upi--2020-05-26--Saints placing Noah Spence on non-football injury list with torn ACL

May 26 ( UPI ) -- The New Orleans Saints are placing defensive end Noah Spence on the reserve/non-football injury list because of a torn ACL .
NFL Media and Sports Illustrated first reported the move Tuesday .
The Saints are filling the vacant roster spot by officially signing veteran linebacker Anthony Chickillo .
Spence sustained the knee injury during an individual workout in preparation for training camp , according to NFL Media .
This off-season , teams have been unable to meet for on-field or in-person workouts due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Spence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NFL Draft out of Eastern Kentucky .
The franchise expected the pass rusher to take on a bigger role after he recorded 5.5 sacks in his rookie season , but he has notched only two sacks in three seasons since his first year in the league .
The Buccaneers waived Spence before the start of the 2019 season .
He signed with the Washington Redskins in mid-September and appeared in seven games with the team before being released .
Spence then signed with the Saints in December , but he did n't play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a one-year deal with New Orleans this off-season to return to the franchise in 2020 .
In 41 career games with the Buccaneers and Redskins , Spence has tallied 37 total tackles , 7.5 sacks , four forced fumbles and two passes defensed .

May 26 (UPI) -- The New Orleans Saints are placing defensive end Noah Spence on the reserve/non-football injury list because of a torn ACL.
NFL Media and Sports Illustrated first reported the move Tuesday. The Saints are filling the vacant roster spot by officially signing veteran linebacker Anthony Chickillo.
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Spence sustained the knee injury during an individual workout in preparation for training camp, according to NFL Media. This off-season, teams have been unable to meet for on-field or in-person workouts due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Spence in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Eastern Kentucky. The franchise expected the pass rusher to take on a bigger role after he recorded 5.5 sacks in his rookie season, but he has notched only two sacks in three seasons since his first year in the league.
Noah Spence has four sacks this season, tied for the most among all rookies. pic.twitter.com/SbZgfuxKR9— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) November 13, 2016 Advertisement
The Buccaneers waived Spence before the start of the 2019 season. He signed with the Washington Redskins in mid-September and appeared in seven games with the team before being released.
Spence then signed with the Saints in December, but he didn't play in a regular-season game. He reached a one-year deal with New Orleans this off-season to return to the franchise in 2020.
In 41 career games with the Buccaneers and Redskins, Spence has tallied 37 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two passes defensed.


upi--2020-05-26--Twitter places fact-checking label on Trump tweets for first time

May 26 ( UPI ) -- Twitter placed labels indicating potentially harmful or misleading information on a pair of President Donald Trump 's tweets for the first time Tuesday since introducing the feature .
The social media site placed the notice on two tweets in which Trump alleged the widespread use of mail-in ballots in the 2020 election will be `` substantially fraudulent . ''
The notice directs users to `` get the facts about mail-in ballots . ''
Clicking on the warnings directs users to a page with a text box titled `` What you need to know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has previously made false claims about mail-in ballots and information verified by fact-checkers about their current implementation .
It also includes links to articles from various news outlets and other tweets discussing Trump 's past comments on the practice , background about the discussion and issues with Trump 's claims .
Twitter representative Katie Rosborough told The Washington Post that Trump 's tweets `` contain potentially misleading information about voting processes and have been labeled to provide additional context around mail-in ballots . ''
Trump responded to the action in a series of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media company of interfering with the elections , calling the legitimacy of the fact-checks into question and saying he would take action in response .
`` Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH , and I , as President will not allow it to happen ! ''
Trump wrote .
Trump 's 2020 campaign manager , Brad Pascale , accused Twitter of political bias in a statement shared by CNN 's Jim Acosta .
`` We always knew that Silicon Valley would pull out all the stops to obstruct and interfere with President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Partnering with the biased fake news media 'fact checkers ' is only a smoke screen Twitter is using to try to lend their obvious political tactics some incredibly false credibility , '' Pascale said .
Twitter introduced the labels and warnings in a blog post on May 11 in response to misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic on the site , with the goal of providing `` additional context and information on some Tweets containing disputed or misleading information . ''
In the blog post Twitter identifies three types of misleading content that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Misleading information -- which Twitter describes as statements or assertions that have been confirmed to be false or misleading by subject-matter experts • Disputed claims -- statements or assertions in which the accuracy truthfulness or credibility of the claim is contested or unknown • Unverified claims -- information which may be true or false but is not confirmed at the time it is shared All three categories can also be classified as `` moderate '' or `` severe '' resulting in different actions .
Moderate instances of misleading information and disputed claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of misleading information will be removed and severe disputed claims will receive a warning .
Twitter stated it will take no action in response to unverified claims .
The post also stated that labels could be applied to tweets retroactively .
The action on Tuesday comes after Twitter said it would not remove several tweets by Trump alleging that MSNBC host Joe Scarborough was involved in foul play in the 2001 death of Lori Klausutis while he worked in Congress .
Lori Klausutis ' widower , Timothy Klausutis , sent a letter to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media company to remove the tweets linking Scarborough to her death .
Medical authorities said her death stemmed from a heart condition that caused her to hit her head on a desk while working in Scarborough 's congressional office .
`` My request is simple : Please delete these tweets , '' wrote Timothy Klausutis .
`` I 'm a research engineer and not a lawyer , but reviewed all of Twitter 's rules and terms of service .
The president 's tweet that suggests that Lori was murdered without evidence and contrary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Twitter 's community rules and terms of service .
An ordinary user like me would be banished from the platform for such a tweet but I am only asking that these tweets be removed . ''
A Twitter representative said the company would make changes to its policies but did not say the tweets would be removed .
`` We are deeply sorry about the pain these statements , and the attention they are drawing , are causing the family , '' said the representative .
`` We 've been working to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can more effectively address things like this going forward and we hope to have those changes in place shortly . ''

Twitter on Tuesday placed fact-checking labels on a pair of President Donald Trump's tweets about mail-in ballots, saying they contain "contain potentially misleading information about voting processes." This is the first time the company has used the labels on the president's tweets. Photo by Oliver Contreras/UPI | License Photo
May 26 (UPI) -- Twitter placed labels indicating potentially harmful or misleading information on a pair of President Donald Trump's tweets for the first time Tuesday since introducing the feature. The social media site placed the notice on two tweets in which Trump alleged the widespread use of mail-in ballots in the 2020 election will be "substantially fraudulent." The notice directs users to "get the facts about mail-in ballots." Advertisement
Clicking on the warnings directs users to a page with a text box titled "What you need to know," which features notes describing times Trump has previously made false claims about mail-in ballots and information verified by fact-checkers about their current implementation. It also includes links to articles from various news outlets and other tweets discussing Trump's past comments on the practice, background about the discussion and issues with Trump's claims.
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Twitter representative Katie Rosborough told The Washington Post that Trump's tweets "contain potentially misleading information about voting processes and have been labeled to provide additional context around mail-in ballots."
Trump responded to the action in a series of tweets directed at Twitter, accusing the social media company of interfering with the elections, calling the legitimacy of the fact-checks into question and saying he would take action in response.
"Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH, and I, as President will not allow it to happen!" Trump wrote.
Trump's 2020 campaign manager, Brad Pascale, accused Twitter of political bias in a statement shared by CNN's Jim Acosta.
"We always knew that Silicon Valley would pull out all the stops to obstruct and interfere with President Trump getting his message through to voters. Partnering with the biased fake news media 'fact checkers' is only a smoke screen Twitter is using to try to lend their obvious political tactics some incredibly false credibility," Pascale said.
Twitter introduced the labels and warnings in a blog post on May 11 in response to misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic on the site, with the goal of providing "additional context and information on some Tweets containing disputed or misleading information."
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In the blog post Twitter identifies three types of misleading content that may be flagged on the platform:
Misleading information -- which Twitter describes as statements or assertions that have been confirmed to be false or misleading by subject-matter experts
Disputed claims -- statements or assertions in which the accuracy truthfulness or credibility of the claim is contested or unknown
Unverified claims -- information which may be true or false but is not confirmed at the time it is shared
All three categories can also be classified as "moderate" or "severe" resulting in different actions.
Moderate instances of misleading information and disputed claims will be labeled, while severe instances of misleading information will be removed and severe disputed claims will receive a warning. Twitter stated it will take no action in response to unverified claims.
The post also stated that labels could be applied to tweets retroactively.
The action on Tuesday comes after Twitter said it would not remove several tweets by Trump alleging that MSNBC host Joe Scarborough was involved in foul play in the 2001 death of Lori Klausutis while he worked in Congress.
Lori Klausutis' widower, Timothy Klausutis, sent a letter to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey asking the social media company to remove the tweets linking Scarborough to her death. Medical authorities said her death stemmed from a heart condition that caused her to hit her head on a desk while working in Scarborough's congressional office.
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"My request is simple: Please delete these tweets," wrote Timothy Klausutis. "I'm a research engineer and not a lawyer, but reviewed all of Twitter's rules and terms of service. The president's tweet that suggests that Lori was murdered without evidence and contrary to the official autopsy is a violation of Twitter's community rules and terms of service. An ordinary user like me would be banished from the platform for such a tweet but I am only asking that these tweets be removed."
A Twitter representative said the company would make changes to its policies but did not say the tweets would be removed.
"We are deeply sorry about the pain these statements, and the attention they are drawing, are causing the family," said the representative. "We've been working to expand existing product features and policies so we can more effectively address things like this going forward and we hope to have those changes in place shortly."


upi--2020-05-26--Russell Wilson, Megan Rapinoe, Sue Bird to host remote 2020 ESPYS

May 26 ( UPI ) -- Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson , soccer star Megan Rapinoe and WNBA standout Sue Bird will host the 2020 ESPY Awards , the network announced Tuesday .
For the first time , the show will feature three remote hosts .
Wilson , Rapinoe and Bird -- who all live in the Seattle area -- will preside over the two-hour broadcast , which airs June 21 on ESPN .
`` The ESPYS always have the distinct pleasure of recognizing moments of inspiration , but this year they serve the added purpose of creating a collective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miss live sports , '' Rob King , ESPN senior vice president and editor at large , said in a statement .
`` Part of the fun of The ESPYS is bringing together athletes from across a spectrum of sports and Sue , Megan and Russell represent a diverse lineup of teams .
We 're excited to see them bring their passion to hosting the show . ''
The event , which typically takes place in July in Los Angeles and features red-carpet strutting and about 5,000 audience members , was rescheduled as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This year 's ESPYS will include the Sports Humanitarian Awards , with several key awards including the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award and the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award .

