upi--2020-03-05--Families of American hostages in Iran ask Congress for more help

WASHINGTON , March 5 ( UPI ) -- Families of American hostages in Iran on Thursday called on the House of Representatives to approve a bill that would increase government assistance to Americans wrongfully detained abroad and impose sanctions on foreign officials responsible for the detainments .
`` Any American traveling today , working abroad as a journalist , as an aid worker , as a businessman , as a tourist , as a student -- they 're all at risk of being wrongfully taken , and our government must have their back , '' said Margaux Ewen , executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foundation .
The Levinson Act , approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday , would set criteria to determine which Americans are unjustly detained abroad and establish a communication mechanism between members of Congress and the families of the detainees .
`` The act raises awareness in a structural way in the U.S. Congress , '' Ewen said .
`` It makes room to create permanent mechanisms in both chambers to support [ hostages and their ] families . ''
The bill is essential to the families of those detained abroad who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Congress or find appropriate government resources , she said .
Babak Namazi , son of Baquer Namazi and brother of Siamak Namazi , two Americans wrongfully detained in Iran , said , `` We 've been enduring ongoing pain and disappointment that my family members have been held captive for so long . ''
Siamak Namazi was arrested in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for `` collaborating with a hostile state , '' although Babak Namazi insists his brother is innocent .
His father was arrested in 2016 when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Namazi 's release .
At least five American hostages are being held in Iran , including the Namazis .
Robert Levinson is a former FBI agent detained in Iran 's Kish Island in 2007 and considered to be the longest-held American hostage in history , although little is known of his current conditions .
Michael White is a Navy veteran imprisoned in July 2018 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for insulting Iran 's supreme leader .
White has cancer that is likely to be going untreated under Iran 's dire prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was arrested in January 2018 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for allegedly conducting espionage .
It is likely that more Americans are detained but their families might choose to keep their cases private due to security concerns , Ewen said .
The State Department does not know how many Americans are unjustly detained abroad .
The bill outlines criteria that can be used to define who is considered wrongfully detained , including evidence of innocence and human rights infringements against them , which would allow the U.S. government to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a law professor at Georgetown University .
The bill would require consistent communication between family members of detainees and government officials so families can understand if their case is addressed at the executive or consular level .
`` Families are ready to hear difficult answers from the government , '' Ewen said .
`` They just want to be kept informed . ''
The measure would impose sanctions against foreign government officials responsible for wrongfully detaining Americans .
Families of detained Americans want to work with foreign governments and nonprofit organizations to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have weak diplomatic ties with the United States , Ewen said .
`` It 's really time to put an end to this unfathomable , unexplainable inhumane treatment of human beings , '' Babak Namazi said .

WASHINGTON, March 5 (UPI) -- Families of American hostages in Iran on Thursday called on the House of Representatives to approve a bill that would increase government assistance to Americans wrongfully detained abroad and impose sanctions on foreign officials responsible for the detainments.
"Any American traveling today, working abroad as a journalist, as an aid worker, as a businessman, as a tourist, as a student -- they're all at risk of being wrongfully taken, and our government must have their back," said Margaux Ewen, executive director of the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation.
Advertisement
The Levinson Act, approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday, would set criteria to determine which Americans are unjustly detained abroad and establish a communication mechanism between members of Congress and the families of the detainees.
"The act raises awareness in a structural way in the U.S. Congress," Ewen said. "It makes room to create permanent mechanisms in both chambers to support [hostages and their] families."
Advertisement
The bill is essential to the families of those detained abroad who might not know how to contact members of Congress or find appropriate government resources, she said.
Babak Namazi, son of Baquer Namazi and brother of Siamak Namazi, two Americans wrongfully detained in Iran, said, "We've been enduring ongoing pain and disappointment that my family members have been held captive for so long."
Siamak Namazi was arrested in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for "collaborating with a hostile state," although Babak Namazi insists his brother is innocent. His father was arrested in 2016 when he traveled to Tehran to secure Siamak Namazi's release.
At least five American hostages are being held in Iran, including the Namazis. Robert Levinson is a former FBI agent detained in Iran's Kish Island in 2007 and considered to be the longest-held American hostage in history, although little is known of his current conditions. Michael White is a Navy veteran imprisoned in July 2018 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for insulting Iran's supreme leader. White has cancer that is likely to be going untreated under Iran's dire prison conditions. Morad Tahbaz, an Iranian-American, was arrested in January 2018 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for allegedly conducting espionage.
Advertisement
It is likely that more Americans are detained but their families might choose to keep their cases private due to security concerns, Ewen said.
The State Department does not know how many Americans are unjustly detained abroad.
The bill outlines criteria that can be used to define who is considered wrongfully detained, including evidence of innocence and human rights infringements against them, which would allow the U.S. government to provide resources more efficiently, said Jared Genser, a law professor at Georgetown University.
The bill would require consistent communication between family members of detainees and government officials so families can understand if their case is addressed at the executive or consular level.
"Families are ready to hear difficult answers from the government," Ewen said. "They just want to be kept informed."
The measure would impose sanctions against foreign government officials responsible for wrongfully detaining Americans. Families of detained Americans want to work with foreign governments and nonprofit organizations to secure the release of prisoners from countries that have weak diplomatic ties with the United States, Ewen said.
"It's really time to put an end to this unfathomable, unexplainable inhumane treatment of human beings," Babak Namazi said.


upi--2020-03-05--Look: Moose rescued after falling through ice of frozen pond

March 5 ( UPI ) -- Conservation officers in British Columbia said they enlisted the help of bystanders to rescue @ @ @ @ @ a frozen pond into frigid water .
The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service said in @ @ @ @ @ crew responded Wednesday to the pond near Fort St. John , where witnesses reported a @ @ @ @ @ ice and was up to its neck in freezing water .
The officers said concerned @ @ @ @ @ effort and together they were able to pull the moose to safety .
`` As @ @ @ @ @ , 'many hands makes for light work , ' '' the post said .

Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe
March 5 (UPI) -- Conservation officers in British Columbia said they enlisted the help of bystanders to rescue a moose that fell though a frozen pond into frigid water.
The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service said in a Facebook post that a crew responded Wednesday to the pond near Fort St. John, where witnesses reported a moose had fallen through the ice and was up to its neck in freezing water.
Advertisement
The officers said concerned bystanders joined in the rescue effort and together they were able to pull the moose to safety.
"As we say in the North, 'many hands makes for light work,'" the post said.


upi--2020-03-05--Pentagon announces $2.4B sale of 8 Boeing KC-46 aircraft to Israel

March 5 ( UPI ) -- The Pentagon announced this week that the U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of up to eight Boeing KC-46 aerial refueling tankers and associated equipment to Israel for $ 2.4 billion .
Israel would become the second international customer for the Boeing tanker , with Japan being the first .
The U.S. Air Force accepted the aircraft in January of last year , but identified problems with the faulty cargo locks , which were fixed by the end of the year .
The KC-46 tankers would replace Israel 's aging fleet of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-range missions that are nearing 60 years old , and they would reach Israel by late 2023 .
Along with eight KC-46 tanker aircraft , Israel has requested to buy up to 17 turbofan engines , including one spare , and up to 18 navigation systems , including two spares , a Defense Security Cooperation Agency statement said .
Among other associated costs included in the $ 2.4 billion sale are radios , transponders , spare and repair parts , maintenance , training equipment , personnel services , flight test and certification and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress Tuesday of the potential sale .
Congress has the ability to block foreign military sales , but that is unlikely to happen in this case since Israel is a close ally , DefenseNews reported .
The principal contractors are Boeing for the aircraft and Raytheon for the navigation systems .
`` The United States is committed to the security of Israel , and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability , '' the DSCA statement said .
`` This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` Aerial refueling and strategic airlift are consistently cited as significant shortfalls for our allies , '' the statement continued .
`` In addition , the sale improves Israel 's national security posture as a key U.S. ally .
Israel will have no difficulty absorbing the equipment into its armed forces . ''

In this artist's conception, a Boeing KC-46A prepares to refuel an F-35 in flight. File Photo courtesy of Boeing | License Photo
March 5 (UPI) -- The Pentagon announced this week that the U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of up to eight Boeing KC-46 aerial refueling tankers and associated equipment to Israel for $2.4 billion. Israel would become the second international customer for the Boeing tanker, with Japan being the first. Advertisement
The U.S. Air Force accepted the aircraft in January of last year, but identified problems with the faulty cargo locks, which were fixed by the end of the year.
The KC-46 tankers would replace Israel's aging fleet of modified Boeing 707s used for refueling in long-range missions that are nearing 60 years old, and they would reach Israel by late 2023.
Along with eight KC-46 tanker aircraft, Israel has requested to buy up to 17 turbofan engines, including one spare, and up to 18 navigation systems, including two spares, a Defense Security Cooperation Agency statement said.
Among other associated costs included in the $2.4 billion sale are radios, transponders, spare and repair parts, maintenance, training equipment, personnel services, flight test and certification and other logistical support.
Advertisement
The DSCA notified Congress Tuesday of the potential sale. Congress has the ability to block foreign military sales, but that is unlikely to happen in this case since Israel is a close ally, DefenseNews reported.
The principal contractors are Boeing for the aircraft and Raytheon for the navigation systems.
"The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability," the DSCA statement said. "This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives."
"Aerial refueling and strategic airlift are consistently cited as significant shortfalls for our allies," the statement continued. "In addition, the sale improves Israel's national security posture as a key U.S. ally. Israel will have no difficulty absorbing the equipment into its armed forces."


