upi--2020-07-24--Toronto Blue Jays to play home games in Buffalo amid pandemic

July 24 ( UPI ) -- The Toronto Blue Jays will play the majority of their home games in Buffalo , N.Y. , this season amid the coronavirus pandemic , the team announced Friday .
The Blue Jays said in a statement they will play at Sahlen Field -- home of the club 's Triple-A affiliate -- after plans to compete at their own Rogers Centre in Toronto and the Pittsburgh Pirates ' PNC Park fell apart .
`` We are extremely grateful to have a home in Buffalo this season , thanks to the openness , creativity , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ League Baseball , and Blue Jays staff , who have worked tirelessly to prepare us for games at Sahlen Field , '' Blue Jays President and CEO Mark Shapiro said in a statement Friday .
`` This process has no doubt tested our team 's resilience , but our players and staff refuse to make excuses -- we are determined to take the field on Opening Day today , and for the coming months , with the same intensity and competitiveness that our fans expect . ''
The team said its first scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday and Thursday -- will now happen on the road to accommodate infrastructure modifications that will take place at Sahlen Field to meet MLB playing standards and COVID-19 safety requirements .
Due to the required changes at the minor league ballpark -- including locker room expansion for social distancing and light upgrades -- the Blue Jays ' first game in Buffalo will be either July 31 against the Philadelphia Phillies or Aug. 11 versus the Miami Marlins .
The Blue Jays were searching for a major league stadium to play at after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compete at the Rogers Centre .
Earlier this week , the state of Pennsylvania nixed a deal for them to share PNC Park with the Pirates .
Both cited the coronavirus pandemic as the reason for barring the Blue Jays .
League sources told ESPN that Maryland offered to allow the Blue Jays to play home games at the Baltimore Orioles ' Camden Yards starting in September , but the club declined the opportunity because of the timeline and possibility of being rejected again .
The Blue Jays opened their 2020 season on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday night .

The Toronto Blue Jays were barred from playing at their own Rogers Centre last week because of the coronavirus pandemic. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
July 24 (UPI) -- The Toronto Blue Jays will play the majority of their home games in Buffalo, N.Y., this season amid the coronavirus pandemic, the team announced Friday. The Blue Jays said in a statement they will play at Sahlen Field -- home of the club's Triple-A affiliate -- after plans to compete at their own Rogers Centre in Toronto and the Pittsburgh Pirates' PNC Park fell apart. Advertisement
"We are extremely grateful to have a home in Buffalo this season, thanks to the openness, creativity, and partnership of the Buffalo Bisons, Major League Baseball, and Blue Jays staff, who have worked tirelessly to prepare us for games at Sahlen Field," Blue Jays President and CEO Mark Shapiro said in a statement Friday.
"This process has no doubt tested our team's resilience, but our players and staff refuse to make excuses -- we are determined to take the field on Opening Day today, and for the coming months, with the same intensity and competitiveness that our fans expect."
The team said its first scheduled home series -- against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday and Thursday -- will now happen on the road to accommodate infrastructure modifications that will take place at Sahlen Field to meet MLB playing standards and COVID-19 safety requirements.
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Due to the required changes at the minor league ballpark -- including locker room expansion for social distancing and light upgrades -- the Blue Jays' first game in Buffalo will be either July 31 against the Philadelphia Phillies or Aug. 11 versus the Miami Marlins.
Blue Jays To Stage Majority Of 2020 Home Games In Buffalo. pic.twitter.com/BxlV7cgieJ— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 24, 2020
The Blue Jays were searching for a major league stadium to play at after the Canadian government declined to let them compete at the Rogers Centre. Earlier this week, the state of Pennsylvania nixed a deal for them to share PNC Park with the Pirates. Both cited the coronavirus pandemic as the reason for barring the Blue Jays.
League sources told ESPN that Maryland offered to allow the Blue Jays to play home games at the Baltimore Orioles' Camden Yards starting in September, but the club declined the opportunity because of the timeline and possibility of being rejected again.
The Blue Jays opened their 2020 season on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.