For the first time, the ESPYS will feature three remote hosts, including Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (L). File Photo by David Tulis/UPI | License Photo
May 26 (UPI) -- Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, soccer star Megan Rapinoe and WNBA standout Sue Bird will host the 2020 ESPY Awards, the network announced Tuesday. For the first time, the show will feature three remote hosts. Wilson, Rapinoe and Bird -- who all live in the Seattle area -- will preside over the two-hour broadcast, which airs June 21 on ESPN. Advertisement
"The ESPYS always have the distinct pleasure of recognizing moments of inspiration, but this year they serve the added purpose of creating a collective experience for fans and players alike who miss live sports," Rob King, ESPN senior vice president and editor at large, said in a statement.
"Part of the fun of The ESPYS is bringing together athletes from across a spectrum of sports and Sue, Megan and Russell represent a diverse lineup of teams. We're excited to see them bring their passion to hosting the show."
The event, which typically takes place in July in Los Angeles and features red-carpet strutting and about 5,000 audience members, was rescheduled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
This year's ESPYS will include the Sports Humanitarian Awards, with several key awards including the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award and the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award.


upi--2020-05-26--Space Force starts teaching classes to give troops 'warfighting mindsets'

May 26 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. Space Force has started teaching a new series of courses to give new space professionals `` warfighting mindsets they will carry with them throughout their entire careers . ''
The 319 CTS instructor cadre began teaching Space Warfighting Follow-on courses at Peterson 's Moorman Space Education and Training Center Tuesday , according to a press release from the service .
`` Our modern lives depend on our space capabilities , and potential adversaries are actively attempting to exploit the benefits space provides us , '' Lt. Col. Daniel Sebeck , 319th Combat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release .
`` Every day our space warfighters purposefully prepare to negate potential adversaries ' attempts to claim space superiority over us . ''
The courses began in-residence despite the coronavirus pandemic .
The Space Force said it will continuously evaluate the need to quarantine students traveling from out-of-state , assess students and instructors through questionnaires prior to schoolhouse entry and require the wearing of face masks when six-foot social distancing can not be maintained .
The branch also said daily cleaning of facilities will be tripled and class sizes for all courses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students .
The curriculum includes three courses , each based on a specific discipline : orbital warfare , space battle management and space electronic warfare .
Stakeholder units across the newly-developed branch were solicited for inputs as to what inbound operators should know and be able to do .
The instructor cadre will consist of active duty personnel , contractors , civilians , and Reserve personnel from the 42nd Combat Training Squadron .
Last week the Space Force asked for more flexibility from Congress to purchase and use satellites without oversight , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Earlier in May the service unveiled its new flag -- the first new military flag to be developed in decades -- at the White House , and announced the development of a software package to track and monitor objects in space .

The Moorman Space Education and Training Center sits on Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. Beginning Tuesday, the 319th Combat Training Squadron instructor cadre will begin teaching Space Warfighting Follow-on courses. Photo by Dennis Hoffman/U.S. Air Force
May 26 (UPI) -- The U.S. Space Force has started teaching a new series of courses to give new space professionals "warfighting mindsets they will carry with them throughout their entire careers." The 319 CTS instructor cadre began teaching Space Warfighting Follow-on courses at Peterson's Moorman Space Education and Training Center Tuesday, according to a press release from the service. Advertisement
"Our modern lives depend on our space capabilities, and potential adversaries are actively attempting to exploit the benefits space provides us," Lt. Col. Daniel Sebeck, 319th Combat Training Squadron commander, said in the release. "Every day our space warfighters purposefully prepare to negate potential adversaries' attempts to claim space superiority over us."
The courses began in-residence despite the coronavirus pandemic.
The Space Force said it will continuously evaluate the need to quarantine students traveling from out-of-state, assess students and instructors through questionnaires prior to schoolhouse entry and require the wearing of face masks when six-foot social distancing cannot be maintained.
The branch also said daily cleaning of facilities will be tripled and class sizes for all courses at Moorman will be limited to 10 students.
The curriculum includes three courses, each based on a specific discipline: orbital warfare, space battle management and space electronic warfare.
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Stakeholder units across the newly-developed branch were solicited for inputs as to what inbound operators should know and be able to do.
The instructor cadre will consist of active duty personnel, contractors, civilians, and Reserve personnel from the 42nd Combat Training Squadron.
Last week the Space Force asked for more flexibility from Congress to purchase and use satellites without oversight, saying it needs more agility to be competitive.
Earlier in May the service unveiled its new flag -- the first new military flag to be developed in decades -- at the White House, and announced the development of a software package to track and monitor objects in space.


upi--2020-05-26--DoD to phase out stop-movement order

DoD to phase out stop-movement order

May 26 ( UPI ) -- The Department of Defense will lift the stop-movement order it issued earlier this spring in stages rather than keeping it in place through June 30 , officials said .
Under the shift , which was announced internally Friday and externally Tuesday , some installations will be able to accept transfers immediately , according to Matt Donovan , under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness .
Defense secretary Mark T. Esper issued the order on travel in March and extended it in April .
About 30,00 military families had already received conditional permission to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Transportation Command .
Moving forward , individual installations will be able to lift travel and moving restrictions depending on local conditions , Donovan said .
Troops , families and other DoD personnel will now be able to travel within the United States and some other countries provided their destinations have removed shelter-in-place orders and shown a 14-day reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases , as well as reports of flu-like or COVID-like symptoms .
Esper 's internal memo said military installations would continue to be assessed and cleared for movement based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services and quality control for household goods .

Defense Secretary Mark Esper, shown here testifying during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Washington, D.C., in February, issued a memo last week saying the Department of Defense's stop-movement order will be phased out gradually. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
May 26 (UPI) -- The Department of Defense will lift the stop-movement order it issued earlier this spring in stages rather than keeping it in place through June 30, officials said. Under the shift, which was announced internally Friday and externally Tuesday, some installations will be able to accept transfers immediately, according to Matt Donovan, under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness. Advertisement
Defense secretary Mark T. Esper issued the order on travel in March and extended it in April.
About 30,00 military families had already received conditional permission to move before June 30, according to U.S. Transportation Command.
Moving forward, individual installations will be able to lift travel and moving restrictions depending on local conditions, Donovan said.
Troops, families and other DoD personnel will now be able to travel within the United States and some other countries provided their destinations have removed shelter-in-place orders and shown a 14-day reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases, as well as reports of flu-like or COVID-like symptoms.
Esper's internal memo said military installations would continue to be assessed and cleared for movement based on local restrictions and the availability of services and quality control for household goods.