upi--2020-03-05--Russia and Turkey agree to cease-fire in Syria's Idlib

March 5 ( UPI ) -- Turkey and Russia agreed Thursday to a cease-fire in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib starting at midnight .
The two countries reached the agreement during a meeting Thursday between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin after fighting in Idlib , the last remaining stronghold of groups opposing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad , intensified earlier this week .
The cease-fire `` to stop all hostilities along the existing line of contact '' in Syria is expected to start at midnight Friday , a press statement said .
A security corridor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the area with both countries ' military forces having a week to work out all the details .
Military forces will also carry out joint patrol missions along Idlib 's M-4 highway .
Erdogan and Putin agreed that Syria 's conflict has no military solution and it is up to Syria alone to decide its fate .
Both leaders also agreed to work together on efforts to prevent the humanitarian crisis in Idlib and create conditions for refugees to return home .
Recent attacks have included Russian airstrikes overnight that killed more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 20 other people .
Syrian Civil Defense , known as the White Helmets , said the attacks hit a shelter for displaced persons near Ma'rat Masrin in Idlib province .
Thirteen people were also killed Wednesday , including seven children , from airstrikes and shelling targeting several cities in Idlib and the Aleppo area , the White Helmets said .
Erdogan told reporters Thursday in a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart that the Syrian regime and its aggressiveness are the main reason for civilian suffering in Idlib .
`` Considering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ status quo is inevitable in Idlib , '' Erdogan said .
`` We have deployed additional military units to Syria to ensure regional stability .
Our priority is to enable deescalation in Idlib .
The cease-fire will begin tonight a minute after midnight . ''
`` We have always solved our problems by working together , '' Putin said .
`` Today was no different . ''

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) agreed to a cease-fire in Syrian Idlib starting from midnight Friday. Photo by Michael Klimentyev/EPA-EFE/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool
March 5 (UPI) -- Turkey and Russia agreed Thursday to a cease-fire in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib starting at midnight. The two countries reached the agreement during a meeting Thursday between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin after fighting in Idlib, the last remaining stronghold of groups opposing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, intensified earlier this week. Advertisement
The cease-fire "to stop all hostilities along the existing line of contact" in Syria is expected to start at midnight Friday, a press statement said.
A security corridor about 4 miles wide will be established in the area with both countries' military forces having a week to work out all the details. Military forces will also carry out joint patrol missions along Idlib's M-4 highway.
Erdogan and Putin agreed that Syria's conflict has no military solution and it is up to Syria alone to decide its fate. Both leaders also agreed to work together on efforts to prevent the humanitarian crisis in Idlib and create conditions for refugees to return home.
Advertisement
Recent attacks have included Russian airstrikes overnight that killed more than a dozen civilians and injured at least 20 other people. Syrian Civil Defense, known as the White Helmets, said the attacks hit a shelter for displaced persons near Ma'rat Masrin in Idlib province. Thirteen people were also killed Wednesday, including seven children, from airstrikes and shelling targeting several cities in Idlib and the Aleppo area, the White Helmets said.
Erdogan told reporters Thursday in a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart that the Syrian regime and its aggressiveness are the main reason for civilian suffering in Idlib.
"Considering all the recent developments, a new status quo is inevitable in Idlib," Erdogan said. "We have deployed additional military units to Syria to ensure regional stability. Our priority is to enable deescalation in Idlib. The cease-fire will begin tonight a minute after midnight."
"We have always solved our problems by working together," Putin said. "Today was no different."


upi--2020-03-05--WarnerMedia cancels SXSW activations, panels, will still screen films

March 5 ( UPI ) -- WarnerMedia is the latest company to pull out of the South by Southwest film , interactive and music festival in Austin citing concern over the coronavirus outbreak .
SXSW runs March 13 to 22 in Austin , Texas .
`` As a precaution , WarnerMedia has decided it best not to move forward with activations at SXSW , '' WarnerMedia said in a statement to media and a tweet .
`` We look forward to seeing everyone in Austin next year . ''
A WarnerMedia spokesperson told UPI via e-mail that they are canceling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide films if the festival wants to move forward with the screenings .
One such panel would have included Bob Greenblatt , Michael Kassan , Damon Lindelof , Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross .
The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Wednesday that Netflix , Apple and Facebook were canceling SXSW plans .
Twitter also canceled CEO Jack Dorsey 's keynote address and the activation # Twitterhouse .
Netflix pulled five films from screening at SXSW and a March 15 panel # BlackExcellence with Kenya Barris and Rashida Jones .
Apple was planning to screen Boys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Central Park and Home and hold a panel with Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon for Little America .
Texas reported its first COVID-19 case on Wednesday .
Fifteen states have confirmed cases including 13 cases in New York and one in New Jersey .
The CDC reports 129 Americans having contracted the disease .
Johns Hopkins reports 177 .
Eleven Americans have died from COVID-19 , all in Seattle , Wash .
The World Health Organization reported 2,213 new cases Wednesday with a worldwide total of 93,090 cases .
80,422 cases are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SXSW to cancel the festival for safety considerations has over 50,000 signatures .
Other public events like Miami 's Ultra Music Festival , are postponing due to fear of spreading the virus .
On Wednesday , MGM and EON Productions postponed the release of the James Bond film No Time to Die due to concerns about millions of viewers gathering in movie theaters .

The SXSW Film, Interactive and Music Festival is facing cancellations out of fear that the coronavirus could spread at such a large public gathering. Photo courtesy of SXSW
March 5 (UPI) -- WarnerMedia is the latest company to pull out of the South by Southwest film, interactive and music festival in Austin citing concern over the coronavirus outbreak. SXSW runs March 13 to 22 in Austin, Texas. "As a precaution, WarnerMedia has decided it best not to move forward with activations at SXSW," WarnerMedia said in a statement to media and a tweet. "We look forward to seeing everyone in Austin next year." Advertisement As a precaution, WarnerMedia has decided it best not to move forward with activations at SXSW. We look forward to seeing everyone in Austin next year.— WarnerMedia (@WarnerMediaGrp) March 5, 2020 A WarnerMedia spokesperson told UPI via e-mail that they are canceling parties and panels, but would still provide films if the festival wants to move forward with the screenings. One such panel would have included Bob Greenblatt, Michael Kassan, Damon Lindelof, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Wednesday that Netflix, Apple and Facebook were canceling SXSW plans. Twitter also canceled CEO Jack Dorsey's keynote address and the activation #Twitterhouse. Netflix pulled five films from screening at SXSW and a March 15 panel #BlackExcellence with Kenya Barris and Rashida Jones. Advertisement
Apple was planning to screen Boys State, Beastie Boys' Story, Central Park and Home and hold a panel with Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon for Little America.
Texas reported its first COVID-19 case on Wednesday. Fifteen states have confirmed cases including 13 cases in New York and one in New Jersey. The CDC reports 129 Americans having contracted the disease. Johns Hopkins reports 177.
Eleven Americans have died from COVID-19, all in Seattle, Wash. The World Health Organization reported 2,213 new cases Wednesday with a worldwide total of 93,090 cases. 80,422 cases are in China.
A Change.org petition asking SXSW to cancel the festival for safety considerations has over 50,000 signatures.
Other public events like Miami's Ultra Music Festival, are postponing due to fear of spreading the virus. On Wednesday, MGM and EON Productions postponed the release of the James Bond film No Time to Die due to concerns about millions of viewers gathering in movie theaters.


upi--2020-03-05--Spill causes wine to flow through village's pipes instead of water

March 5 ( UPI ) -- Residents of a small village in Italy had the taps in their houses dispensing @ @ @ @ @ due to a fault at a nearby winery .
Locals in the village of Settecani @ @ @ @ @ of Modena , said the taps in their kitchens and bathrooms were dispensing red liquid @ @ @ @ @ and many quickly identified it from smell as Lambrusco Grasparossa , a locally-produced wine .
@ @ @ @ @ technicians investigated and discovered a technical fault had caused wine to leak from a silo @ @ @ @ @ high pressure of the wine leak was enough to displace the water in the pipes @ @ @ @ @ alcoholic beverage entering the water supply and the homes of nearby residents .
The local @ @ @ @ @ were able to repair the issue , causing fresh water to again flow through the @ @ @ @ @ apologized to residents in a Facebook post .
Some residents told local media they bottled @ @ @ @ @ that came from their taps as possible before the flow returned to normal .

Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe
March 5 (UPI) -- Residents of a small village in Italy had the taps in their houses dispensing red wine instead of water due to a fault at a nearby winery.
Locals in the village of Settecani, in the Castelvetro are of Modena, said the taps in their kitchens and bathrooms were dispensing red liquid instead of water Wednesday, and many quickly identified it from smell as Lambrusco Grasparossa, a locally-produced wine.
Advertisement
Officials at the winery said technicians investigated and discovered a technical fault had caused wine to leak from a silo into water pipes.
The high pressure of the wine leak was enough to displace the water in the pipes, resulting in the spilled alcoholic beverage entering the water supply and the homes of nearby residents.
The local water board dispatched technicians who were able to repair the issue, causing fresh water to again flow through the pipes. The local council apologized to residents in a Facebook post.
Some residents told local media they bottled as much of the wine that came from their taps as possible before the flow returned to normal.


upi--2020-03-05--Lady Gaga announces six-city 'Chromatica Ball' tour

March 5 ( UPI ) -- Lady Gaga announced on Thursday a six-city tour in support of her upcoming sixth @ @ @ @ @ Gaga will perform in Paris on July 24 at Stade de France , London on @ @ @ @ @ Stadium , Boston on Aug. 5 at Fenway Park , Toronto on Aug. 9 at @ @ @ @ @ Aug. 14 at Wrigley Field and East Rutherford , N.J. on Aug. 19 at MetLife @ @ @ @ @ sale for the general public on March 13 for the shows in Paris , London @ @ @ @ @ 16 for the shows in Boston , Chicago and East Rutherford .
Each North American @ @ @ @ @ copy of Chromatica which is set to be released April 10 .
Gaga recently released @ @ @ @ @ Chromatica 's first single titled `` Stupid Love . ''
The track was Gaga 's @ @ @ @ @ A Star Is Born .

March 5 (UPI) -- Lady Gaga announced on Thursday a six-city tour in support of her upcoming sixth studio album titled Chromatica.
Gaga will perform in Paris on July 24 at Stade de France, London on July 30 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Boston on Aug. 5 at Fenway Park, Toronto on Aug. 9 at Rogers Centre, Chicago on Aug. 14 at Wrigley Field and East Rutherford, N.J. on Aug. 19 at MetLife Stadium.
Advertisement
Tickets go on sale for the general public on March 13 for the shows in Paris, London and Toronto and on March 16 for the shows in Boston, Chicago and East Rutherford.
Each North American ticket will include a CD copy of Chromatica which is set to be released April 10.
Gaga recently released a fantastical music video for Chromatica's first single titled "Stupid Love." The track was Gaga's first song since 2018's A Star Is Born.
Moments from Lady Gaga's music career


upi--2020-03-05--In Photos: Moments from Lady Gaga's music career

Lady Gaga ( L ) and Elton John perform at the Rainforest Fund 's 21st Birthday Concert at Carnegie Hall @ @ @ @ @ May 13 , 2010 .
Gaga would go on to be the godmother of John @ @ @ @ @ Angelillo/UPI

Lady Gaga (L) and Elton John perform at the Rainforest Fund's 21st Birthday Concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City on May 13, 2010. Gaga would go on to be the godmother of John's two sons.Photo by John Angelillo/UPI


upi--2020-03-05--Watch: NCT 127 shares energetic 'Kick It' video

March 5 ( UPI ) -- South Korean boy band NCT 127 is back with a new music video .
The K-pop group , a subunit of the boy band NCT , released a video for the song `` Kick It '' on Wednesday .
The `` Kick It '' video shows the members of NCT 127 performing an energetic dance routine .
The song features references to martial arts great Bruce Lee and his movie Enter the Dragon .
`` Kick It '' is the lead single from NCT 127 's forthcoming album , Neo Zone .
The group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NCT 127 teased other songs from Neo Zone in a series of videos in February .
Other tracks include `` White Night , '' `` Boom , '' `` Day Dream , '' `` Sit Down ! ''
and `` Love Me Now . ''
NCT 127 consists of Taeil , Johnny , Taeyong , Yuta , Doyoung , Jaehyun , Winwin , Jungwoo , Mark and Haechan .
The group is known for the singles `` Limitless , '' `` Cherry Bomb , '' `` Regular '' and `` Superhuman . ''

March 5 (UPI) -- South Korean boy band NCT 127 is back with a new music video.
The K-pop group, a subunit of the boy band NCT, released a video for the song "Kick It" on Wednesday.
Advertisement
The "Kick It" video shows the members of NCT 127 performing an energetic dance routine. The song features references to martial arts great Bruce Lee and his movie Enter the Dragon.
"Kick It" is the lead single from NCT 127's forthcoming album, Neo Zone. The group will release Neo Zone on Friday.
NCT 127 teased other songs from Neo Zone in a series of videos in February. Other tracks include "White Night," "Boom," "Day Dream," "Sit Down!" and "Love Me Now."
NCT 127 consists of Taeil, Johnny, Taeyong, Yuta, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Winwin, Jungwoo, Mark and Haechan. The group is known for the singles "Limitless," "Cherry Bomb," "Regular" and "Superhuman."


upi--2020-03-05--Genome editing strategy could give rice, other crops nutritional boost

March 5 ( UPI ) -- Scientists have developed a new genome engineering strategy for boosting the levels of beta carotene , the precursor of vitamin A , in rice .
The novel CRISPR technology method , described this week in the journal Nature Communications , could help plant scientists engineer healthier , more robust crops .
Typically , genetic engineers use a special bacterium to transfer beta carotene-producing genes into the rice genome , but the technique is imprecise .
Transgenes can end up in unwanted locations in the genome , compromising the plant 's health and reducing yields @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Davis came up with a better way .
`` We used CRISPR to precisely target those genes onto genomic safe harbors , or chromosomal regions that we know wo n't cause any adverse effects on the host organism , '' lead study author Oliver Dong , a postdoctoral scholar and expert in plant pathology at UC Davis , said in news release .
The scientists chose rice because it 's an important staple food for much of the world , and particularly popular in countries like the Philippines where many children are deficient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ techniques require marker genes , which remain in the genome as plants are bred over generations .
Using the new method , scientists were able to transfer a large DNA fragment and precisely splice it into the rice genome without the use of marker genes .
`` Scientists have done targeted insertions before and without marker genes , but we have n't been able to do it with such big fragments of DNA , '' Dong said .
`` The larger the fragment of DNA , the more biological function or complex traits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By precisely transferring such a large DNA fragment , the technique paves the way for the engineering of multiple beneficial traits .
With one splice , scientists could potentially engineer better nutritional values , increased resiliency and higher yields -- simplifying the breeding process and producing healthier , higher quality crops .

Researchers have developed a new way to engineer crops, granting rice crops higher levels of beta carotene. Photo by UPI Photo/Stephen Shaver | License Photo
March 5 (UPI) -- Scientists have developed a new genome engineering strategy for boosting the levels of beta carotene, the precursor of vitamin A, in rice. The novel CRISPR technology method, described this week in the journal Nature Communications, could help plant scientists engineer healthier, more robust crops. Advertisement
Typically, genetic engineers use a special bacterium to transfer beta carotene-producing genes into the rice genome, but the technique is imprecise. Transgenes can end up in unwanted locations in the genome, compromising the plant's health and reducing yields.
Scientists at the University of California Davis came up with a better way.
"We used CRISPR to precisely target those genes onto genomic safe harbors, or chromosomal regions that we know won't cause any adverse effects on the host organism," lead study author Oliver Dong, a postdoctoral scholar and expert in plant pathology at UC Davis, said in news release.
The scientists chose rice because it's an important staple food for much of the world, and particularly popular in countries like the Philippines where many children are deficient in vitamin A.
Additionally, traditional engineering techniques require marker genes, which remain in the genome as plants are bred over generations. Using the new method, scientists were able to transfer a large DNA fragment and precisely splice it into the rice genome without the use of marker genes.
Advertisement
"Scientists have done targeted insertions before and without marker genes, but we haven't been able to do it with such big fragments of DNA," Dong said. "The larger the fragment of DNA, the more biological function or complex traits we can provide the plants."
By precisely transferring such a large DNA fragment, the technique paves the way for the engineering of multiple beneficial traits. With one splice, scientists could potentially engineer better nutritional values, increased resiliency and higher yields -- simplifying the breeding process and producing healthier, higher quality crops.


upi--2020-03-05--R. Kelly pleads not guilty to updated Chicago indictment

March 5 ( UPI ) -- R. Kelly pleaded not guilty to revised sexual abuse charges during a Chicago court appearance Thursday in which federal prosecutors said they seized more than 100 electronic devices from the singer .
The updated indictment includes a new alleged victim identified in court documents as Minor Six , who told investigators she knew the singer when she was 14 or 15 .
Kelly , born Robert Sylvester Kelly , pleaded not guilty to 13 counts accusing him of sexual activity with five people under age 18 .
In addition to adding Minor Six , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ superseding indictment .
Kelly 's co-defendants , Milton Brown and Derrel McDavid , also pleaded not guilty .
During the same hearing , federal prosecutors told the court they executed a search warrant and seized more than 100 smartphones , computer hard drives and iPads from Kelly .
Among the charges in his federal indictment , Kelly faces counts of child pornography .
Kelly faces cases in multiple states related to sexual abuse , sex trafficking and obstruction of justice .
New York prosecutors accused him in December of paying for a fake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before he married singer Aaliyah when she was 15 years old .
Their Aug. 31 , 1994 , marriage certificate falsely listed her age as 18 .
In an unrelated case in New York , he faced charges of racketeering , kidnapping , forced labor and sexual exploitation of a child in July .
In August , prosecutors in Minnesota levied charges against him for soliciting a minor in 2001 .
Meanwhile , he was arrested in Illinois in March 2019 for failing to pay more than $ 161,000 in back child support @ @ @ @