upi--2020-07-24--Michael Cohen returns home after prison release

July 24 ( UPI ) -- Officials at a federal prison in upstate New York released Michael Cohen , President Donald Trump 's former personal attorney , Friday , one day after a judge ordered him to be placed on home confinement .
Cohen arrived at his New York City home Friday afternoon after leaving Federal Correctional Institution Otisville .
He was tested for the novel coronavirus before he left the prison .
`` I just spoke with my client as he left FCI Otisville , '' said Danya Perry , Cohen 's attorney .
`` He is extremely gratified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to speak freely and publicly , and he looks forward to doing exactly that . ''
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan ordered Cohen 's release Thursday , agreeing with his attorneys that his return to prison amounted to government retaliation .
Cohen , who had been out of prison and on home arrest because of the COVID-19 pandemic , was taken back into custody earlier this month during a hearing to arrange the terms of his release .
He was furloughed from prison in May due to underlying health conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he contract COVID-19 .
The American Civil Liberties Union and a New York law firm filed suit this week calling for Cohen 's release , arguing that his rearrest amounted to retaliation for his plans to publish a book about the president .
Hellerstein said he was troubled by a clause in the agreement that asked Cohen to `` avoid glamorizing or bringing publicity to your status as a sentenced inmate serving a custodial term in the community . ''
Federal prosecutors argued that Cohen was rearrested because he became `` combative '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they said prison officials were n't aware of his plans to write a book .
Cohen , 53 , is serving a three-year sentence after pleading guilty to coordinating hush-money payments to two women , including adult film performer Stormy Daniels , who said they had extramarital affairs with Trump .

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President Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen arrives at his home in New York City on Friday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
July 24 (UPI) -- Officials at a federal prison in upstate New York released Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, Friday, one day after a judge ordered him to be placed on home confinement. Cohen arrived at his New York City home Friday afternoon after leaving Federal Correctional Institution Otisville. He was tested for the novel coronavirus before he left the prison. Advertisement
"I just spoke with my client as he left FCI Otisville," said Danya Perry, Cohen's attorney. "He is extremely gratified that the court upheld his fundamental constitutional right to speak freely and publicly, and he looks forward to doing exactly that."
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan ordered Cohen's release Thursday, agreeing with his attorneys that his return to prison amounted to government retaliation.
Cohen, who had been out of prison and on home arrest because of the COVID-19 pandemic, was taken back into custody earlier this month during a hearing to arrange the terms of his release. He was furloughed from prison in May due to underlying health conditions that put him at greater risk should he contract COVID-19.
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The American Civil Liberties Union and a New York law firm filed suit this week calling for Cohen's release, arguing that his rearrest amounted to retaliation for his plans to publish a book about the president.
Hellerstein said he was troubled by a clause in the agreement that asked Cohen to "avoid glamorizing or bringing publicity to your status as a sentenced inmate serving a custodial term in the community."
Federal prosecutors argued that Cohen was rearrested because he became "combative" after refusing to sign the agreement, and they said prison officials weren't aware of his plans to write a book.
Cohen, 53, is serving a three-year sentence after pleading guilty to coordinating hush-money payments to two women, including adult film performer Stormy Daniels, who said they had extramarital affairs with Trump.
Don Jacobson contributed to this report.


upi--2020-07-24--Pacers star Domantas Sabonis leaving NBA bubble due to serious foot injury

