000 .
Madrid has the highest number of new cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days in Spain at 430 .
Navarra has the next-highest concentration of cases at 351 .
Madrid reported 1,586 new cases Wednesday and 28,778 new cases in the past week .
Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa on Wednesday announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an effort to stem the spread of the virus .
The lockdown prevents residents from travel except for work , school or health reasons ; limits gatherings to six people ; and requires stores , bars and restaurants to maintain 50 % capacity and close by 10 p.m .
While Germany is also experiencing a second surge of cases since a summertime lull , the country is nowhere near hitting its springtime high .
There were 4,301 new cases reported Wednesday , a 30 % increase over the past 14 days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase .
Germany 's daily high was nearly 6,300 in March , according to The New York Times .
Still , Chancellor Angela Merkel implemented new lockdown measures Tuesday , including limiting gatherings to 50 people or fewer , and fining people for giving fake contact tracing data .
Merkel , speaking during a news conference , warned that if Germany did n't strictly abide by the restrictions , the country could see daily cases reaching nearly 20,000 in the winter .
`` I am sure life as we know it will return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasonable , '' she said .
`` We know that a more difficult time is coming , fall and winter . ''
French Health Minister Olivier Véran on Thursday warned that Paris will likely reach a `` maximum '' alert level by Monday if coronavirus cases do n't recede .
France is reporting new daily cases at levels twice as high as it had in the spring .
The country had 12,845 new cases Thursday , a 36 % increase over the past two weeks , and 63 deaths , a 98 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had 577,000 cases and 32,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic .
Véran floated the idea of shuttering bars and restaurants in the capital city .
Worldwide , roughly 316,000 new cases were reported Wednesday with 6,200 deaths .
Since the start of the pandemic , more than 34 million people have been sickened and 1 million killed .

A worker in a face mask cleans a cafe in London on Thursday. The British government announced new lockdown measures in the northeastern part of the country. Photo by Neil Hall/EPA-EFE
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Several European countries have imposed or are planning to impose new coronavirus restrictions this week after seeing spikes in new cases Thursday. The British government on Thursday revealed new restrictions on gatherings indoors in several northern municipalities, including the port city of Liverpool. Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said the country's second peak of COVID-19 cases is "highly localized" and "spreading fast." Advertisement
The government banned mixing of people among different households indoors, and recommended against attending sporting events, visiting care homes and non-essential travel.
"And the more people follow the rules and reduce their social contact, the quicker we can get Liverpool, and the northeast, back on their feet," Hancock said in a speech to Parliament.
He said there were 7,108 new cases Wednesday in Britain, its second-highest number since the start of the pandemic. The highest figure, 7,143, came Tuesday as the country enters a second wave of the virus.
Advertisement
There was an 89% increase in the number of new daily cases over the past two weeks, bringing the country's overall number of cases to 460,000, according to The New York Times' tracker.
Britain reported 71 new deaths Wednesday, a 212% increase over the past week. More than 42,000 people have died in the country from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.
Britain isn't alone as several European countries begin seeing evidence of a second wave of infection as the fall season opens.
Spain reported 11,016 new cases Wednesday, a 7% increase over the past two weeks, and 177 new deaths, a 23% increase. There have been more than 769,000 confirmed cases and nearly 32,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
The country's current seven-day average of new cases -- about 10,000 -- surpasses its spring peak of about 8,000.
Madrid has the highest number of new cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days in Spain at 430. Navarra has the next-highest concentration of cases at 351.
Madrid reported 1,586 new cases Wednesday and 28,778 new cases in the past week.
Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa on Wednesday announced new lockdown measures for the capital city in an effort to stem the spread of the virus. The lockdown prevents residents from travel except for work, school or health reasons; limits gatherings to six people; and requires stores, bars and restaurants to maintain 50% capacity and close by 10 p.m.
Advertisement
While Germany is also experiencing a second surge of cases since a summertime lull, the country is nowhere near hitting its springtime high.
There were 4,301 new cases reported Wednesday, a 30% increase over the past 14 days, and 29 deaths, a 140% increase. Germany's daily high was nearly 6,300 in March, according to The New York Times.
Still, Chancellor Angela Merkel implemented new lockdown measures Tuesday, including limiting gatherings to 50 people or fewer, and fining people for giving fake contact tracing data.
Merkel, speaking during a news conference, warned that if Germany didn't strictly abide by the restrictions, the country could see daily cases reaching nearly 20,000 in the winter.
"I am sure life as we know it will return, but now we have to be reasonable," she said. "We know that a more difficult time is coming, fall and winter."
French Health Minister Olivier Véran on Thursday warned that Paris will likely reach a "maximum" alert level by Monday if coronavirus cases don't recede.
France is reporting new daily cases at levels twice as high as it had in the spring. The country had 12,845 new cases Thursday, a 36% increase over the past two weeks, and 63 deaths, a 98% increase.
Advertisement
Overall, the country has had 577,000 cases and 32,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
Véran floated the idea of shuttering bars and restaurants in the capital city.
Worldwide, roughly 316,000 new cases were reported Wednesday with 6,200 deaths. Since the start of the pandemic, more than 34 million people have been sickened and 1 million killed.
World moves to reopen amid COVID-19 pandemic