upi--2020-05-26--NHL announces 'return to play plan' for 2019-20 season

May 26 ( UPI ) -- NHL commissioner Gary Bettman unveiled the league 's `` return to play plan '' for the 2019-20 season Tuesday , which includes abandoning the regular season and proceeding into the playoffs with 24 teams instead of 16 .
Bettman 's address aired on NBCSN and NHL Network in the United States and on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada .
It also was streamed on the league 's official website and the NHL 's social media platforms .
`` As we seek some return to normalcy , this is an important day for NHL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan .
`` Since March 12 , we 've been hopeful and optimistic that by developing all options and alternatives , we could get to this point .
I know I join sports fans everywhere when I say we can not wait for the players to hit the ice again . ''
The NHL has been suspended since March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Bettman said the 2019-20 regular season is essentially over , and stats are frozen as of March 11 for the purposes of player numbers and end-of-year awards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finish this season in the playoffs and have an 82-game campaign in 2020-21 .
While the players and the league have agreed on the format , the NHL Players Association has n't approved any return .
The NHL and the NHLPA must still determine health and safety protocols and solve other issues , including where to play .
`` I want to make clear that the health and safety of our players , coaches , essential support staff and our communities are paramount , '' Bettman said .
`` While nothing is without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been central to all of our planning so far and will remain so .
`` Let me assure you that the reason we are doing this is because our fans have told us in overwhelming numbers that they want to complete the season if at all possible .
And our players and our teams are clear that they want to play and bring the season to its rightful conclusion . ''
The Stanley Cup playoffs typically include 16 teams .
Instead , the NHL will move to a 24-team conference-based postseason format , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
Under the plan , the top four seeds in each conference -- determined by the league standings when the regular season was halted in mid-March -- would earn byes through an opening round of best-of-five play-in series featuring teams seeded five through 12 .
The games will be played with playoff overtime rules .
Those play-in series would determine which teams advance to the traditional 16-team Stanley Cup bracket , which will include either five- or seven-game series in the first and second rounds .
The conference finals and the Stanley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The games would be held inside empty arenas at two undecided hub cities , where players , coaches and other staff will be housed during the restart .
Bettman said Chicago , Columbus , Dallas , Edmonton , Las Vegas , Los Angeles , Minneapolis , Pittsburgh , Toronto and Vancouver are in consideration as hub cities .
Bettman noted that the decision on the hub cities and when the Stanley Cup playoffs will begin depends on COVID-19 conditions , government regulations and testing capabilities .
`` Obviously , we anticipate playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall , '' Bettman said .
`` At this time , we are not fixing dates because the schedule of our return to play will be determined both by developing circumstances and the needs of the players . ''
Meanwhile , the NHL is in the process of getting players back to training facilities .
On Monday , the league revealed Phase 2 of its `` return to play plan , '' laying out the restrictions on small groups of players and staff members returning to use team facilities .
Phase 1 began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players and staff .
Phase 2 , which requires a 14-day self-quarantine period , is expected to start in early June .
Phase 3 of the league 's plan is the reopening of training camps no later than July 1 .
Phase 4 is the return of competition in the two hub cities .
The NHL season had about 3 1/2 weeks of games left on the schedule at the time of its suspension .
The Stanley Cup Playoffs were scheduled to start in April .
The NHL/NHLPA joint `` return to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last several months to discuss the league 's return to the ice .

National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman said the goal is to finish this season in the playoffs and have an 82-game campaign in 2020-21. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
May 26 (UPI) -- NHL commissioner Gary Bettman unveiled the league's "return to play plan" for the 2019-20 season Tuesday, which includes abandoning the regular season and proceeding into the playoffs with 24 teams instead of 16. Bettman's address aired on NBCSN and NHL Network in the United States and on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada. It also was streamed on the league's official website and the NHL's social media platforms. Advertisement
"As we seek some return to normalcy, this is an important day for NHL fans," Bettman said of the plan. "Since March 12, we've been hopeful and optimistic that by developing all options and alternatives, we could get to this point. I know I join sports fans everywhere when I say we cannot wait for the players to hit the ice again."
The NHL has been suspended since March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Bettman said the 2019-20 regular season is essentially over, and stats are frozen as of March 11 for the purposes of player numbers and end-of-year awards.
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Bettman said the goal is to finish this season in the playoffs and have an 82-game campaign in 2020-21. While the players and the league have agreed on the format, the NHL Players Association hasn't approved any return. The NHL and the NHLPA must still determine health and safety protocols and solve other issues, including where to play.
"I want to make clear that the health and safety of our players, coaches, essential support staff and our communities are paramount," Bettman said. "While nothing is without risk, ensuring health and safety has been central to all of our planning so far and will remain so.
"Let me assure you that the reason we are doing this is because our fans have told us in overwhelming numbers that they want to complete the season if at all possible. And our players and our teams are clear that they want to play and bring the season to its rightful conclusion."
The Stanley Cup playoffs typically include 16 teams. Instead, the NHL will move to a 24-team conference-based postseason format, which was approved by the NHLPA last week.
Under the plan, the top four seeds in each conference -- determined by the league standings when the regular season was halted in mid-March -- would earn byes through an opening round of best-of-five play-in series featuring teams seeded five through 12. The games will be played with playoff overtime rules.
Advertisement
Those play-in series would determine which teams advance to the traditional 16-team Stanley Cup bracket, which will include either five- or seven-game series in the first and second rounds. The conference finals and the Stanley Cup Final will both be seven-game series.
The games would be held inside empty arenas at two undecided hub cities, where players, coaches and other staff will be housed during the restart. Bettman said Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver are in consideration as hub cities.
Bettman noted that the decision on the hub cities and when the Stanley Cup playoffs will begin depends on COVID-19 conditions, government regulations and testing capabilities.
"Obviously, we anticipate playing over the summer and into the early fall," Bettman said. "At this time, we are not fixing dates because the schedule of our return to play will be determined both by developing circumstances and the needs of the players."
Meanwhile, the NHL is in the process of getting players back to training facilities. On Monday, the league revealed Phase 2 of its "return to play plan," laying out the restrictions on small groups of players and staff members returning to use team facilities.
Advertisement
Phase 1 began on March 12 and involved self-quarantine for players and staff. Phase 2, which requires a 14-day self-quarantine period, is expected to start in early June.
Phase 3 of the league's plan is the reopening of training camps no later than July 1. Phase 4 is the return of competition in the two hub cities.
The NHL season had about 3 1/2 weeks of games left on the schedule at the time of its suspension. The Stanley Cup Playoffs were scheduled to start in April.
The NHL/NHLPA joint "return to play committee" conducted weekly conference calls for the last several months to discuss the league's return to the ice.


upi--2020-05-26--Police: UConn student linked to killings may be traveling with ride-share services

May 26 ( UPI ) -- Police in Connecticut on Tuesday warned that a man wanted in connection with two deaths may be soliciting ride-shares as he attempts to flee the area .
Connecticut State Trooper First Class Christine Jeltema said Pennsylvania State Police were able to determine that the suspect , 23-year-old Peter Manfredonia , was dropped off by a ride-share in front of a Walmart in East Stroudsburg , Pa. , on Sunday afternoon .
He was last seen walking along train tracks behind the store carrying a duffle bag full of items he had taken from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier in the weekend .
Connecticut police warned that Manfredonia may be trying to solicit rides via platforms such as Uber and Lyft throughout the area , possibly through a third party .
Police warned anyone who encounters Manfredonia to contact police and avoid approaching him , as he is considered armed and dangerous .
Jeltema said Manfredonia embarked on a crime spree that began Friday morning when police responded to a reported assault in Willington and found two male victims including Theodore DeMers , 62 , who later died .
Police did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man but said he was in stable condition as of Monday evening .
On Sunday , police received a report that Manfredonia held a victim against his will in Willington and allegedly stole a truck , firearms and food before leaving the scene .
The victim was not injured and the truck was later found crashed in Derby , Conn. , about 70 miles southwest of the scene of the first attack .
Manfredonia then traveled to a residence in Derby , where he is suspected of killing an acquaintance identified as Nicholas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as stealing a vehicle and abducting an unidentified individual who was found safe on Sunday afternoon .
During a news conference Tuesday , Lt. John Aiello pleaded with Manfredonia to turn himself in to police .
`` Peter , I want you to know that we are continuing our investigation , the one thing we are missing right now is you , '' he said .
`` We want you to be able to tell your story , we are here to listen to you .
Your parents , your friends all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaceful end to this . ''

Police in Connecticut warned that Peter Manfredonia, suspected of killing two people, may be seeking to solicit rides from services such as Uber and Lyft as he attempts to flee the area. Photo courtesy Connecticut State Police Department/ Twitter
May 26 (UPI) -- Police in Connecticut on Tuesday warned that a man wanted in connection with two deaths may be soliciting ride-shares as he attempts to flee the area. Connecticut State Trooper First Class Christine Jeltema said Pennsylvania State Police were able to determine that the suspect, 23-year-old Peter Manfredonia, was dropped off by a ride-share in front of a Walmart in East Stroudsburg, Pa., on Sunday afternoon. Advertisement
He was last seen walking along train tracks behind the store carrying a duffle bag full of items he had taken from a home invasion in Willington, Conn., earlier in the weekend.
Connecticut police warned that Manfredonia may be trying to solicit rides via platforms such as Uber and Lyft throughout the area, possibly through a third party.
Police warned anyone who encounters Manfredonia to contact police and avoid approaching him, as he is considered armed and dangerous.
Jeltema said Manfredonia embarked on a crime spree that began Friday morning when police responded to a reported assault in Willington and found two male victims including Theodore DeMers, 62, who later died.
Police did not share the identity of the second man but said he was in stable condition as of Monday evening.
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On Sunday, police received a report that Manfredonia held a victim against his will in Willington and allegedly stole a truck, firearms and food before leaving the scene. The victim was not injured and the truck was later found crashed in Derby, Conn., about 70 miles southwest of the scene of the first attack.
Manfredonia then traveled to a residence in Derby, where he is suspected of killing an acquaintance identified as Nicholas J. Eisele, 23, as well as stealing a vehicle and abducting an unidentified individual who was found safe on Sunday afternoon.
During a news conference Tuesday, Lt. John Aiello pleaded with Manfredonia to turn himself in to police.
"Peter, I want you to know that we are continuing our investigation, the one thing we are missing right now is you," he said. "We want you to be able to tell your story, we are here to listen to you. Your parents, your friends all of us back here in Connecticut want a peaceful end to this."


upi--2020-05-26--4 Minneapolis officers fired after video showed man pinned by neck