A superseding indictment added a new alleged victim and dropped another. File Photo by Phil McCarten/UPI | License Photo
March 5 (UPI) -- R. Kelly pleaded not guilty to revised sexual abuse charges during a Chicago court appearance Thursday in which federal prosecutors said they seized more than 100 electronic devices from the singer. The updated indictment includes a new alleged victim identified in court documents as Minor Six, who told investigators she knew the singer when she was 14 or 15. Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, pleaded not guilty to 13 counts accusing him of sexual activity with five people under age 18. Advertisement
In addition to adding Minor Six, prosecutors dropped an alleged victim in the superseding indictment.
Kelly's co-defendants, Milton Brown and Derrel McDavid, also pleaded not guilty.
During the same hearing, federal prosecutors told the court they executed a search warrant and seized more than 100 smartphones, computer hard drives and iPads from Kelly. Among the charges in his federal indictment, Kelly faces counts of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber set a trial date for Oct. 13.
Kelly faces cases in multiple states related to sexual abuse, sex trafficking and obstruction of justice.
New York prosecutors accused him in December of paying for a fake ID for an unnamed woman one day before he married singer Aaliyah when she was 15 years old. Their Aug. 31, 1994, marriage certificate falsely listed her age as 18.
Advertisement
In an unrelated case in New York, he faced charges of racketeering, kidnapping, forced labor and sexual exploitation of a child in July.
In August, prosecutors in Minnesota levied charges against him for soliciting a minor in 2001.
Meanwhile, he was arrested in Illinois in March 2019 for failing to pay more than $161,000 in back child support to his ex-wife.


upi--2020-03-06--At least 27 killed in attack on Kabul ceremony

March 6 ( UPI ) -- More than two dozen people were killed in Afghanistan Friday at a ceremony in Kabul that included some of the nation 's political elite , authorities said .
Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said at least 27 people were killed in the shooting attack at the gathering , which was attended by Afghanistan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah , former president Hamid Karzai and other high-ranking figures .
Abdullah 's deputy , Mohammad Mohaqiq , said the officials were all unharmed .
The Taliban denied responsibility for the attack , which was the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signing of a peace deal a week ago between U.S. officials and the militant group that was intended to set a path to further negotiations involving the Afghan government and lead to a complete withdrawal of U.S. forces .
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani called the assault `` barbaric '' and `` a crime against humanity . ''
`` The Afghan government condemns the attack in the strongest terms , '' he said .
`` The brave security forces will take any possible action to repel the attack and protect the people . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a construction site across the street .
The dignitaries gathered in the capital Friday to mark the 25th anniversary of the death of revered Shiite political leader Abdul Ali Mazari .
The same event was also attacked last year and nearly a dozen people died .
An affiliate of the Islamic State claimed responsibility .
The Islamic State has been behind a series of bombings in Kabul in recent years that targeted the city 's Shiite population .
The U.S. military , Afghan government and the Taliban have all carried out offensives @ @ @ @ @

British troops guard the site where gunmen attacked a political gathering in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Friday and killed more than two dozen people. Photo by Hedayatullah Amid/EPA-EFE
March 6 (UPI) -- More than two dozen people were killed Friday at a ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan, that included some of the nation's political elite, authorities said. Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said at least 27 people were killed in the shooting attack at the gathering, which was attended by Afghanistan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, former President Hamid Karzai and other high-ranking figures. Advertisement
Abdullah's deputy, Mohammad Mohaqiq, said the officials were all unharmed.
The Taliban denied responsibility for the attack, which was the first violent incident in Kabul since the the signing of a peace deal a week ago between U.S. officials and the militant group that was intended to set a path to further negotiations involving the Afghan government and lead to a complete withdrawal of U.S. forces.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani called the assault "barbaric" and "a crime against humanity."
"The Afghan government condemns the attack in the strongest terms," he said. "The brave security forces will take any possible action to repel the attack and protect the people."
Advertisement
Rahimi said the gunfire appeared to come from a construction site across the street.
The dignitaries gathered in the capital Friday to mark the 25th anniversary of the death of revered Shiite political leader Abdul Ali Mazari. The same event was also attacked last year and nearly a dozen people died. An affiliate of the Islamic State claimed responsibility.
The Islamic State has been behind a series of bombings in Kabul in recent years that targeted the city's Shiite population. The U.S. military, Afghan government and the Taliban have all carried out offensives targeting Islamic State fighters.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the attack a "sign of weakness, not a show of strength."
"The Afghan people deserve a future free from terror. The ongoing Afghan peace process presents a critical opportunity for Afghans to come together to build a united front against the menace of ISIS," he added, using an acronym for the Islamic State.


upi--2020-03-06--Warriors' Stephen Curry scores 23 points in 27-minute return

March 6 ( UPI ) -- Stephen Curry scored 23 points in 27 minutes in his first game since October , but the Golden State Warriors fell to the reigning champion Toronto Raptors .
Curry started but did not score in the first quarter of the 121-113 loss Thursday at Chase Center in San Francisco .
`` It felt great , '' Curry said of his return from a hand injury .
`` There was a lot of energy and anticipation of just getting back out there tonight to see what was going to happen . ''
Curry missed his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first shot from downtown with 7:40 remaining in the first half .
Curry had 11 points at the break , with the Warriors trailing 62-55 at halftime .
He added eight points in the third quarter .
The Raptors had an 89-88 lead entering the final frame .
The Warriors kept the game close throughout the fourth quarter until the Raptors ended the game on a 6-0 run to clinch the win .
`` To me it feels like it 's on again , '' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Curry 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are now through the woods .
We can start looking ahead and using these games for trying to prepare ourselves for reaching a higher level of play . ''
Norman Powell scored a game-high 37 points for the Raptors .
Kyle Lowry had 26 points , 10 assists and five rebounds in the win .
Serge Ibaka scored 13 points and had 13 rebounds for the Raptors .
Curry had seven assists and six rebounds in addition to his 23 points .
Damion Lee also had 23 points for the Warriors .
Warriors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 rebounds in the loss .
The Warriors ( 14-49 ) host the Philadelphia 76ers at 8:30 p.m. EST Saturday in San Francisco .
The Raptors ( 44-18 ) face the Sacramento Kings at 9 p.m. EST Sunday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento .
`` For us , it was a good step in the right direction , '' Curry said .
`` Everybody just competed .
We can build off of this . ''

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry is now averaging 20.8 points, 6.6 assists and 5.2 rebounds in five games this season. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
March 6 (UPI) -- Stephen Curry scored 23 points in 27 minutes in his first game since October, but the Golden State Warriors fell to the reigning champion Toronto Raptors. Curry started but did not score in the first quarter of the 121-113 loss Thursday at Chase Center in San Francisco. Advertisement
"It felt great," Curry said of his return from a hand injury. "There was a lot of energy and anticipation of just getting back out there tonight to see what was going to happen."
Curry missed his first four 3-point attempts before sinking his first shot from downtown with 7:40 remaining in the first half. Curry had 11 points at the break, with the Warriors trailing 62-55 at halftime. He added eight points in the third quarter. The Raptors had an 89-88 lead entering the final frame.
The Warriors kept the game close throughout the fourth quarter until the Raptors ended the game on a 6-0 run to clinch the win.
"To me it feels like it's on again," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Curry's impact on the season. "We are now through the woods. We can start looking ahead and using these games for trying to prepare ourselves for reaching a higher level of play."
Advertisement
Norman Powell scored a game-high 37 points for the Raptors. Kyle Lowry had 26 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in the win. Serge Ibaka scored 13 points and had 13 rebounds for the Raptors. Curry had seven assists and six rebounds in addition to his 23 points. Damion Lee also had 23 points for the Warriors. Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins had 21 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
The Warriors (14-49) host the Philadelphia 76ers at 8:30 p.m. EST Saturday in San Francisco. The Raptors (44-18) face the Sacramento Kings at 9 p.m. EST Sunday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
"For us, it was a good step in the right direction," Curry said. "Everybody just competed. We can build off of this."


upi--2020-03-06--Stone Cold Steve Austin to make WWE Raw return on March 16

March 6 ( UPI ) -- Professional wrestling legend and Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin will return to Raw on March 16 , WWE announced .
Austin will be on hand to celebrate # 316Day .
The day was created to celebrate all things Stone Cold as it relates to his signature catchphrase of `` Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass ! ''
WWE will also release new Austin merchandise , running a marathon of programming centered around the living legend on the WWE Network and releasing a new episode of Steve Austin 's Broken Skull @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Famer Bret Hart .
`` Oh hell yeah !
On March 16 , @ WWE and USA celebrated Austin 3:16 Day , honoring everything @ steveaustinBSR .
What will happen when the WWE Hall of Famer returns to # Raw live from Pittsburgh ?
There 's only one way to find out , '' Austin said on Twitter .
The Texas Rattlesnake was last featured on Raw in September when he moderated a Universal Championship match contract signing between Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman .
Austin also delivered a Stunner to AJ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nash , Scott Hall and Sean Waltman of legendary faction The nWo will be making an appearance on Smackdown Friday .
The trio , who will be entering the Hall of Fame this year in April alongside their fellow member Hollywood Hulk Hogan , will be make an appearance on Alex Bliss ' talk show titled A Moment of Bliss .