upi--2020-10-01--Look: Pickup truck leaves Florida road, ends up in swimming pool

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- The Florida Highway Patrol said a driver was not injured when his pickup truck @ @ @ @ @ up plunging into a resident 's backyard swimming pool .
The Florida Highway Patrol 's @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday when a driver swerved off the roadway to avoid a disabled vehicle .
The @ @ @ @ @ fence and ended up with its front end in a swimming pool .
The 49-year-old @ @ @ @ @ the crash .
`` Drivers have to be alert for vehicles in the roadway , @ @ @ @ @

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Oct. 1 (UPI) -- The Florida Highway Patrol said a driver was not injured when his pickup truck left the road and ended up plunging into a resident's backyard swimming pool.
The Florida Highway Patrol's Orlando station said troopers responded Wednesday when a driver swerved off the roadway to avoid a disabled vehicle.
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The pickup truck crashed through a fence and ended up with its front end in a swimming pool.
The 49-year-old driver was not injured in the crash.
"Drivers have to be alert for vehicles in the roadway," the FHP tweeted.


upi--2020-10-01--Red flag warning goes into effect in Northern California amid deadly wildfires

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- A red flag warning went into effect for parts of Northern California on Thursday as deadly wildfires burn throughout the state .
The California Department of Fire and Forestry Protection , or Cal Fire , said the warning indicates that will contribute to fire growth in North and South Bay , central Mendocino County , western Monterey County and most of the Los Padres National Forest and will continue through Friday .
`` High temperatures also persist , adding to the critical fire weather danger .
A slight cooling trend is not expected until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , '' Cal Fire said .
The death toll from the fires rose to 30 as a fourth death was reported in the Zogg fire in Shasta County on Wednesday .
Cal Fire said Thursday that the Zogg Fire has now burned 55,303 acres and was 26 % contained , while the Glass Fire in multiple North Bay counties had burned 56,781 acres at 5 % containment .
Overall 8,100 wildfires -- including five of the six largest in the state 's history -- have burned more than 3.9 million acres , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the beginning of the year , the agency said .
More than 17,000 firefighters are battling nearly 30 major wildfires currently burning throughout the state .
Fire officials said that `` intense fire conditions '' combined with wind gusts forced some firefighters to `` take refuge ... in the aluminized cloth tents that offer protection by reflecting radiant heat and providing a volume of breathable air . ''