May 26 ( UPI ) -- The Minneapolis Police Department fired four officers Tuesday in response to a video appearing to show one officer keeping his knee on the neck of a handcuffed man who later died .
Activists and the family of the deceased man , George Floyd , who was black , have decried the police use of force as racially motivated .
`` This is the right call , '' Frey tweeted .
`` Being black in America should not be a death sentence , '' he said .
`` For 5 minutes we watched as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neck of a black man , for 5 minutes .
When you hear someone calling for help , you are supposed to help , this officer failed in the most basic human sense . ''
Police Chief Medaria Arradondo told reporters he would cooperate fully as the investigation proceeds and the department will have its own internal investigation .
He added that based on additional information he received , he called in federal authorities to conduct a probe because he 's concerned about possible civil rights violations .
Frey said during the press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ angry and have the right to protest , but urged caution and continued social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Floyd 's arrest happened near a Cup Foods at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and 38th Street on Monday .
Police were called to investigate a report of someone trying to pay with a counterfeit bill at the grocery store and found a man matching the suspect 's description on the hood of his car , according to police and scanner audio posted online .
Police spokesman John Elder said officers took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resisted , '' adding that their body cameras were turned on and the way he was held was not a department-authorized chokehold .
`` In my years as an officer , that would not be what I would ever consider a chokehold , '' Elder said .
Elder could not comment on whether Floyd , thought to have been in his 40s , had any pre-existing medical conditions , but said that he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or a narcotic .
He also said that an ambulance was called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in `` medical distress . ''
A police statement released shortly after the incident said Floyd died Monday night at a nearby hospital shortly after his arrest , but bystanders were skeptical of the police account .
In the bystanders can be heard pleading with the officer to take his knee off Floyd 's neck .
Officers have not released the name of the officer who is shown pinning down Floyd in the video or other officers involved .
NBC News reported that Darnella Frazier was one of the people who filmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already dead before the ambulance even got there , '' Frazier told NBC News .
`` He was clearly trying to tell them he could n't breathe and they ignored him . ''
A bystander streamed the footage on Facebook Live , and the archived footage has been watched tens of thousands of times .
Nekima Levy-Armstrong , a local activist , said watching the video reminded her of the 2014 death of Eric Garner , who died after a New York police officer put him in a chokehold .
`` It just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : a black man being accosted by police and pleading for his life saying he could n't breathe , '' Levy-Armstrong said .
A grand jury decided against indicting officers in the Garner case , resulting in widespread protests .

May 26 (UPI) -- The Minneapolis Police Department fired four officers Tuesday in response to a video appearing to show one officer keeping his knee on the neck of a handcuffed man who later died.
Activists and the family of the deceased man, George Floyd, who was black, have decried the police use of force as racially motivated.
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Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced the firings in a news conference.
"This is the right call," Frey tweeted.
"Being black in America should not be a death sentence," he said. "For 5 minutes we watched as a white officer pressed his knee to the neck of a black man, for 5 minutes. When you hear someone calling for help, you are supposed to help, this officer failed in the most basic human sense."
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Police Chief Medaria Arradondo told reporters he would cooperate fully as the investigation proceeds and the department will have its own internal investigation.
He added that based on additional information he received, he called in federal authorities to conduct a probe because he's concerned about possible civil rights violations.
Frey said during the press conference that he understands that people are angry and have the right to protest, but urged caution and continued social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Floyd's arrest happened near a Cup Foods at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and 38th Street on Monday. Police were called to investigate a report of someone trying to pay with a counterfeit bill at the grocery store and found a man matching the suspect's description on the hood of his car, according to police and scanner audio posted online.
Police spokesman John Elder said officers took Floyd into custody after he "physically resisted," adding that their body cameras were turned on and the way he was held was not a department-authorized chokehold.
"In my years as an officer, that would not be what I would ever consider a chokehold," Elder said.
Elder could not comment on whether Floyd, thought to have been in his 40s, had any pre-existing medical conditions, but said that he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or a narcotic.
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He also said that an ambulance was called after officers handcuffed him and noticed he was in "medical distress."
A police statement released shortly after the incident said Floyd died Monday night at a nearby hospital shortly after his arrest, but bystanders were skeptical of the police account.
In the bystanders can be heard pleading with the officer to take his knee off Floyd's neck.
Officers have not released the name of the officer who is shown pinning down Floyd in the video or other officers involved.
NBC News reported that Darnella Frazier was one of the people who filmed the incident.
"The man looked already dead before the ambulance even got there," Frazier told NBC News. "He was clearly trying to tell them he couldn't breathe and they ignored him."
A bystander streamed the footage on Facebook Live, and the archived footage has been watched tens of thousands of times.
Nekima Levy-Armstrong, a local activist, said watching the video reminded her of the 2014 death of Eric Garner, who died after a New York police officer put him in a chokehold.
"It just reminds me of Eric Garner once again: a black man being accosted by police and pleading for his life saying he couldn't breathe," Levy-Armstrong said.
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A grand jury decided against indicting officers in the Garner case, resulting in widespread protests.


upi--2020-05-26--Trump administration announces plan to cap Medicare insulin copays at $35

May 26 ( UPI ) -- President Donald Trump and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Tuesday unveiled a plan that will cap costs on insulin for Medicare patients .
The plan will cap the cost of insulin copays for more than 1,750 standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans for seniors at $ 35 for a month 's supply for the 2021 plan year .
`` For hundreds and thousands of seniors enrolled in Medicare , participating plans will cap costs at just $ 35 a month per type of insulin and some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said .
The Part D Senior Savings Model was announced in March to serve as a voluntary model that tests the impact on insulin access and care , with participating members paying lower out-of-pocket costs for insulin .
Trump and CMS stated that seniors could see average out-of-pocket savings of $ 446 , or 66 percent , for their insulin under the plan .
`` This market-based solution , in which insulin manufacturers and Part D sponsors compete to provide lower costs and higher quality for patients , will allow seniors to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their insulin at an average 66 percent lower out-of-pocket costs throughout the year , '' CMS Administrator Seema Verma said .
Part D Senior Savings plans will be available to beneficiaries in the 2021 plan year on Medicare.gov during the annual Affordable Care Act open enrollment period .

1/4
President Donald Trump speaks during an event on protecting seniors with diabetes Tuesday in the Rose Garden of the White House. Photo by Oliver Contreras/UPI | License Photo
May 26 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Tuesday unveiled a plan that will cap costs on insulin for Medicare patients. The plan will cap the cost of insulin copays for more than 1,750 standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans for seniors at $35 for a month's supply for the 2021 plan year. Advertisement
"For hundreds and thousands of seniors enrolled in Medicare, participating plans will cap costs at just $35 a month per type of insulin and some plans may offer it free," Trump said.
The Part D Senior Savings Model was announced in March to serve as a voluntary model that tests the impact on insulin access and care, with participating members paying lower out-of-pocket costs for insulin.
Trump and CMS stated that seniors could see average out-of-pocket savings of $446, or 66 percent, for their insulin under the plan.
"This market-based solution, in which insulin manufacturers and Part D sponsors compete to provide lower costs and higher quality for patients, will allow seniors to choose a Part D plan that covers their insulin at an average 66 percent lower out-of-pocket costs throughout the year," CMS Administrator Seema Verma said.
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Part D Senior Savings plans will be available to beneficiaries in the 2021 plan year on Medicare.gov during the annual Affordable Care Act open enrollment period.


upi--2020-05-26--Nursing homes, assisted living COVID-19 outbreak centers in U.S.