RT @USA_Network: Oh hell yeah! On March 16, @WWE and USA celebrate Austin 3:16 Day, honoring everything @steveaustinBSR. What will happen when the WWE Hall of Famer returns to #RAW live from Pittsburgh? There's only one way to find out. pic.twitter.com/B3zuzpLSes— Steve Austin (@steveaustinBSR) March 5, 2020
March 6 (UPI) -- Professional wrestling legend and Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin will return to Raw on March 16, WWE announced.
Austin will be on hand to celebrate #316Day. The day was created to celebrate all things Stone Cold as it relates to his signature catchphrase of "Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass!"
Advertisement
WWE will also release new Austin merchandise, running a marathon of programming centered around the living legend on the WWE Network and releasing a new episode of Steve Austin's Broken Skull Sessions featuring an interview with fellow Hall of Famer Bret Hart.
"Oh hell yeah! On March 16, @WWE and USA celebrated Austin 3:16 Day, honoring everything @steveaustinBSR. What will happen when the WWE Hall of Famer returns to #Raw live from Pittsburgh? There's only one way to find out," Austin said on Twitter.
The Texas Rattlesnake was last featured on Raw in September when he moderated a Universal Championship match contract signing between Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman. Austin also delivered a Stunner to AJ Styles on the same night.
Advertisement
Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Sean Waltman of legendary faction The nWo will be making an appearance on Smackdown Friday.
The trio, who will be entering the Hall of Fame this year in April alongside their fellow member Hollywood Hulk Hogan, will be make an appearance on Alex Bliss' talk show titled A Moment of Bliss.


upi--2020-03-06--COVID-19 spreads in Europe, slows in China; 1st case at Vatican

March 6 ( UPI ) -- Outbreaks of COVID-19 spread throughout Europe and North America on Friday as China continued to show progress in containing the epidemic .
The first case has also turned up at the Vatican .
China reported 143 new cases Friday and an increased death toll of 3,042 .
Officials in Hubei province reported no new cases outside Wuhan -- a first since the outbreak began -- but the city accounted for 126 of China 's new cases .
Health officials said among the new infections , 16 were imported from overseas .
There are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainland China accounting for the vast majority .
However , as China 's cases seem to be slowing , Europe 's tally has risen with Italy nearing 4,000 cases by late Thursday and Germany reporting more than 500 .
Spain , Switzerland and Britain have all reported clusters of more than 100 cases .
In Italy , the first case has appeared at the Vatican -- in its outpatient healthcare clinic in St. Peter 's Square .
Officials responded by temporarily closing the facility for disinfection , Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ migrants and others who congregate around the square .
`` The directorate of health and hygiene is informing the competent Italian authorities and , in the meantime , the planned health protocols have been initiated , '' Bruni added .
In Canada , health officials recorded the nation 's first community transmission .
The woman , in her 50s , has no recent travel history , British Columbia health officials said in a statement .
`` We need to find out the source of her infection , '' said Dr. Bonnie Henry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding she expects more people to be diagnosed with the virus .
The woman was one of eight people in the province to be newly diagnosed with the virus , raising Canada 's tally to 44 .
The Philippines also reported its first community transmission -- a 62-year-old man who regularly visited a Muslim prayer hall in San Juan City .
The health department urged those who attend the hall and are experiencing symptoms to come forward .
`` These recent developments are significant , but we are prepared to respond to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francisco Tiongson Duque III said in a statement .
South Korea , which has the world 's second-highest number of cases , continued to grow Friday .
Officials recorded hundreds of new cases , raising its total to nearly 6,300 , which is nearly half of all cases outside China .
India diagnosed another patient , raising its total to 31 , and advised mass gatherings to be canceled or postponed until the spread is `` contained , '' India 's undersecretary Rajender Kumar said in a statement .

A woman is seen at a store with mostly empty shelves on Thursday as panic buying is starting to hit certain areas due to the threat of the coronavirus in Beijing, China. Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
March 6 (UPI) -- The number of COVID-19 cases is approaching 100,000 worldwide, including 2,736 new cases across 47 countries in the past 24 hours, World Health Organization officials said in an update Friday. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva the number of reported cases as of Friday morning was 98,023 and the death toll 3,380. Advertisement
"We are now on the verge of reaching 100,000 confirmed cases," he said, urging all nations to make containment their highest priority.
"We continue to call on countries to find, test, isolate and care for every case, and to trace every contact," he added, emphasizing that "whole-of-government" measures are needed to buy time for researchers to develop a vaccine.
"Every day we can slow down the epidemic is another day hospitals can prepare themselves for cases."
Ghebreyesus said scientists are working on measures to fight the disease and said the WHO published a "road map" to distill ideas from hundreds of researchers into a core group of priorities.
Earlier, China reported 143 new cases and an increased death toll of 3,042. Officials in Hubei province reported no new cases outside Wuhan -- a first since the outbreak began -- but the city accounted for 126 of the new cases.
Advertisement
Although Chinese cases seem to be slowing, Europe's are growing. Italy said Friday it has almost 4,000 cases and Germany has more than 500. Spain, Switzerland and Britain all have more than 100 cases.
In Italy, the first case has also appeared at the Vatican -- in its outpatient healthcare clinic in St. Peter's Square. Officials responded by temporarily closing the facility for disinfection, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.
The clinic serves the homeless population, migrants and others who congregate around the square.
"The directorate of health and hygiene is informing the competent Italian authorities and, in the meantime, the planned health protocols have been initiated," Bruni added.
In Canada, health officials recorded the nation's first community transmission. The woman, in her 50s, has no recent travel history, British Columbia health officials said in a statement.
The Philippines also reported its first community transmission -- a 62-year-old man who regularly visited a Muslim prayer hall in San Juan City.
"These recent developments are significant, but we are prepared to respond to its potential consequences," Philippines Health Secretary Francisco Tiongson Duque III said in a statement.
South Korea, which has the world's second-highest number of cases, continued to grow Friday. Officials recorded hundreds of new cases and raised the total to nearly 6,300.
Advertisement
India diagnosed another patient, raising its total to 31, and advised mass gatherings to be canceled or postponed until the spread is contained.


upi--2020-03-06--Coronavirus heightens tensions between Japan and South Korea

SEOUL , March 6 ( UPI ) -- South Korean government officials lashed out at Japan a day after Tokyo announced it would quarantine all travelers coming from the country , which is fighting a COVID-19 outbreak that reached 6,593 cases on Friday afternoon .
Seoul 's national security council met on Friday and `` expressed their strong regret for the Japanese government 's measures to strengthen restrictions on entry to Koreans , '' the presidential Blue House said in a statement .
The NSC criticized the `` unfair measures '' that Japan took `` without prior consultation with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was going to `` review the necessary countermeasures , including those based on reciprocity . ''
The Blue House statement noted that South Korea 's `` scientific and transparent quarantine system has been highly evaluated by the world , '' while claiming that Japan has lost the trust of the international community through its `` opaque and passive countermeasures . ''
Japan has faced criticism for its response to the spread of the novel coronavirus , in particular for its handling of the virus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship , which was quarantined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw 10 COVID-19 cases soar to over 700 .
Earlier on Friday , South Korea 's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement in which it expressed `` deep regret '' over Japan 's decision and warned of countermeasures including reciprocal steps .
Relations between Tokyo and Seoul have been strained since a South Korean Supreme Court ruling in 2018 found that Japanese companies must pay compensation to Korean victims of wartime forced labor .
Tokyo responded by removing Seoul from a `` white list '' of favored trading partners , triggering protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Korea .
As of Friday , 102 countries and territories are either barring or quarantining visitors coming from South Korea , according to the ministry .
The number of confirmed cases in South Korea rose to 6,593 , the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Friday , with some 90 percent of patients concentrated around the southeastern city of Daegu and its neighboring North Gyeongsang province .
There were 309 new cases confirmed over the first 16 hours of Friday , following 518 new cases reported on Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of the total infections are connected to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus , a controversial new religious movement that was at the heart of the outbreak .
The number of reported cases began skyrocketing after a 61-year-old woman who is a member of the Shincheonji church in Daegu was confirmed as the country 's 31st COVID-19 patient on Feb. 17 .
She had attended services at the church both before and after exhibiting symptoms , health authorities said .
There have been 42 deaths in South Korea due to the coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while 108 recovered patients have been released from hospitals .
South Korea continues to test for the coronavirus on a scale that dwarfs most other countries .
Health authorities have tested over 158,000 patients so far , the KCDC reported on Friday .