A red flag warning went into effect for North and South Bay, central Mendocino County, western Monterey County and most of the Los Padres National Forest in California as deadly wildfires burn throughout the state. Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- A red flag warning went into effect for parts of Northern California on Thursday as deadly wildfires burn throughout the state. The California Department of Fire and Forestry Protection, or Cal Fire, said the warning indicates that will contribute to fire growth in North and South Bay, central Mendocino County, western Monterey County and most of the Los Padres National Forest and will continue through Friday. Advertisement
"High temperatures also persist, adding to the critical fire weather danger. A slight cooling trend is not expected until later in the weekend or early next week," Cal Fire said.
The death toll from the fires rose to 30 as a fourth death was reported in the Zogg fire in Shasta County on Wednesday.
Cal Fire said Thursday that the Zogg Fire has now burned 55,303 acres and was 26% contained, while the Glass Fire in multiple North Bay counties had burned 56,781 acres at 5% containment.
Overall 8,100 wildfires -- including five of the six largest in the state's history -- have burned more than 3.9 million acres, destroying more than 7,500 structures in California since the beginning of the year, the agency said.
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More than 17,000 firefighters are battling nearly 30 major wildfires currently burning throughout the state.
Fire officials said that "intense fire conditions" combined with wind gusts forced some firefighters to "take refuge ... in the aluminized cloth tents that offer protection by reflecting radiant heat and providing a volume of breathable air."


upi--2020-10-01--Look: Entangled deer rescued from hammock in New York state

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- A New York state animal control officer and a wildlife rehabilitator came to the @ @ @ @ @ its antlers entangled in a resident 's hammock .
The Amherst Police Department said Animal @ @ @ @ @ to the scene Thursday morning when the deer was reported stuck in the hammock 's @ @ @ @ @ with a deer rehabilitator from Fuzzy Fawn Wildlife to free the buck .
The department @ @ @ @ @ being carefully removed from the deer 's antlers .

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Oct. 1 (UPI) -- A New York state animal control officer and a wildlife rehabilitator came to the rescue of a buck with its antlers entangled in a resident's hammock.
The Amherst Police Department said Animal Control Officer Cyndi Griffin responded to the scene Thursday morning when the deer was reported stuck in the hammock's netting.
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Griffin worked together with a deer rehabilitator from Fuzzy Fawn Wildlife to free the buck.
The department shared photos of the hammock being carefully removed from the deer's antlers.


upi--2020-10-01--Watch: Class ring lost decades ago found in yard of owner's former home

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- A man who lost his class ring from a college in New York state was reunited with the ring when it was found decades later in the yard of a house where he used to live .
Jim McNicholas , 74 , said his Canisius College class ring was a gift in the late 1960s , and in it was with the couple in the 1970s when they moved from Buffalo to El Paso , Texas , where he was stationed in the Army .
McNicholas said he lost the ring at some point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a position at Canisius College .
His wife , Dorothy , bought him a replacement ring in 1975 .
`` I do n't know how I lost it , it 's just one day I was looking for it and I could n't find it , '' he told WIVB-TV .
`` I looked all over .
I thought I lost it on a golf course , I did n't put it in the bag correctly , or something .
But as it turns out , I lost it doing some yard work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Vera Dianna Nunez , who lived with her family at McNicholas ' former home in El Paso , said the ring was found by gardeners .
`` The gardeners found the ring and they handed it over to my parents and so my parents brushed it off and cleaned it off , '' Nunez said .
Nunez said she recently decided to do some research and was able to identify McNicholas as the ring 's owner .
She called him to confirm he was the former wearer of the ring and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I said that 's unbelievable , that someone would find this thing , that long ago , keep it , and eventually return it , '' McNicholas said .