No matter where you live , nursing homes and assisted living facilities are now lethal centers for COVID-19 in the United States .
In fact , nursing home residents and workers now comprise between 30 percent and 40 percent of all COVID-19 related deaths in the United States , according to estimates .
The care centers serve as a `` well of infection '' for the coronavirus that will continue to feed the ongoing epidemic , said Donald Taylor , director of the Duke University Social Science Research Institute in Durham , N.C. '' I believe if we do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes , we 're not going to control it in the United States , '' Taylor said .
He and other experts are calling for a renewed emphasis on nursing homes as a way of tackling the COVID-19 pandemic , using many of the same infection control tools needed throughout the nation 's communities .
These include improved social distancing , better use of protective equipment , and above all else -- regular COVID-19 testing for every patient and worker at a nursing home , regardless of whether they are showing symptoms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing approach , we will not deal with the epidemic in skilled nursing facilities , '' Taylor said .
`` The reality is one asymptomatic worker or one asymptomatic patient coming in can undo the best infection control , unfortunately . ''
The most severe COVID-19 cases occur in older and infirm people , as well as folks with chronic health problems that leave their immune systems compromised .
The typical resident of a nursing home falls into one or more of those categories .
To protect residents , nearly all states ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of their shelter-in-place or lockdown orders .
But by their very nature , nursing homes have a steady stream of people coming in and out of the facility , said Nathan Boucher , an assistant research professor at Duke University 's Sanford School of Public Policy .
`` These facilities are not closed systems , '' Boucher said .
`` There 's a constant flow of shift workers in and out of these systems , and even though there are no visitors , there are staff that go out to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' These workers , as well as short-term patients , can carry the coronavirus into the nursing home or spread it out into the surrounding community during an outbreak at the facility , Boucher and Taylor said .
Further , the care being offered necessitates close contact between patients and caregivers , said Sheria Robinson-Lane , a gerontologist and assistant professor with the University of Michigan School of Nursing in Ann Arbor .
`` If you have someone who needs help getting out of bed and you send two people to the room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be almost hugging that person to roll them over , '' Robinson-Lane said .
`` A large portion of their body is against that individual , just to provide care . ''
Nursing homes also often have at least two people to a room , and in some cases four or five people share a ward , Robinson-Lane added .
`` That is one way to create infection , because somebody could have a virus and pass it on unknowingly to their roommate , '' said Terry Fulmer , president of the John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused on improving the care of older adults .
Early in the pandemic response effort , nursing homes did n't rate the same amount of attention as hospitals in terms of infection control , she added .
`` We were late helping our nursing homes around the country with equipment and supplies , '' Fulmer said .
`` They were a little bit of an afterthought , which has been part of the problem as well . ''
As a result , nursing homes and assisted care facilities have suffered the lion 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , according a report from the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity : • Four out of every 5 COVID-19 deaths in Minnesota have been among nursing home employees and residents .
• Nursing homes also account for more than 3 out of 5 COVID-19 deaths in Oregon , Washington , Nebraska , West Virginia , Virginia , North Carolina , Pennsylvania , Delaware , and nearly all the New England States .
So what can be done to make nursing homes safer ?
Nursing homes already have started socially isolating patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Fulmer and Robinson-Lane said .
Facilities also have started dedicating specific floors , wards or buildings to house only people who are COVID-positive , the experts said .
But more federal and state funding is needed to make sure that all nursing facilities have enough protective personal equipment such as gowns , masks and gloves , Fulmer added .
`` We started this pandemic with a shortage of it , and that is something that can not happen again , '' Fulmer said .
`` Nursing homes need to be well-stocked with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have access to testing . ''
In fact , experts like Taylor think testing at nursing homes needs to be for everybody , not just people with symptoms , to get ahead of the curve .
`` That includes the workers , '' Taylor said .
`` Workers in nursing homes are at risk of occupational exposure .
They also are a risk of bringing infection into the nursing home from the community and taking it out . ''
Funding for additional staff at nursing homes also would help bolster infection control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of time to put on a mask , gown up and properly wash hands when going from patient to patient , said Eleanor Schildwachter McConnell , an associate professor in the Duke University School of Nursing .
`` It stands to reason that if you 're starting out with a very thin level of staffing , it 's going to be hard to take those precautions and continue to provide very demanding care , '' McConnell said , noting that more hands on deck will take the pressure off .
Unfortunately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nursing home , staff have tended to start walking off the job , Robinson-Lane said .
`` Nursing homes are already challenged with staffing concerns , and we 've seen a chance of 15 % reduction in staff after COVID patients come in , '' Robinson-Lane said .
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released guidelines earlier this week calling for all of these steps before states relax their restrictions on nursing homes .
Finally , the experts urge that the patients should not be forgotten in all of this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ regular visits from loved ones , they no longer can take part in group activities or shared dining , and now even their regular staff come to them decked out in scary-looking protective equipment , Fulmer noted .
`` It 's a very frightening time in nursing homes right now , '' Fulmer said .
Some places are experimenting with new activities to help residents get by .
For example , one long-term care facility opened up its courtyard window and had a string quartet play outside , Fulmer said .
Facilities can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to residents , so they can use Skype or FaceTime to connect with family members .
Taylor 's mom is in a continuing care retirement community , and he 's been impressed with how well technology has helped ease her isolation .
`` Now I FaceTime her and she started FaceTiming my children , and actually it 's opened a new mode of communication that 's been a positive , '' Taylor said .
`` It has taken some of the sting out of not being able to visit . ''
The U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more about guidelines for nursing homes during state reopenings .

A patient is moved out of Gateway Care and Rehabillition Center, a skilled nursing facility in Hayward, Calif., in April. Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
No matter where you live, nursing homes and assisted living facilities are now lethal centers for COVID-19 in the United States. In fact, nursing home residents and workers now comprise between 30 percent and 40 percent of all COVID-19 related deaths in the United States, according to estimates. Advertisement
The care centers serve as a "well of infection" for the coronavirus that will continue to feed the ongoing epidemic, said Donald Taylor, director of the Duke University Social Science Research Institute in Durham, N.C.
"I believe if we don't manage to control the epidemic within nursing homes, we're not going to control it in the United States," Taylor said.
He and other experts are calling for a renewed emphasis on nursing homes as a way of tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, using many of the same infection control tools needed throughout the nation's communities.
Advertisement
These include improved social distancing, better use of protective equipment, and above all else -- regular COVID-19 testing for every patient and worker at a nursing home, regardless of whether they are showing symptoms of infection.
"Without a broad-scale asymptomatic testing approach, we will not deal with the epidemic in skilled nursing facilities," Taylor said. "The reality is one asymptomatic worker or one asymptomatic patient coming in can undo the best infection control, unfortunately."
The most severe COVID-19 cases occur in older and infirm people, as well as folks with chronic health problems that leave their immune systems compromised. The typical resident of a nursing home falls into one or more of those categories.
To protect residents, nearly all states ordered that visitors stay away from nursing homes as part of their shelter-in-place or lockdown orders.
Revolving door of patients, staff
But by their very nature, nursing homes have a steady stream of people coming in and out of the facility, said Nathan Boucher, an assistant research professor at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy.
"These facilities are not closed systems," Boucher said. "There's a constant flow of shift workers in and out of these systems, and even though there are no visitors, there are staff that go out to the community and come back in again."
Advertisement
These workers, as well as short-term patients, can carry the coronavirus into the nursing home or spread it out into the surrounding community during an outbreak at the facility, Boucher and Taylor said.
Further, the care being offered necessitates close contact between patients and caregivers, said Sheria Robinson-Lane, a gerontologist and assistant professor with the University of Michigan School of Nursing in Ann Arbor.
"If you have someone who needs help getting out of bed and you send two people to the room to assist them, the staff may be almost hugging that person to roll them over," Robinson-Lane said. "A large portion of their body is against that individual, just to provide care."
Nursing homes also often have at least two people to a room, and in some cases four or five people share a ward, Robinson-Lane added.
"That is one way to create infection, because somebody could have a virus and pass it on unknowingly to their roommate," said Terry Fulmer, president of the John A. Hartford Foundation, a philanthropic institution focused on improving the care of older adults.
Early in the pandemic response effort, nursing homes didn't rate the same amount of attention as hospitals in terms of infection control, she added.
Advertisement
"We were late helping our nursing homes around the country with equipment and supplies," Fulmer said. "They were a little bit of an afterthought, which has been part of the problem as well."
An eye on safety
As a result, nursing homes and assisted care facilities have suffered the lion's share of illness and death during the pandemic, according a report from the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity:
Four out of every 5 COVID-19 deaths in Minnesota have been among nursing home employees and residents.
Nursing homes also account for more than 3 out of 5 COVID-19 deaths in Oregon, Washington, Nebraska, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and nearly all the New England States.
So what can be done to make nursing homes safer?
Nursing homes already have started socially isolating patients, by moving them to single rooms, Fulmer and Robinson-Lane said.
Facilities also have started dedicating specific floors, wards or buildings to house only people who are COVID-positive, the experts said.
But more federal and state funding is needed to make sure that all nursing facilities have enough protective personal equipment such as gowns, masks and gloves, Fulmer added.
"We started this pandemic with a shortage of it, and that is something that cannot happen again," Fulmer said. "Nursing homes need to be well-stocked with personal protective equipment, and they need to have access to testing."
Advertisement
In fact, experts like Taylor think testing at nursing homes needs to be for everybody, not just people with symptoms, to get ahead of the curve.
Staffing issues
"That includes the workers," Taylor said. "Workers in nursing homes are at risk of occupational exposure. They also are a risk of bringing infection into the nursing home from the community and taking it out."
Funding for additional staff at nursing homes also would help bolster infection control, experts said.
It takes a lot of time to put on a mask, gown up and properly wash hands when going from patient to patient, said Eleanor Schildwachter McConnell, an associate professor in the Duke University School of Nursing.
"It stands to reason that if you're starting out with a very thin level of staffing, it's going to be hard to take those precautions and continue to provide very demanding care," McConnell said, noting that more hands on deck will take the pressure off.
Unfortunately, once people start testing positive at a nursing home, staff have tended to start walking off the job, Robinson-Lane said.
"Nursing homes are already challenged with staffing concerns, and we've seen a chance of 15% reduction in staff after COVID patients come in," Robinson-Lane said.
Advertisement
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released guidelines earlier this week calling for all of these steps before states relax their restrictions on nursing homes.
Isolated patients
Finally, the experts urge that the patients should not be forgotten in all of this.
During lockdown, they no longer have regular visits from loved ones, they no longer can take part in group activities or shared dining, and now even their regular staff come to them decked out in scary-looking protective equipment, Fulmer noted.
"It's a very frightening time in nursing homes right now," Fulmer said.
Some places are experimenting with new activities to help residents get by. For example, one long-term care facility opened up its courtyard window and had a string quartet play outside, Fulmer said.
Facilities can help by making Wi-Fi and technology available to residents, so they can use Skype or FaceTime to connect with family members.
Taylor's mom is in a continuing care retirement community, and he's been impressed with how well technology has helped ease her isolation.
"Now I FaceTime her and she started FaceTiming my children, and actually it's opened a new mode of communication that's been a positive," Taylor said. "It has taken some of the sting out of not being able to visit."
Advertisement
More information
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have more about guidelines for nursing homes during state reopenings.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-05-26--U.S., Saudi forces conduct training on, around Karan, Kurayn islands