July 24 ( UPI ) -- Indiana Pacers standout forward Domantas Sabonis is exiting the NBA 's bubble in Orlando , Fla. , because of a significant left foot injury .
League sources told ESPN and the Indianapolis Star on Friday that Sabonis is leaving the bubble to seek treatment on his injured foot .
According to ESPN , Sabonis -- who has been attempting to play through plantar fasciitis but has n't practiced in about eight days -- could miss the remainder of the 2019-20 season .
With Sabonis ' departure , the Pacers could be without two of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restart next week .
All-Star guard Victor Oladipo could still opt out of the season , although he has been an active participant in practices and Indiana 's first scrimmage win over the Portland Trail Blazers this week .
Sabonis , 24 , was named to his first NBA All-Star Game this season .
According to Spotrac , he signed a four-year , $ 77 million contract extension with the Pacers in October .
That deal will begin at the start of next season .
In 62 games this season , Sabonis has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , rebounds ( 12.4 ) , assists ( five ) , steals ( 0.8 ) and blocks ( 0.5 ) .
The Pacers are scheduled to resume their season -- which was halted in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic -- against the Philadelphia 76ers on Aug. 1 .
Indiana posted a 39-26 record and sat fifth in the Eastern Conference standings before play was suspended .

Indiana Pacers star forward Domantas Sabonis has averaged 18.5 points, 12.4 rebounds and five assists per game this season. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
July 24 (UPI) -- Indiana Pacers standout forward Domantas Sabonis is exiting the NBA's bubble in Orlando, Fla., because of a significant left foot injury. League sources told ESPN and the Indianapolis Star on Friday that Sabonis is leaving the bubble to seek treatment on his injured foot. According to ESPN, Sabonis -- who has been attempting to play through plantar fasciitis but hasn't practiced in about eight days -- could miss the remainder of the 2019-20 season. Advertisement
With Sabonis' departure, the Pacers could be without two of their best players before the team's restart next week. All-Star guard Victor Oladipo could still opt out of the season, although he has been an active participant in practices and Indiana's first scrimmage win over the Portland Trail Blazers this week.
Sabonis, 24, was named to his first NBA All-Star Game this season. According to Spotrac, he signed a four-year, $77 million contract extension with the Pacers in October. That deal will begin at the start of next season.
In 62 games this season, Sabonis has averaged career highs in points (18.5), rebounds (12.4), assists (five), steals (0.8) and blocks (0.5).
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The Pacers are scheduled to resume their season -- which was halted in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic -- against the Philadelphia 76ers on Aug. 1. Indiana posted a 39-26 record and sat fifth in the Eastern Conference standings before play was suspended.


upi--2020-07-24--Tropical Storm Gonzalo to pass through Windward Islands

July 24 ( UPI ) -- Tropical Storm Gonzalo has likely missed its chance of becoming the Atlantic 's first hurricane of the 2020 season , but the storm will bring a period of gusty winds , downpours and rough seas , forecasters said Friday .
In its 5 p.m. update Friday , the National Hurricane Center said Gonzalo was 390 miles east of the Southern Windward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph .
It was moving west at 18 mph .
Gonzalo , already surrounded by dry air and dust from the Sahara Desert , will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Windward Islands and later over the Caribbean Sea this weekend .
Strong wind shear , or increasing winds with altitude , can prevent a tropical system from forming or strengthening and can cause established tropical systems to weaken substantially .
`` In the case of Gonzalo , because it is so small to begin with , wind shear and dry air could literally tear the storm apart in the coming days , and there is a chance it dissipates entirely over the Caribbean , '' AccuWeather senior meteorologist Adam Douty said .
Forecasting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or hurricane is one of the most challenging aspects of weather forecasting as there are many variables that can come into play , including thunderstorm development near the center of the storm which can cause fluctuations in strength .
A weak tropical cyclone , such as Gonzalo , is more likely to track on a more westerly path , rather than a northwest path in this case .
And it is possible the forecast track of Gonzalo may shift farther south over time as a result .
This more westerly course could take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landmass of South America , which is a big area of wind resistance .
The more southerly track would tend to put Barbados , Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada more in the direct path of the small storm .
Impact may be slight in Saint Lucia .
Other islands potentially in the path of the small storm with its gusty winds and rain squalls this weekend include Margarita and Tortuga in the Leeward Antilles .
Enough downpours can occur on some of the southern Windward Islands to lead to flash flooding and mudslides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 4 inches is still expected .
The Atlantic hurricane season has spawned eight tropical depressions , all eight of which organized further into tropical storms as of Friday .
Several storms this season have been record setters the basin , with Hanna being the most recent to clinch a new record .
Tropical Depression Eight strengthened into Tropical Storm Hanna in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday evening , becoming the earliest `` H '' storm in recorded history .
Gonzalo had developed two days prior to the previous record for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atlantic , beating out Gert from 2005 .
Three tropical storms that proceeded Gonzalo -- Cristobal , Edouard and Fay -- had also been the earliest storms of their respective letters in the Atlantic .
Cristobal beat out Tropical Storm Colin , which developed on June 5 , 2016 , whereas Edouard and Fay both formed earlier than previous record holders from the historic 2005 season .
Dolly was the second-earliest `` D '' named storm ever in the basin .
Arthur and Bertha , as well as Dolly , formed in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States this season .
Both Arthur and Bertha formed in May , prior even to the official start of hurricane season on June 1 .
While Gonzalo likely missed its chance at becoming a hurricane , Hanna could strengthen to hurricane status before making landfall in Texas early this weekend and become the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic season as a result .
AccuWeather is projecting the busy nature of the season to continue with up to 20 named tropical storms , seven to 11 hurricanes and four to six major hurricanes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. landfalls are already in the books for 2020 -- and the heart of the hurricane season does not occur until around Sept. 11 .
Stay up-to-date with the latest tropical news by visiting the AccuWeather hurricane center .