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Oct. 1 (UPI) -- A man who lost his class ring from a college in New York state was reunited with the ring when it was found decades later in the yard of a house where he used to live.
Jim McNicholas, 74, said his Canisius College class ring was a gift in the late 1960s, and in it was with the couple in the 1970s when they moved from Buffalo to El Paso, Texas, where he was stationed in the Army.
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McNicholas said he lost the ring at some point before moving back to Buffalo to accept a position at Canisius College. His wife, Dorothy, bought him a replacement ring in 1975.
"I don't know how I lost it, it's just one day I was looking for it and I couldn't find it," he told WIVB-TV. "I looked all over. I thought I lost it on a golf course, I didn't put it in the bag correctly, or something. But as it turns out, I lost it doing some yard work when we were living in El Paso."
Vera Dianna Nunez, who lived with her family at McNicholas' former home in El Paso, said the ring was found by gardeners.
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"The gardeners found the ring and they handed it over to my parents and so my parents brushed it off and cleaned it off," Nunez said.
Nunez said she recently decided to do some research and was able to identify McNicholas as the ring's owner. She called him to confirm he was the former wearer of the ring and returned it to him via mail.
"I said that's unbelievable, that someone would find this thing, that long ago, keep it, and eventually return it," McNicholas said.


upi--2020-10-01--Genetics might explain some cases of cerebral palsy

Genetic problems cause about 14 % of cerebral palsy cases , and many of the implicated genes control the wiring of brain circuits during early fetal development , new research shows .
The largest genetic study of cerebral palsy supports previous findings and provides `` the strongest evidence to date that a significant portion of cerebral palsy cases can be linked to rare genetic mutations , and in doing so identified several key genetic pathways involved , '' said study co-senior author Dr. Michael Kruer .
He 's a neurogeneticist at Phoenix Children 's Hospital and the University of Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely funded by the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke , part of the National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) .
`` We hope this will give patients living with cerebral palsy and their loved ones a better understanding of the disorder , and doctors a clearer road map for diagnosing and treating them , '' Kruer said in an NIH news release .
The researchers first searched for spontaneous ( `` de novo '' ) mutations in the genes of 250 families in the United States , China and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to occur when cells make mistakes copying their DNA as they multiply and divide .
Cerebral palsy patients had higher levels of potentially harmful de novo mutations than their parents , and about 12 % of cerebral palsy cases in the study could be explained by de novo mutations , according to the study published this week in the journal Nature Genetics .
This was especially true for cases that had no known cause and represented the majority ( 63 % ) of cases in the study .
About another 2 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked to recessive , or weaker , versions of genes , which increased the estimate of cases that could be linked to genetic problems to 14 % , as has been found in previous research .
Cerebral palsy affects about one in 323 U.S. children and causes permanent problems with movement and posture .
The causes of many cases of cerebral palsy are unclear .
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more on cerebral palsy .

Cerebral palsy patients had higher levels of potentially harmful gene mutations than their parents, researcher found. Photo by Caroline Davis2010 /Flickr
Genetic problems cause about 14% of cerebral palsy cases, and many of the implicated genes control the wiring of brain circuits during early fetal development, new research shows. The largest genetic study of cerebral palsy supports previous findings and provides "the strongest evidence to date that a significant portion of cerebral palsy cases can be linked to rare genetic mutations, and in doing so identified several key genetic pathways involved," said study co-senior author Dr. Michael Kruer. He's a neurogeneticist at Phoenix Children's Hospital and the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Advertisement
The study was largely funded by the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
"We hope this will give patients living with cerebral palsy and their loved ones a better understanding of the disorder, and doctors a clearer road map for diagnosing and treating them," Kruer said in an NIH news release.
The researchers first searched for spontaneous ("de novo") mutations in the genes of 250 families in the United States, China and Australia. These rare mutations are believed to occur when cells make mistakes copying their DNA as they multiply and divide.
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Cerebral palsy patients had higher levels of potentially harmful de novo mutations than their parents, and about 12% of cerebral palsy cases in the study could be explained by de novo mutations, according to the study published this week in the journal Nature Genetics.
This was especially true for cases that had no known cause and represented the majority (63%) of cases in the study.
About another 2% of cases in the study appeared to be linked to recessive, or weaker, versions of genes, which increased the estimate of cases that could be linked to genetic problems to 14%, as has been found in previous research.
Cerebral palsy affects about one in 323 U.S. children and causes permanent problems with movement and posture. The causes of many cases of cerebral palsy are unclear.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more on cerebral palsy.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-10-01--Trey Anastasio announces virtual series, 'The Beacon Jams'