May 26 ( UPI ) -- U.S. and Saudi forces are conducting joint training exercises on and around the Karan and Kurayn islands in Saudi Arabia this week , according to the Pentagon .
The training , which began Sunday and is slated to last through Saturday , follows a similar , shorter training conducted at the end of April , U.S .
Naval Forces Central Command announced on Monday .
According to the DoD , U.S .
Naval Forces Central Command Task Force 52 and 56 , along with with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit , are conducting well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maritime patrolling and boat lane security operations during the exercise .
The U.S. and Saudi units are also planning to establish a forward arming and refueling point for aircraft to refuel -- expanding the aviation combat radius and enabling follow-on operations in the region .
`` We appreciate the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia allowing the BATARG and 26th MEU another training opportunity on these islands , '' Col. Trevor Hall , commanding officer of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit , said in a statement .
`` Being able to train on these islands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous training by adding capabilities and assets from our partners in the region , '' Hall said .
`` The ability to plan and operate with other forces supports our ability to rapidly deploy aviation , maritime , and ground combat elements -- all from over the horizon -- at a moment 's notice in order to support maritime security , freedom of navigation , and the free flow of commerce . ''

The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducts island training on the islands of Karan and Kurayn in Saudi Arabia. Photo courtesy of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command
May 26 (UPI) -- U.S. and Saudi forces are conducting joint training exercises on and around the Karan and Kurayn islands in Saudi Arabia this week, according to the Pentagon. The training, which began Sunday and is slated to last through Saturday, follows a similar, shorter training conducted at the end of April, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command announced on Monday. Advertisement
According to the DoD, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Task Force 52 and 56, along with with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, are conducting well deck operations, underwater beach surveys, maritime patrolling and boat lane security operations during the exercise.
The U.S. and Saudi units are also planning to establish a forward arming and refueling point for aircraft to refuel -- expanding the aviation combat radius and enabling follow-on operations in the region.
"We appreciate the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia allowing the BATARG and 26th MEU another training opportunity on these islands," Col. Trevor Hall, commanding officer of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, said in a statement.
"Being able to train on these islands allows our team to expand upon our previous training by adding capabilities and assets from our partners in the region," Hall said. "The ability to plan and operate with other forces supports our ability to rapidly deploy aviation, maritime, and ground combat elements -- all from over the horizon -- at a moment's notice in order to support maritime security, freedom of navigation, and the free flow of commerce."


upi--2020-05-26--Police respond to report of big cat on the loose in London

May 26 ( UPI ) -- Police responded to an affluent London neighborhood on a report of a `` big @ @ @ @ @ and determined the animal was a domesticated Savannah cat .
Residents of the area unofficially @ @ @ @ @ , located in the Hampstead Heath-East Finchley area of London , called police Monday night @ @ @ @ @ was on the loose .
`` It was elongated , really too big for a @ @ @ @ @ were like that of a cheetah or leopard , '' a resident who spotted the @ @ @ @ @ Standard .
An armed police unit was dispatched to the neighborhood and an animal expert @ @ @ @ @ to catch a glimpse of the animal and identify it as a Savannah cat , @ @ @ @ @ domestic cat and an African serval .
Police said the animal escaped into the undergrowth @ @ @ @ @ .
The cat , which is believed to have escaped from a home in the @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday .

London police said officers responding to a report of a big cat with cheetah-like markings in an affluent neighborhood discovered the animal was a Savannah cat, a hybrid of a domestic cat and an African serval. Photo by 272447/Pixabay.com
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe May 26 (UPI) -- Police responded to an affluent London neighborhood on a report of a "big cat" with cheetah-like markings and determined the animal was a domesticated Savannah cat. Residents of the area unofficially known as Billionaire's Row, located in the Hampstead Heath-East Finchley area of London, called police Monday night to report a big cat was on the loose. Advertisement
"It was elongated, really too big for a domestic pet. The markings were like that of a cheetah or leopard," a resident who spotted the feline told the London Evening Standard.
An armed police unit was dispatched to the neighborhood and an animal expert accompanying the officers was able to catch a glimpse of the animal and identify it as a Savannah cat, a domesticated hybrid of a domestic cat and an African serval.
Police said the animal escaped into the undergrowth before they could capture it. The cat, which is believed to have escaped from a home in the area, remained at large Tuesday.


upi--2020-05-26--Dow Jones surges 529 points as NYSE reopens trading floor

May 26 ( UPI ) -- The New York Stock Exchange floor reopened Tuesday after two months of being closed as U.S stocks surged behind positive news surrounding potential COVID-19 vaccines .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 529.95 points , or 2.17 percent , influenced at least partly by news of further advances in developing a coronavirus vaccine from U.S. firms Merck and Novavax .
The S & P 500 gained 1.23 percent , while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.17 percent .
The Dow was flat on Friday but gained more than 3 percent for the week for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The S & P 500 and Nasdaq had also gained 3 percent for the week .
Shares tied closely to the reopening of businesses and return to regular travel benefited greatly on Tuesday as United Airlines stock soared 16.30 percent , Southwest airlines stock increased 12.64 percent , Carnival stock gained 12.59 percent and MGM Resorts stock grew 10.90 percent .
Bank stocks also got a boost Tuesday , as Citigroup rose 9.15 percent , Wells Fargo increased 8.65 percent and JPMorgan Chase grew 7.06 percent .
President Donald Trump hailed Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that `` states should open up ASAP '' following restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus .
Eighty floor brokers were allowed on the floor Tuesday , about 25 percent of what the NYSE had permitted before the stock exchange closed to in-person trading on March 23 .
The NYSE had operated entirely electronically , for the first time in its history , since the closure .
`` We need to get America restarted and New York restarted , '' Stacey Cunningham , president of the stock exchange , said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make , even though I knew it was the right one to make .
I knew at the time and said at the time we will reopen and we will come back from this . ''
Brokers had their temperatures taken before entering the building and had to sign a legal document stating they understood the risk of trading on the floor .
The NYSE also barred anyone from entering who used public transportation .
`` We have been waiting a long time , we are prepared , '' said Jonathan Corpina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Partners .
`` For 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy , it was only a few days .
This is different .
We have n't been on the floor for over two months , the procedure on opening and closing will not be the norm , and only part of the staff is going to be in .
`` It 's a new world , but in a short period of time I think we can figure out how to operate . ''

1/2
Governor Andrew Cuomo rings the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange as the NYSE reopens after being closed for two months on Wall Street in New York City on May 26, 2020. Photo by Darren McGee/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo/UPI | License Photo
May 26 (UPI) -- The New York Stock Exchange floor reopened Tuesday after two months of being closed as U.S stocks surged behind positive news surrounding potential COVID-19 vaccines. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 529.95 points, or 2.17 percent, influenced at least partly by news of further advances in developing a coronavirus vaccine from U.S. firms Merck and Novavax. Advertisement
The S&P 500 gained 1.23 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.17 percent.
The Dow was flat on Friday but gained more than 3 percent for the week for its best weekly showing since early April. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq had also gained 3 percent for the week.
Shares tied closely to the reopening of businesses and return to regular travel benefited greatly on Tuesday as United Airlines stock soared 16.30 percent, Southwest airlines stock increased 12.64 percent, Carnival stock gained 12.59 percent and MGM Resorts stock grew 10.90 percent.
Bank stocks also got a boost Tuesday, as Citigroup rose 9.15 percent, Wells Fargo increased 8.65 percent and JPMorgan Chase grew 7.06 percent.
President Donald Trump hailed Tuesday's market gains on Twitter Tuesday, saying that "states should open up ASAP" following restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Advertisement Stock Market up BIG, DOW crosses 25,000. S&P 500 over 3000. States should open up ASAP. The Transition to Greatness has started, ahead of schedule. There will be ups and downs, but next year will be one of the best ever!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2020
Eighty floor brokers were allowed on the floor Tuesday, about 25 percent of what the NYSE had permitted before the stock exchange closed to in-person trading on March 23. The NYSE had operated entirely electronically, for the first time in its history, since the closure.
"We need to get America restarted and New York restarted," Stacey Cunningham, president of the stock exchange, said."[Closing] was a hard decision to make, even though I knew it was the right one to make. I knew at the time and said at the time we will reopen and we will come back from this."
Brokers had their temperatures taken before entering the building and had to sign a legal document stating they understood the risk of trading on the floor. The NYSE also barred anyone from entering who used public transportation.
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"We have been waiting a long time, we are prepared," said Jonathan Corpina, a floor trader with Meridian Equity Partners. "For 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy, it was only a few days. This is different. We haven't been on the floor for over two months, the procedure on opening and closing will not be the norm, and only part of the staff is going to be in.
"It's a new world, but in a short period of time I think we can figure out how to operate."


upi--2020-05-26--Ancient genomes reveal 7,000 years of demographic history in France