As South Korea continues to battle an outbreak of COVID-19, government officials criticized Japan's decision to quarantine travelers coming from the country. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI | License Photo
SEOUL, March 6 (UPI) -- South Korean government officials lashed out at Japan a day after Tokyo announced it would quarantine all travelers coming from the country, which is fighting a COVID-19 outbreak that reached 6,593 cases on Friday afternoon. Seoul's national security council met on Friday and "expressed their strong regret for the Japanese government's measures to strengthen restrictions on entry to Koreans," the presidential Blue House said in a statement. Advertisement
The NSC criticized the "unfair measures" that Japan took "without prior consultation with the South Korean government," and said it was going to "review the necessary countermeasures, including those based on reciprocity."
The Blue House statement noted that South Korea's "scientific and transparent quarantine system has been highly evaluated by the world," while claiming that Japan has lost the trust of the international community through its "opaque and passive countermeasures."
Japan has faced criticism for its response to the spread of the novel coronavirus, in particular for its handling of the virus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was quarantined at Yokohama Port in early February and saw 10 COVID-19 cases soar to over 700.
Earlier on Friday, South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement in which it expressed "deep regret" over Japan's decision and warned of countermeasures including reciprocal steps.
Advertisement
Relations between Tokyo and Seoul have been strained since a South Korean Supreme Court ruling in 2018 found that Japanese companies must pay compensation to Korean victims of wartime forced labor. Tokyo responded by removing Seoul from a "white list" of favored trading partners, triggering protests and a boycott of Japanese products across South Korea.
As of Friday, 102 countries and territories are either barring or quarantining visitors coming from South Korea, according to the ministry.
The number of confirmed cases in South Korea rose to 6,593, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Friday, with some 90 percent of patients concentrated around the southeastern city of Daegu and its neighboring North Gyeongsang province.
There were 309 new cases confirmed over the first 16 hours of Friday, following 518 new cases reported on Thursday.
The KCDC said Friday that over 62 percent of the total infections are connected to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a controversial new religious movement that was at the heart of the outbreak.
The number of reported cases began skyrocketing after a 61-year-old woman who is a member of the Shincheonji church in Daegu was confirmed as the country's 31st COVID-19 patient on Feb. 17. She had attended services at the church both before and after exhibiting symptoms, health authorities said.
Advertisement
There have been 42 deaths in South Korea due to the coronavirus, primarily elderly patients with underlying illnesses, while 108 recovered patients have been released from hospitals.
South Korea continues to test for the coronavirus on a scale that dwarfs most other countries. Health authorities have tested over 158,000 patients so far, the KCDC reported on Friday.


upi--2020-03-06--Stressed-out college students should spend time in nature

Just a bit of time spent with nature each day can reduce college students ' stress , researchers say .
They reviewed studies on the effects of being in nature on 15- to 30-year-olds to see how much time college students should be spending outdoors and the best ways to reap the benefits .
Ten to 50 minutes of sitting or walking in natural spaces did the most efficient job of improving mood , focus and physiological markers such as blood pressure and heart rate , the Cornell University researchers found .
`` It does n't take much time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 're talking 10 minutes outside in a space with nature , '' said lead author Gen Meredith , associate director of the Master of Public Health Program .
`` We firmly believe that every student , no matter what subject or how high their workload , has that much discretionary time each day , or at least a few times per week , '' she added in a Cornell news release .
The study was part of a larger look at what 's known as nature therapy .
Its aim was to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that doctors can prescribe for mental health issues college students face , including stress , anxiety and depression .
`` It 's not that there 's a decline after 50 minutes , but rather that the physiological and self-reported psychological benefits tend to plateau after that , '' said study co-author Donald Rakow , an associate professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science .
`` While there is a lot of literature on longer outdoor programs , we wanted to quantify doses in minutes , not days , '' Rakow said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than just saying : 'Go outside , ' '' Meredith said of nature therapy .
`` There is something specific that a student can aim for . ''
The review was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology .
The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more on stress .

Just a bit of time spent with nature each day can reduce college students' stress, researchers say.
They reviewed studies on the effects of being in nature on 15- to 30-year-olds to see how much time college students should be spending outdoors and the best ways to reap the benefits.
Advertisement
Ten to 50 minutes of sitting or walking in natural spaces did the most efficient job of improving mood, focus and physiological markers such as blood pressure and heart rate, the Cornell University researchers found.
"It doesn't take much time for the positive benefits to kick in -- we're talking 10 minutes outside in a space with nature," said lead author Gen Meredith, associate director of the Master of Public Health Program.
"We firmly believe that every student, no matter what subject or how high their workload, has that much discretionary time each day, or at least a few times per week," she added in a Cornell news release.
The study was part of a larger look at what's known as nature therapy. Its aim was to define easy-to-achieve amounts of time in nature that doctors can prescribe for mental health issues college students face, including stress, anxiety and depression.
Advertisement
"It's not that there's a decline after 50 minutes, but rather that the physiological and self-reported psychological benefits tend to plateau after that," said study co-author Donald Rakow, an associate professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science.
"While there is a lot of literature on longer outdoor programs, we wanted to quantify doses in minutes, not days," Rakow said in the release.
"It's different than just saying: 'Go outside,'" Meredith said of nature therapy. "There is something specific that a student can aim for." The review was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more on stress.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-03-06--On This Day, March 6: Ghana becomes independent country

March 6 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1836 , Mexican forces captured the Alamo in San Antonio , killing the last of 187 defenders who had held out in the fortified Texas mission for 13 days .
Frontiersman Davy Crockett was among those killed on the final day .
In 1853 , `` La Traviata '' by Giuseppe Verdi premiered in Venice , Italy .
In 1857 , the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its landmark ruling that slave Dred Scott could n't sue for his freedom in a federal court , even though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` free '' state .
In 1933 , President Franklin Roosevelt declared a national banking holiday in an effort to shore up the banking system .
In 1944 , during World War II , U.S. bombers flying from Britain began the first daytime attacks on Berlin .
In 1953 , Georgi Malenkov was named premier of the Soviet Union one day after the death of Joseph Stalin .
In 1957 , Ghana became an independent country after declaring independence from Britain .
The country was led by Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared `` There will be no march between Selma and Montgomery , '' and that he had ordered the highway patrol to `` use whatever measures are necessary to prevent a march . ''
In 1967 , Svetlana Alliluyeva , Joseph Stalin 's daughter , defected to the United States .
She would return to the Soviet Union 17 years later stating , `` In America , I ended up living the life of a suburban housewife , which is not at all what I wanted . ''
In 1982 , an Egyptian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the assassination of President Anwar Sadat .
Seventeen others drew prison terms .
In 1987 , a British ferry leaving Zeebrugge , Belgium , struck a sea wall and capsized , killing 188 people in the North Sea .
In 1991 , U.S. President George H.W .
Bush , addressing a joint session of Congress , declared the Persian Gulf War over .
In 2014 , the Crimean Parliament in Ukraine 's mostly pro-Russian Crimea region passed a resolution to join Russia .
In 2015 , Islamic State militants devastated the ancient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , using bulldozers to raze the site .
In 2019 , Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James passed legend Michael Jordan for No .
4 on the NBA 's all-time scoring list , ending the game with 32,311 points .

1/3
On March 6, 1957, Ghana became an independent country after declaring independence from Britain. The country was led by Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah. File Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo
March 6 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1836, Mexican forces captured the Alamo in San Antonio, killing the last of 187 defenders who had held out in the fortified Texas mission for 13 days. Frontiersman Davy Crockett was among those killed on the final day. Advertisement
In 1853, "La Traviata" by Giuseppe Verdi premiered in Venice, Italy.
In 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its landmark ruling that slave Dred Scott couldn't sue for his freedom in a federal court, even though his white owner had died in a "free" state.
In 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt declared a national banking holiday in an effort to shore up the banking system.
In 1944, during World War II, U.S. bombers flying from Britain began the first daytime attacks on Berlin.
In 1953, Georgi Malenkov was named premier of the Soviet Union one day after the death of Joseph Stalin.
In 1957, Ghana became an independent country after declaring independence from Britain. The country was led by Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah.
In 1965, Alabama Gov. George Wallace declared "There will be no march between Selma and Montgomery," and that he had ordered the highway patrol to "use whatever measures are necessary to prevent a march."
Advertisement
File Photo by Bill Hormell/UPI
In 1967, Svetlana Alliluyeva, Joseph Stalin's daughter, defected to the United States. She would return to the Soviet Union 17 years later stating, "In America, I ended up living the life of a suburban housewife, which is not at all what I wanted."
In 1982, an Egyptian court sentenced five Muslim fundamentalists to death for the assassination of President Anwar Sadat. Seventeen others drew prison terms.
UPI File Photo
In 1987, a British ferry leaving Zeebrugge, Belgium, struck a sea wall and capsized, killing 188 people in the North Sea.
In 1991, U.S. President George H.W. Bush, addressing a joint session of Congress, declared the Persian Gulf War over.
In 2014, the Crimean Parliament in Ukraine's mostly pro-Russian Crimea region passed a resolution to join Russia.
In 2015, Islamic State militants devastated the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud in northern Iraq, using bulldozers to raze the site.
Advertisement
In 2019, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James passed legend Michael Jordan for No. 4 on the NBA's all-time scoring list, ending the game with 32,311 points.