Oct. 1 ( UPI ) -- Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio said Thursday that he will appear in an upcoming eight-week virtual series , The Beacon Jams .
The guitarist announced the series of virtual concerts , live from New York City 's historic Beacon Theatre , to be streamed for free exclusively on Twitch , starting on Oct. 9 , every Friday at 8 p.m .
ET through Nov. 27 , in a Twitter post .
Anastasio referred to the series as a `` virtual residency , '' and added on his website that along with his acoustic and electric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audience interactions and more .
The guitarist has partnered with MSG Entertainment to present the eight-week series of concerts .
`` When we thought about playing the Beacon , I was reminded of the meaning of the word , '' Anastasio said in a statement .
`` A beacon is a beam of light , often from a lighthouse , which sends it out to sailors who are lost at sea and all alone .
They look for the beacon and it guides them home . ''
Donations from the event will benefit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nonprofits and its new Divided Sky Fund .
The proceeds will help those affected by addiction and further plans to open a Vermont treatment center , according to the website .
`` I 've been sober for 13 years , '' Anastasio said .
`` It 's a great blessing in my life .
We started talking about the idea of a treatment center about a year ago .
I was worried that the project would get derailed because of the pandemic but it did n't -- it actually picked up steam ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Beacon Jams emerged as a way to raise money for it while also allowing me to play for the fans again . ''
`` We 're thrilled to be able to partner with Trey on this very special and first-ever virtual residency at The Beacon Theatre to benefit two immensely important causes -- Divided Sky Fund and the WaterWheel Foundation , '' Pfeffer said .
`` As we navigate the live music scene through this socially distant world , we could n't think of a more natural way to bring live music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great cause . ''

Trey Anastasio is shown at The Beacon Theatre. Photo by Angela Crawford/MSG Entertainment
Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio said Thursday that he will appear in an upcoming eight-week virtual series, The Beacon Jams. The guitarist announced the series of virtual concerts, live from New York City's historic Beacon Theatre, to be streamed for free exclusively on Twitch, starting on Oct. 9, every Friday at 8 p.m. ET through Nov. 27, in a Twitter post. Advertisement
Anastasio referred to the series as a "virtual residency," and added on his website that along with his acoustic and electric performances, there will be opportunities for audience interactions and more.
The guitarist has partnered with MSG Entertainment to present the eight-week series of concerts.
"When we thought about playing the Beacon, I was reminded of the meaning of the word," Anastasio said in a statement. "A beacon is a beam of light, often from a lighthouse, which sends it out to sailors who are lost at sea and all alone. They look for the beacon and it guides them home."
Donations from the event will benefit Phish's long-running WaterWheel Foundation for Vermont-based nonprofits and its new Divided Sky Fund. The proceeds will help those affected by addiction and further plans to open a Vermont treatment center, according to the website.
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"I've been sober for 13 years," Anastasio said. "It's a great blessing in my life. We started talking about the idea of a treatment center about a year ago. I was worried that the project would get derailed because of the pandemic but it didn't -- it actually picked up steam; things are really rolling along now. The Beacon Jams emerged as a way to raise money for it while also allowing me to play for the fans again."
MSG Entertainment Executive Vice President Darren Pfeffer lauded the partnership.
"We're thrilled to be able to partner with Trey on this very special and first-ever virtual residency at The Beacon Theatre to benefit two immensely important causes -- Divided Sky Fund and the WaterWheel Foundation," Pfeffer said. "As we navigate the live music scene through this socially distant world, we couldn't think of a more natural way to bring live music to so many fans for such a great cause."