Gonzalo weakened to a tropical depression Saturday afternoon. Photo courtesy of NOAA
July 24 (UPI) -- Gonzalo was downgraded to a tropical depression after it passed over the Trinidad and Tobago region Saturday. In its 2 p.m. update Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said Gonzalo was 80 miles northwest of Trinidad, traveling west at 20 mph. Advertisement
Gonzalo, already surrounded by dry air and dust from the Sahara Desert, will be attacked by increasing wind shear near the Windward Islands and later over the Caribbean Sea this weekend. Strong wind shear, or increasing winds with altitude, can prevent a tropical system from forming or strengthening and can cause established tropical systems to weaken substantially.
"In the case of Gonzalo, because it is so small to begin with, wind shear and dry air could literally tear the storm apart in the coming days, and there is a chance it dissipates entirely over the Caribbean," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Adam Douty said.
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AccuWeather Local StormMax winds of 70 mph are predicted, and winds of that magnitude are strong enough to knock over trees, cause minor property damage and lead to sporadic power outages, should the core of the storm pass directly over some of the islands.
Some locally gusty squalls are expected to occur farther away from the center, but these are likely to be more sparse and sporadic.
"There can still be some fluctuation in strength, and it may pulse a bit into early Saturday, but we now believe that Gonzalo will not be any stronger than a 70-mph tropical storm," Douty said.
Gonzalo is expected to be less than 1 on the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale for Hurricanes over the Windward Islands.
Forecasting the exact intensity of a tropical storm or hurricane is one of the most challenging aspects of weather forecasting as there are many variables that can come into play, including thunderstorm development near the center of the storm which can cause fluctuations in strength.
A weak tropical cyclone, such as Gonzalo, is more likely to track on a more westerly path, rather than a northwest path in this case. And it is possible the forecast track of Gonzalo may shift farther south over time as a result.
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Other islands potentially in the path of the small storm with its gusty winds and rain squalls this weekend include Margarita and Tortuga in the Leeward Antilles.
Bathers and boaters should avoid the ocean waters until the storm has passed. Enough downpours can occur on some of the southern Windward Islands to lead to flash flooding and mudslides. A general rainfall of 2-4 inches is still expected with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 6 inches.
Interests in the Caribbean should continue to monitor the progress of Gonzalo with the low chance that the storm could hold together while moving on a west-northwest path into next week.
The Atlantic hurricane season has spawned eight tropical depressions, all eight of which organized further into tropical storms as of Friday. Several storms this season have been record setters the basin, with Hanna being the most recent to clinch a new record.
Tropical Depression Eight strengthened enough to be named Tropical Storm Hanna in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday evening, July 23, becoming the earliest "H" storm in recorded history. The previous record was Harvey from Aug. 3, 2005. Gonzalo had developed two days prior to the previous record for the "G" named storm in the Atlantic, beating out Gert from 2005.
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Three tropical storms that proceeded Gonzalo -- Cristobal, Edouard and Fay -- had also been the earliest storms of their respective letters in the Atlantic. Cristobal beat out Tropical Storm Colin, which developed on June 5, 2016, whereas Edouard and Fay both formed earlier than previous record holders from the historic 2005 season. Dolly was the second-earliest "D" named storm ever in the basin.
Arthur and Bertha, as well as Dolly, formed in the same near-coast waters of the eastern United States this season. Both Arthur and Bertha formed in May, prior even to the official start of hurricane season on June 1.
While Gonzalo likely missed its chance at becoming a hurricane, Hanna could strengthen to hurricane status before making landfall in Texas early this weekend and become the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic season as a result.
AccuWeather is projecting the busy nature of the season to continue with up to 20 named tropical storms, seven to 11 hurricanes and four to six major hurricanes -- Category 3 or higher.
Three U.S. landfalls are already in the books for 2020 -- and the heart of the hurricane season does not occur until around Sept. 11. Stay up-to-date with the latest tropical news by visiting the AccuWeather hurricane center.