upi--2020-03-06--Wild horse killings leave Arizona community on edge

DENVER , March 7 ( UPI ) -- Someone has been shooting wild horses in a national forest near Heber-Obergaard , Ariz. , for the last 16 months , and the unsolved crimes are tearing apart the small community .
Some 35 horses have been found dead in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest , with most of them killed by bullets , authorities said .
Local horse advocates and those who do n't like the horses ' presence blame each other for the deaths .
Most recently , 15 horses were found shot between Jan. 9 and 12 , said Kacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service .
No arrests have been made , and authorities declined to say if they believe the same person or multiple shooters have been committing the crimes .
`` The investigation is ongoing , '' Ellsworth said .
A $ 5,000 reward is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter or shooters .
`` The series of horse deaths in the vicinity of the Heber Wild Horse Territory , about 110 miles northeast of Phoenix , is an issue we are taking seriously and diligently investigating , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The horses are wild animals , but protected by the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 .
Killing a wild horse can lead to a fine of up to $ 2,000 and a maximum of one year in prison , or both .
Residents say the vacation and retirement Heber-Overgaard community , with a year-round population around 2,400 , is rattled by the shootings .
The most recent incidents took place behind a subdivision and off a local highway .
`` These shootings are bringing out the worst in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who lives near the forest and spends hours every week photographing the animals .
Wild horses have been controversial in the area for decades because cattle producers consider them a threat to forest grazing lands and want them gone .
Now , horse advocates and ranch-affiliated townsfolk are trading insults online like `` whacktivist '' for horse lovers and `` welfare ranchers '' for cattle ranchers who graze their cows on subsidized public rangeland .
Both sides say they 've received veiled threats and taunts online , including recipes for horse meat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ livestock .
But some residents think fighting about the horses is bad for business .
`` People come up here for recreation to escape from the heat .
They come up to enjoy the mountains .
If we put panic in the forest , that stops people from coming into the community , '' Navajo County Supervisor Daryl Seymore said .
`` We have to be inviting .
When we 're fighting among ourselves , who wants to go into that hostile environment ? ''
But the most upsetting part of the battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` It 's been heartbreaking when I have come across the carcasses of the dead horses , a couple of which I had just videotaped the day before , '' said Betty Nixon , a retired U.S. Army intelligence officer and fraud analyst who said she spends about 30 hours a week in the Apache-Sitgreaves forest .
Nixon said many of the animals had been shot in the abdomen or neck .
`` The cruelty of shooting them in the gut , that is just cruel .
The shooter was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nixon said .
The shootings began in October 2018 , according to the Forest Service .
Twelve horses were killed that fall , and four more were found dead in February 2019 .
Most had gunshot wounds , and some were too decomposed to determine the cause of death , the Forest Service said .
In April 2019 , a locally famous stallion , Old Buck , was found shot to death .
Two more dead horses were found in fall 2019 .
In this January 's incidents , two family bands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and seven .
The dead horses included foals and adults .
Some residents say they are frustrated by what they perceive is a lack of commitment by investigating agencies .
Bullets whizzed past the head of wild horse photographer Kathie Reidhead , of Payson , Ariz. , last May as she was photographing horses near a watering hole .
She said she saw a man with ear protection standing in front of a parked silver pickup truck with Kentucky license plates shooting a rifle toward the horses .
`` I hid behind a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up with my hands in the air , '' she said , adding that the man stopped shooting and hurriedly put his rifle back in the truck .
Reidhead said she captured several videos and photos of the man , his truck and fleeing horses .
But she said the Navajo County Sheriff 's Office and Forest Service investigators were not interested in her eyewitness account .
`` Nobody cares .
It just seems like they do n't want to solve this , '' Reidhead said .
`` It seems like there 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The Forest Service is following through on tips that are received , spokeswoman Ellsworth said .
A spokeswoman at the Navajo County Sheriff 's Office declined to discuss the horse deaths , saying the investigation was being led by the U.S. Forest Service .
Meanwhile , local ranchers who want the horses gone say they have been frustrated by the federal agencies and federal judges who have prevented removal of horses , which were formerly sold or slaughtered .
The number of horses has increased significantly over the past decades , county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those horses could have been turned loose by irresponsible animal owners who could n't afford to keep them , '' he said .
`` We need to control that horse population for safety .
Hitting a horse on the highway is more dangerous than a deer or elk . ''
After federal lawsuits from several animal rights and conservation groups , the District Court for the District of Arizona ruled in 2005 to grant an injunction that stops the Forest Service from selling or removing horses without first developing a wild horse management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for killing of horses , but the land management agency 's hands are tied and they are not allowed to manage them , '' said Kathy Gibson Boatman , granddaughter of a local rancher .
In February , the agency proposed its first wild-horse plan for the 19,700-acre Heber Wild Horse Territory .
The public can comment through March 15 whether the Forest Service should reduce the herd to between 50 and 104 animals through a combination of bait-and-trap capture , birth control and sterilization .
The forest holds between 270 and 420 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counts , which are several years old .
The Forest Service has ruled all of the horses qualify for protection as wild .
But the agency acknowledges that many of the animals are descended from escaped domestic horses that moved onto forest land from the Fort Apache Indian reservation nearby after a 2002 forest fire .
Resident Boatman bristled when she hears rumors that someone affiliated with ranchers might be shooting the horses .
She called horse advocates the `` bullies of the forest . ''
`` Multiple local people here , whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , feel that it 's a whacktivist killing the horses , '' Boatman said .
`` The ranchers want the horses gone , but I do n't think any of them would shoot them .
They have too much to lose , '' Realtor Crawford said .
`` The locals are just trying to keep their way of life , and I get that , but why not just leave the horses alone ?
What is the big deal ? ''
The investigation is frustrating , she said , because so little information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're not going to stop asking about it , and we 're not going to let it go , '' Crawford said .

More than 35 horses have died, mostly from gunshot wounds, near the Heber Wild Horse Territory in Arizona over the past 16 months. Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture
DENVER, March 6 (UPI) -- Someone has been shooting wild horses in a national forest near Heber-Obergaard, Ariz., for the last 16 months, and the unsolved crimes are tearing apart the small community. Some 35 horses have been found dead in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, with most of them killed by bullets, authorities said. Local horse advocates and those who don't like the horses' presence blame each other for the deaths. Advertisement
Most recently, 15 horses were found shot between Jan. 9 and 12, said Kacy Ellsworth, spokeswoman for the U.S Forest Service.
No arrests have been made, and authorities declined to say if they believe the same person or multiple shooters have been committing the crimes.
"The investigation is ongoing," Ellsworth said. A $5,000 reward is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter or shooters.
"The series of horse deaths in the vicinity of the Heber Wild Horse Territory, about 110 miles northeast of Phoenix, is an issue we are taking seriously and diligently investigating," the Forest Service said in a statement.
Advertisement
The horses are wild animals, but protected by the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. Killing a wild horse can lead to a fine of up to $2,000 and a maximum of one year in prison, or both.
Residents say the vacation and retirement Heber-Overgaard community, with a year-round population around 2,400, is rattled by the shootings. The most recent incidents took place behind a subdivision and off a local highway.
"These shootings are bringing out the worst in people," said Realtor Robin Crawford, who lives near the forest and spends hours every week photographing the animals.
Wild horses have been controversial in the area for decades because cattle producers consider them a threat to forest grazing lands and want them gone.
Now, horse advocates and ranch-affiliated townsfolk are trading insults online like "whacktivist" for horse lovers and "welfare ranchers" for cattle ranchers who graze their cows on subsidized public rangeland.
Both sides say they've received veiled threats and taunts online, including recipes for horse meat and surveillance-style photos of their properties and livestock.
But some residents think fighting about the horses is bad for business.
"People come up here for recreation to escape from the heat. They come up to enjoy the mountains. If we put panic in the forest, that stops people from coming into the community," Navajo County Supervisor Daryl Seymore said.
Advertisement
"We have to be inviting. When we're fighting among ourselves, who wants to go into that hostile environment?"
But the most upsetting part of the battle is the dead horses, local residents said.
"It's been heartbreaking when I have come across the carcasses of the dead horses, a couple of which I had just videotaped the day before," said Betty Nixon, a retired U.S. Army intelligence officer and fraud analyst who said she spends about 30 hours a week in the Apache-Sitgreaves forest.
Nixon said many of the animals had been shot in the abdomen or neck.
"The cruelty of shooting them in the gut, that is just cruel. The shooter was not interested in killing them humanely," Nixon said.
The shootings began in October 2018, according to the Forest Service. Twelve horses were killed that fall, and four more were found dead in February 2019. Most had gunshot wounds, and some were too decomposed to determine the cause of death, the Forest Service said.
In April 2019, a locally famous stallion, Old Buck, was found shot to death. Two more dead horses were found in fall 2019.
In this January's incidents, two family bands of horses were shot in groups of eight and seven. The dead horses included foals and adults.
Advertisement
Some residents say they are frustrated by what they perceive is a lack of commitment by investigating agencies.
Bullets whizzed past the head of wild horse photographer Kathie Reidhead, of Payson, Ariz., last May as she was photographing horses near a watering hole. She said she saw a man with ear protection standing in front of a parked silver pickup truck with Kentucky license plates shooting a rifle toward the horses.
"I hid behind a big log, and then I jumped up with my hands in the air," she said, adding that the man stopped shooting and hurriedly put his rifle back in the truck.
Reidhead said she captured several videos and photos of the man, his truck and fleeing horses. But she said the Navajo County Sheriff's Office and Forest Service investigators were not interested in her eyewitness account.
"Nobody cares. It just seems like they don't want to solve this," Reidhead said. "It seems like there's a big good-ole-boys club in Heber."
The Forest Service is following through on tips that are received, spokeswoman Ellsworth said.
A spokeswoman at the Navajo County Sheriff's Office declined to discuss the horse deaths, saying the investigation was being led by the U.S. Forest Service.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, local ranchers who want the horses gone say they have been frustrated by the federal agencies and federal judges who have prevented removal of horses, which were formerly sold or slaughtered.
The number of horses has increased significantly over the past decades, county supervisor Seymore said.
"Some of those horses could have been turned loose by irresponsible animal owners who couldn't afford to keep them," he said. "We need to control that horse population for safety. Hitting a horse on the highway is more dangerous than a deer or elk."
After federal lawsuits from several animal rights and conservation groups, the District Court for the District of Arizona ruled in 2005 to grant an injunction that stops the Forest Service from selling or removing horses without first developing a wild horse management plan.
"I'm not advocating for killing of horses, but the land management agency's hands are tied and they are not allowed to manage them," said Kathy Gibson Boatman, granddaughter of a local rancher.
In February, the agency proposed its first wild-horse plan for the 19,700-acre Heber Wild Horse Territory. The public can comment through March 15 whether the Forest Service should reduce the herd to between 50 and 104 animals through a combination of bait-and-trap capture, birth control and sterilization.
Advertisement
The forest holds between 270 and 420 animals, according to the agency's counts, which are several years old.
The Forest Service has ruled all of the horses qualify for protection as wild. But the agency acknowledges that many of the animals are descended from escaped domestic horses that moved onto forest land from the Fort Apache Indian reservation nearby after a 2002 forest fire.
Resident Boatman bristled when she hears rumors that someone affiliated with ranchers might be shooting the horses. She called horse advocates the "bullies of the forest."
"Multiple local people here, whose families have been here since the 1800s, feel that it's a whacktivist killing the horses," Boatman said.
"The ranchers want the horses gone, but I don't think any of them would shoot them. They have too much to lose," Realtor Crawford said. "The locals are just trying to keep their way of life, and I get that, but why not just leave the horses alone? What is the big deal?"
The investigation is frustrating, she said, because so little information has been released.
"But we're not going to stop asking about it, and we're not going to let it go," Crawford said.