May 26 ( UPI ) -- According to new genomic analysis , France was populated by a pair of ancient migrations : the first during the Neolithic period , roughly 6,300 years ago , and the second during the Bronze Age , some 4,200 years ago .
`` There were almost no data from ancient populations on the territory of present-day France and our study begins to fill a gap that leads to a clearer picture of the evolution of populations throughout Europe , '' Eva-Maria Geigl , a researcher with the Jacques Monod Institute in Paris , told UPI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study , researchers in France generated and analyzed the mitochondrial genomes , Y-chromosome markers and genotypes of 243 individuals , whose remains were recovered from dig sites across present-day France .
The dates of the individuals comprised a period spanning 7,000 years .
The analysis -- detailed Tuesday in the journal PNAS -- revealed several new insights into France 's demographic history , including the persistence of Magdalenian-associated ancestry in hunter-gatherer populations , previously thought to be to relegated to Spain 's Iberian Peninsula .
The new data showed these Magdalenian-associated ancestors were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anatolian farmers some 6,300 years ago .
The two groups begin mixing during the Neolithic , with admixtures becoming increasingly prevalent in the genomic data by the end of the Neolithic , some 6,400 B.C .
`` The admixture with Mesolithic hunter-gatherers harboring ancestry of the population associated with the Magdalenian culture has so far not been reported north of the Iberian Peninsula , '' Institut Jacques Monod researcher Thierry Henry said .
`` We show that it is a definitive feature of Western Europe . ''
Parental lineages and genomic data revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observed in neighboring regions , but offered new details in regards to distribution of Magdalenian-associated hunter-gatherers and the timing of the arrival of Neolithic farmers .
`` The genomes of all of our Neolithic farmers harbor the Anatolian Neolithic genome component .
The migration went from northwestern Anatolia into southeast Europe in the 7th millennium BC , '' Geigl said .
`` The Neolithic farmers moved northward to Hungary and then westward throughout Europe and arrived in western France around 5350 BC . ''
After a few dozen centuries of admixing between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anatolian farmers , the region received an influx of new genetic heritage from migrants hailing from the Pontic steppe .
`` The admixture with steppe herders during the Bronze Age led to a replacement of the paternal lineages , Y chromosome , that lasts up to now , '' Henry said .
In future studies , researchers hope to narrow the temporal scale of their analysis to hone in on the details of demographic dynamics in prehistoric France .
`` Our group at the Jacques Monod Institute will analyze more individuals and attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase the resolution of the analysis so that we can obtain more information about the functioning of these societies , '' Geigl said .
`` We will focus on more individuals from shorter time spans to have a better resolution of the protohistoric events , and also to get a better understanding of the evolution of genetic changes that led to the genetic structure of the present-day populations , in particular those that underlie our beneficial adaptations but also our detrimental inadequacies , '' Geigl added .

According to new research, France was populated by ancient migrations during the last 7,000 years. Photo by qimono /Pixabay
May 26 (UPI) -- According to new genomic analysis, France was populated by a pair of ancient migrations: the first during the Neolithic period, roughly 6,300 years ago, and the second during the Bronze Age, some 4,200 years ago. "There were almost no data from ancient populations on the territory of present-day France and our study begins to fill a gap that leads to a clearer picture of the evolution of populations throughout Europe," Eva-Maria Geigl, a researcher with the Jacques Monod Institute in Paris, told UPI in an email. Advertisement
For the new study, researchers in France generated and analyzed the mitochondrial genomes, Y-chromosome markers and genotypes of 243 individuals, whose remains were recovered from dig sites across present-day France. The dates of the individuals comprised a period spanning 7,000 years.
The analysis -- detailed Tuesday in the journal PNAS -- revealed several new insights into France's demographic history, including the persistence of Magdalenian-associated ancestry in hunter-gatherer populations, previously thought to be to relegated to Spain's Iberian Peninsula.
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The new data showed these Magdalenian-associated ancestors were joined in what is now France by Anatolian farmers some 6,300 years ago. The two groups begin mixing during the Neolithic, with admixtures becoming increasingly prevalent in the genomic data by the end of the Neolithic, some 6,400 B.C.
"The admixture with Mesolithic hunter-gatherers harboring ancestry of the population associated with the Magdalenian culture has so far not been reported north of the Iberian Peninsula," Institut Jacques Monod researcher Thierry Grange said. "We show that it is a definitive feature of Western Europe."
Parental lineages and genomic data revealed demographic patterns in France similar to those observed in neighboring regions, but offered new details in regards to distribution of Magdalenian-associated hunter-gatherers and the timing of the arrival of Neolithic farmers.
"The genomes of all of our Neolithic farmers harbor the Anatolian Neolithic genome component. The migration went from northwestern Anatolia into southeast Europe in the 7th millennium BC," Geigl said. "The Neolithic farmers moved northward to Hungary and then westward throughout Europe and arrived in western France around 5350 BC."
After a few dozen centuries of admixing between the lineages of hunter gatherers and lineages of Anatolian farmers, the region received an influx of new genetic heritage from migrants hailing from the Pontic steppe.
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"The admixture with steppe herders during the Bronze Age led to a replacement of the paternal lineages, Y chromosome, that lasts up to now," Grange said.
In future studies, researchers hope to narrow the temporal scale of their analysis to hone in on the details of demographic dynamics in prehistoric France.
"Our group at the Jacques Monod Institute will analyze more individuals and attempt a higher genome coverage in order to increase the resolution of the analysis so that we can obtain more information about the functioning of these societies," Geigl said.
"We will focus on more individuals from shorter time spans to have a better resolution of the protohistoric events, and also to get a better understanding of the evolution of genetic changes that led to the genetic structure of the present-day populations, in particular those that underlie our beneficial adaptations but also our detrimental inadequacies," Geigl added.


upi--2020-05-26--Soldier dies of COVID-19, marking 3rd death among service members

May 26 ( UPI ) -- A third U.S. service member has died from coronavirus complications , according to information released by the Department of Defense on Tuesday .
The Pentagon has not provided much information about the person who died but confirmed to Military Times that the victim was a member of the Army .
The death was among three within the military that the Pentagon has reported since Friday , along with two DoD civilian employee deaths .
It 's the first reported service member death since COVID-19 claimed the life of Navy Chief Petty Officer Robert Thacker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capt .
Douglas Linn Hickock , a member of the New Jersey National Guard and physician assistant who was preparing to activate as part of the pandemic response , died of COVID-19 at the end of March.
, As of Memorial Day weekend , more than 6,118 U.S. service members have contracted the novel coronavirus , according to the Pentagon .
Of those , 165 have been hospitalized and 3,460 have recovered .
The Pentagon also reports that 1,433 DoD civilian employees , 1,042 military dependents and 580 defense contractors have contracted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday military 's infection rate among troops was .3 percent and its mortality rate .0004 percent , compared to the .5 percent and 6 percent among the general U.S. population .
The majority of military infections -- 2,736 -- have been in the Navy .

A U.S. Army soldier checks the temperature of civilian personnel in Seattle, Wash., in April. The Pentagon reported the third death of a U.S. service member due to COVID-19 Tuesday. Photo by Genesis Miranda/U.S. Army
May 26 (UPI) -- A third U.S. service member has died from coronavirus complications, according to information released by the Department of Defense on Tuesday. The Pentagon has not provided much information about the person who died but confirmed to Military Times that the victim was a member of the Army. Advertisement
The death was among three within the military that the Pentagon has reported since Friday, along with two DoD civilian employee deaths.
It's the first reported service member death since COVID-19 claimed the life of Navy Chief Petty Officer Robert Thacker Jr. in Guam in mid-April.
Army Capt. Douglas Linn Hickock, a member of the New Jersey National Guard and physician assistant who was preparing to activate as part of the pandemic response, died of COVID-19 at the end of March.,
As of Memorial Day weekend, more than 6,118 U.S. service members have contracted the novel coronavirus, according to the Pentagon. Of those, 165 have been hospitalized and 3,460 have recovered.
The Pentagon also reports that 1,433 DoD civilian employees, 1,042 military dependents and 580 defense contractors have contracted the disease as of Tuesday.
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As of Tuesday military's infection rate among troops was .3 percent and its mortality rate .0004 percent, compared to the .5 percent and 6 percent among the general U.S. population.
The majority of military infections -- 2,736 -- have been in the Navy.


upi--2020-05-26--Hormonal condition may contribute to high blood pressure, study suggests