upi--2020-03-06--Famous birthdays for March 6: Rob Reiner, Mary Wilson

March 6 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Pisces .
-- Former @ @ @ @ @ Barry in 1936 -- High jumper Dick Fosbury , who created the `` Fosbury Flop @ @ @ @ @ age 73 )

1/2
Rob Reiner attends the 35th anniversary of "This is Spinal Tap" at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival on April 27 in New York City. The filmmaker turns 73 on March 6. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo
March 6 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Pisces. They include: Advertisement
-- Italian painter/sculptor Michelangelo in 1475
-- French dramatist Cyrano de Bergerac in 1619
-- English poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning in 1806
-- Union Army Gen. Philip Sheridan in 1831
-- Humorist/short story writer Ring Lardner in 1885
-- Texas swing bandleader Bob Wills in 1905
-- Comic actor Lou Costello in 1906
-- Television personality Ed McMahon in 1923
-- Symphony conductor Sarah Caldwell in 1924
-- Former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan in 1926 (age 94)
File Photo by Aude Guerrucci/UPI
-- Mercury astronaut L. Gordon Cooper in 1927
-- Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez in 1927
-- Former District of Columbia Mayor Marion Barry in 1936
-- Russian cosmonaut/first woman in space Valentina Tereshkova in 1937 (age 83)
-- Baseball Hall of Fame member Willie Stargell in 1940
-- Actor Ben Murphy in 1942 (age 78)
-- Singer Mary Wilson in 1944 (age 77)
File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
Advertisement
-- Musician/singer David Gilmour in 1946 (age 74)
-- Actor/director Rob Reiner in 1947 (age 73)
-- High jumper Dick Fosbury, who created the "Fosbury Flop," in 1947 (age 73)
-- News commentator John Stossel in 1947 (age 73)
-- Actor Tom Arnold in 1959 (age 61)
-- Actor D.L. Hughley in 1963 (age 57)
-- Actor Connie Britton in 1967 (age 53)
-- Actor Moira Kelly in 1968 (age 52)
-- Basketball star Shaquille O'Neal in 1972 (age 48)
-- Rapper Tyler, The Creator, born Tyler Gregory Okonma, in 1991 (age 29)
-- Actor Alisha Boe in 1997 (age 23)
File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI


upi--2020-03-06--Agriculture secretary says no more trade aid after Trump raises possibility

EVANSVILLE , Ind.
, March 6 ( UPI ) -- Farmers were left bewildered this week after Agricultural Secretary Sonny Perdue reiterated that another round of trade aid payments this year was unlikely despite what the president has said .
The announcement , made at a House Agriculture Committee meeting Wednesday , came less than two weeks after President Donald Trump tweeted that if farmers needed aid before the administration 's new trade deals are fully implemented , `` that aid will be provided by the federal government . ''
The mixed messages have left farmers uncertain what the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think we can plan on [ trade aid ] happening , '' said Scott VanderWal , a South Dakota soybean grower and the president of the South Dakota Farm Bureau .
`` We have to put our budgets together without it . ''
That means a lot of uncertainty will prevail within the farming community this year , VanderWal said .
Commodity prices remain low as trade with China has yet to resume in earnest .
China has promised under the phase one deal to buy large quantities of American agricultural products -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years -- but industry experts question whether that is capable of fulfilling the promise .
The outbreak of coronavirus in China has dramatically slowed trade and reduced demand .
The movement of goods in and out of ports is slow as workers stay home .
`` We 've still not made one real sale [ of soybeans ] to China , '' said Mark Watne , president of the North Dakota Farmers Union .
And it could be some time before China makes a large soybean purchase , Watne said .
The phase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchases based on market considerations .
Currently , Brazilian soybeans are cheaper .
China might increase purchases of other agricultural products , such as dairy , meat and fresh produce , but that also is unclear .
And , until the coronavirus threat passes and normal trade resumes , little will be moving in and out of the country .
`` Is the trade situation solved ?
It does n't appear to be , '' said Mike Stranz , policy director for the National Farmers Union .
`` And if it is n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade aid this year ? ''
The Trump administration has given farmers roughly $ 28 billion in assistance since the trade war with China began in summer 2018 .
High retaliatory tariffs on farm goods severely reduced trade between the two countries , causing commodity prices to plummet and leaving some goods -- like soybeans -- sitting in farm grain bins waiting for a buyer .
`` The [ Market Facilitation Program ] payments made quite a difference for a lot of us , '' soybean grower VanderWal said .
`` For some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a profit or not .
For some , it just made the loss smaller .
It might have kept some people in business . ''
Farms struggled despite the aid , he said .
Farm bankruptcies in 2019 rose 20 percent , according to the American Farm Bureau Federation .
`` The phase one deal is a good sign , '' said Josh Gackle , a soybean grower in North Dakota .
`` But now we really need the beans to start moving .
Prior to 2018 , 70 percent of North Dakota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need the ships to start moving .
And that 's not happening yet . ''
Despite agriculture secretary Perdue 's comments , Stranz said he believes that -- unless China suddenly starts making large purchases before summer -- the Trump administration will offer more trade assistance .
`` The [ United States Department of Agriculture ] has to be a little more sensitive to making announcements that may or may not impact the market , '' Stranz said .

1/2
President Donald Trump (R) said on Twitter that farmers would get more aid payments but Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue (L) said this week that more aid is unlikely. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
EVANSVILLE, Ind., March 6 (UPI) -- Farmers were left bewildered this week after Agricultural Secretary Sonny Perdue reiterated that another round of trade aid payments this year was unlikely despite what the president has said. The announcement, made at a House Agriculture Committee meeting Wednesday, came less than two weeks after President Donald Trump tweeted that if farmers needed aid before the administration's new trade deals are fully implemented, "that aid will be provided by the federal government." Advertisement
The mixed messages have left farmers uncertain what the year will bring.
"I don't think we can plan on [trade aid] happening," said Scott VanderWal, a South Dakota soybean grower and the president of the South Dakota Farm Bureau. "We have to put our budgets together without it."
That means a lot of uncertainty will prevail within the farming community this year, VanderWal said.
Advertisement
Commodity prices remain low as trade with China has yet to resume in earnest. China has promised under the phase one deal to buy large quantities of American agricultural products -- $80 billion over the next two years-- but industry experts question whether it is capable of fulfilling the promise.
Early signs are not good.
The outbreak of coronavirus in China has dramatically slowed trade and reduced demand. The movement of goods in and out of ports is slow as workers stay home.
"We've still not made one real sale [of soybeans] to China," said Mark Watne, president of the North Dakota Farmers Union.
It could be some time before China makes a large soybean purchase, Watne said. The phase one deal stipulates that China will make purchases based on market considerations. Currently, Brazilian soybeans are cheaper.
China might increase purchases of other agricultural products, such as dairy, meat and fresh produce, but that also is unclear. And until the coronavirus threat passes and normal trade resumes, little will be moving in and out of the country.
"Is the trade situation solved? It doesn't appear to be," said Mike Stranz, policy director for the National Farmers Union. "And if it isn't, why are we turning away from trade aid this year?"
Advertisement
The Trump administration has given farmers roughly $28 billion in assistance since the trade war with China began in summer 2018. High retaliatory tariffs on farm goods severely reduced trade between the two countries, causing commodity prices to plummet and leaving some goods -- like soybeans -- sitting in farm grain bins waiting for a buyer.
"The [Market Facilitation Program] payments made quite a difference for a lot of us," soybean grower VanderWal said. "For some, it was the difference between making a profit or not. For some, it just made the loss smaller. It might have kept some people in business."
Farms struggled despite the aid, he said. Farm bankruptcies in 2019 rose 20 percent, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.
"The phase one deal is a good sign," said Josh Gackle, a soybean grower in North Dakota. "But now we really need the beans to start moving. Prior to 2018, 70 percent of North Dakota's soybeans went to China. We need the ships to start moving. And that's not happening yet."
Despite Perdue's comments, Stranz said he believes that -- unless China suddenly starts making large purchases before summer -- the Trump administration will offer more trade assistance.
Advertisement
"The [United States Department of Agriculture] has to be a little more sensitive to making announcements that may or may not impact the market," Stranz said.