Many people with high blood pressure may have an unrecognized hormonal condition driving their numbers up , a new study suggests .
The condition , called primary aldosteronism , arises when the adrenal glands overproduce the hormone aldosterone .
That causes the body to retain sodium and lose potassium , spurring a spike in blood pressure .
Doctors have long considered the condition an uncommon cause of high blood pressure .
But that , researchers say , is because they are simply not testing for it .
In the new study , about 22 percent of patients with more severe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The same was true of almost 16 percent of patients with milder , stage 1 high blood pressure , according to findings published online May 26 in the Annals of Internal Medicine .
It all suggests doctors need to `` redefine '' the traditional view of primary aldosteronism , said researcher Dr. Anand Vaidya , of Brigham and Women 's Hospital , in Boston .
Far from being rare , he said , it appears to be a common cause of high blood pressure .
The study is a `` game changer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a distinguished scientist with the Hudson Institute of Medical Research , in Melbourne , Australia .
Funder said it shows that the way doctors have been screening for primary aldosteronism -- for decades -- does not provide the true story .
Funder , who wrote an editorial published with the findings , said the standard screening method is `` fatally flawed . ''
It is done via a single blood draw , taken in the morning .
But aldosterone levels , like those of other hormones , fluctuate over the course of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Funder explained , does not capture a person 's daily aldosterone secretion .
On top of the `` misleading '' test , he said , few people are screened at all .
Current guidelines suggest screening only in certain cases .
That includes people who have `` resistant '' hypertension ( the medical term for high blood pressure ) , which means blood pressure that remains high despite a three-medication regimen and people with hypertension plus low potassium .
Yet even among those patients , only between 2 percent and 3 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ F. Young Jr. , chair of endocrinology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester , Minn. '' Primary care providers do n't think about primary aldosteronism [ PA ] and do not test for it , '' he said .
As an endocrinologist , Young generally sees patients only after their primary doctor refers them for specialist care .
`` For more than three decades , '' he said , `` it has been frustrating to me to see patients who were not tested for PA when they were first diagnosed with hypertension , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irreversible , stage 4 to 5 chronic kidney disease . ''
The good news is , primary aldosteronism can be treated .
Most often , that means healthy lifestyle changes and taking aldosterone-blocking medications called mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists -- which include spironolactone and eplerenone .
The new findings are based on 1,015 patients at four U.S. hospitals .
Some had normal blood pressure the rest had varying degrees of hypertension .
To screen for primary aldosterone , Vaidya 's team used a rigorous method : After some days on a high-sodium diet or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ samples over 24 hours .
The researchers found that even among people with normal blood pressure , 11 percent had primary aldosteronism .
That rate was 22 percent among people with resistant hypertension and those with stage 2 hypertension ( blood pressure of at least 140/90 mm Hg ) .
But if someone with primary aldosteronism is already on blood pressure medication , is n't that enough ?
No , Funder said .
He pointed to one 2018 study .
It found that when patients with primary aldosteronism did not have the condition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of heart complications and death were three times higher , versus people with hypertension only .
Whether screening guidelines change remains to be seen .
For now , Vaidya said that people with resistant hypertension should be screened ( as already recommended ) , and that doctors `` might consider it '' for patients with more moderate hypertension .
An issue , though , is that the screening method used in this study is `` laborious , '' Vaidya noted .
He said another option is to prescribe spironolactone for a period , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's blood pressure further .
The drug has been around for years , and is available as a generic .
Funder was even more supportive of that tactic .
`` A three-month trial of spironolactone for patients with established hypertension is the way to go , '' he said .
The study was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health .
The Endocrine Society has more on primary aldosteronism .

A condition when the adrenal glands overproduce the hormone aldosterone causes the body to retain sodium and lose potassium, spurring a spike in blood pressure, researchers say. Photo by agilemktg1/Flickr
Many people with high blood pressure may have an unrecognized hormonal condition driving their numbers up, a new study suggests. The condition, called primary aldosteronism, arises when the adrenal glands overproduce the hormone aldosterone. That causes the body to retain sodium and lose potassium, spurring a spike in blood pressure. Advertisement
Doctors have long considered the condition an uncommon cause of high blood pressure. But that, researchers say, is because they are simply not testing for it.
In the new study, about 22 percent of patients with more severe high blood pressure had primary aldosteronism. The same was true of almost 16 percent of patients with milder, stage 1 high blood pressure, according to findings published online May 26 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
It all suggests doctors need to "redefine" the traditional view of primary aldosteronism, said researcher Dr. Anand Vaidya, of Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston.
Advertisement
Far from being rare, he said, it appears to be a common cause of high blood pressure.
The study is a "game changer," according to Dr. John Funder, a distinguished scientist with the Hudson Institute of Medical Research, in Melbourne, Australia.
Funder said it shows that the way doctors have been screening for primary aldosteronism -- for decades -- does not provide the true story.
Funder, who wrote an editorial published with the findings, said the standard screening method is "fatally flawed."
It is done via a single blood draw, taken in the morning. But aldosterone levels, like those of other hormones, fluctuate over the course of a day. So that single blood measurement, Funder explained, does not capture a person's daily aldosterone secretion.
On top of the "misleading" test, he said, few people are screened at all.
Current guidelines suggest screening only in certain cases. That includes people who have "resistant" hypertension (the medical term for high blood pressure), which means blood pressure that remains high despite a three-medication regimen and people with hypertension plus low potassium.
Yet even among those patients, only between 2 percent and 3 percent are ever screened, said Dr. William F. Young Jr., chair of endocrinology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Advertisement
"Primary care providers don't think about primary aldosteronism [PA] and do not test for it," he said.
As an endocrinologist, Young generally sees patients only after their primary doctor refers them for specialist care.
"For more than three decades," he said, "it has been frustrating to me to see patients who were not tested for PA when they were first diagnosed with hypertension, but rather only after they have developed irreversible, stage 4 to 5 chronic kidney disease."
The good news is, primary aldosteronism can be treated. Most often, that means healthy lifestyle changes and taking aldosterone-blocking medications called mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists -- which include spironolactone and eplerenone.
The new findings are based on 1,015 patients at four U.S. hospitals. Some had normal blood pressure the rest had varying degrees of hypertension. To screen for primary aldosterone, Vaidya's team used a rigorous method: After some days on a high-sodium diet or sodium pills, patients collected their urine samples over 24 hours.
The researchers found that even among people with normal blood pressure, 11 percent had primary aldosteronism. That rate was 22 percent among people with resistant hypertension and those with stage 2 hypertension (blood pressure of at least 140/90 mm Hg).
Advertisement
But if someone with primary aldosteronism is already on blood pressure medication, isn't that enough? No, Funder said.
He pointed to one 2018 study. It found that when patients with primary aldosteronism did not have the condition sufficiently controlled with medication, their risk of heart complications and death were three times higher, versus people with hypertension only.
Whether screening guidelines change remains to be seen. For now, Vaidya said that people with resistant hypertension should be screened (as already recommended), and that doctors "might consider it" for patients with more moderate hypertension.
An issue, though, is that the screening method used in this study is "laborious," Vaidya noted. He said another option is to prescribe spironolactone for a period, to see if that lowers a patient's blood pressure further. The drug has been around for years, and is available as a generic.
Funder was even more supportive of that tactic. "A three-month trial of spironolactone for patients with established hypertension is the way to go," he said.
The study was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
More information
The Endocrine Society has more on primary aldosteronism.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-05-26--Man who forgot about lottery ticket learns of win from email

May 26 ( UPI ) -- An Australian man said he had forgotten about his lottery ticket until he scrolled through his email and discovered he had won more than $ 65,000 .
The Gold Coast , Queensland , man told The Lott officials it had n't even occurred to him to check the results of the May 25 Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot drawing .
`` I was just flicking through my emails and saw one from The Lott , '' the man recalled .
`` I thought I 'd already checked my tickets but logged into my account again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completely forgotten I 'd bought a Lucky Lotteries ticket .
I got a big surprise when I saw !
I was jumping up and down , lucky I was home alone .
I just could n't believe it , '' he said .
The winner said he had to send a screenshot to his disbelieving wife to convince her the jackpot was real .
The ticket , which the man purchased online , earned him a total $ 66,500 .
`` We are going to use it to go on a holiday here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off some bills , '' the winner said .
`` It will make things comfortable , a little easier . ''

An Australian man said an email alerted him that a lottery ticket about which he had forgotten was a $66,500 winner. Photo courtesy of The Lott
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe May 26 (UPI) -- An Australian man said he had forgotten about his lottery ticket until he scrolled through his email and discovered he had won more than $65,000. The Gold Coast, Queensland, man told The Lott officials it hadn't even occurred to him to check the results of the May 25 Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot drawing. Advertisement
"I was just flicking through my emails and saw one from The Lott," the man recalled. "I thought I'd already checked my tickets but logged into my account again to double check.
"I had completely forgotten I'd bought a Lucky Lotteries ticket. I got a big surprise when I saw! I was jumping up and down, lucky I was home alone. I just couldn't believe it," he said.
The winner said he had to send a screenshot to his disbelieving wife to convince her the jackpot was real.
The ticket, which the man purchased online, earned him a total $66,500.
"We are going to use it to go on a holiday here in Queensland and then we will pay off some bills," the winner said. "It will make things comfortable, a little easier."


upi--2020-05-26--Watch: Ohio state troopers stop highway traffic for goose crossing

May 26 ( UPI ) -- Ohio state troopers responded to a stretch of highway to stop traffic and rescue @ @ @ @ @ spotted by a state representative .
Ohio State Representative Haraz Ghanbari posted a video to @ @ @ @ @ two Canada geese and six goslings he spotted waddling in the emergency lane on southbound @ @ @ @ @ Findlay .
`` Unfortunately , there was nowhere to go except south , and there @ @ @ @ @ and safety , '' Ghanbari wrote .
The Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to the @ @ @ @ @ traffic while another trooper guided the goose family across the roadway .
`` Thanks to @ @ @ @ @ for a quick response , '' Ghanbari wrote .

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May 26 (UPI) -- Ohio state troopers responded to a stretch of highway to stop traffic and rescue a family of stranded geese spotted by a state representative.
Ohio State Representative Haraz Ghanbari posted a video to Facebook on Monday showing the two Canada geese and six goslings he spotted waddling in the emergency lane on southbound Interstate 75, north of Findlay.
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"Unfortunately, there was nowhere to go except south, and there were three lanes between them and safety," Ghanbari wrote.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to the scene and a trooper directed traffic while another trooper guided the goose family across the roadway.
"Thanks to Post 32 of District 1 for a quick response," Ghanbari wrote.