upi--2020-07-24--Texas coast on alert as Tropical Storm Hanna closes in

Residents along the Texas Gulf Coast on Friday afternoon were bracing for a hit from Tropical Storm Hanna , which was looming about 230 miles east of Corpus Christi .
Hanna was packing 50 mph winds and moving west over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico at a speed of 9 mph .
Tropical storm warnings were in effect across a large portion of the Texas Gulf Coast as the storm spun closer to land .
A hurricane warning was also issued for Corpus Christi and surrounding areas , the first hurricane warning for this part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hurricane Harvey made landfall .
AccuWeather forecasters predict Hanna will make landfall sometime on Saturday .
`` We expect the system to make landfall as a solid tropical storm along the central Texas coast sometime during the day on Saturday , '' AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said , adding that near Corpus Christi is where the storm will come ashore , possibly about 45 miles south of there in Baffin Bay , Texas .
Sosnowski also cautioned that there 's a chance Hanna could strengthen into a hurricane , and become the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now that Tropical Storm Gonzalo is encountering conditions unfavorable for much strengthening .
`` Considering that water temperatures are well into the 80s along its path , Hanna has a chance of rapidly strengthening prior to landfall on Saturday and could become a hurricane before doing so , '' Sosnowski said .
`` At the very least , '' Sosnowski added , `` Hanna will likely be a strong tropical storm at landfall with wind gusts to at least 70 mph . ''
He said dry air may be drawn in from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that could be enough to keep the storm from becoming a hurricane , '' but pointed out that the actual difference might be a few miles per hour in wind speeds .
AccuWeather forecasters have rated the storm a 1 on the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale for Hurricanes , a more nuanced method the company introduced in 2019 to assess the potential damage a tropical system could cause .
Due to Hanna 's strengthening throughout the day on Friday and the nature of the forecast , officials in Texas were preparing for impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beaches at noon on Friday ahead of the storm 's arrival .
Police and lifeguards could be seen ushering people off the beaches there , AccuWeather 's Bill Wadell reported .
The fire department was preparing crews for swift-water rescues and residents were filling sandbags .
Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott had urged `` Texans to remain vigilant and closely monitor weather conditions '' heading into the weekend .
In a statement , Abbott said he was `` preparing state resources to assist communities with potential flooding and heavy rainfall . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ growing COVID-19 crisis impacting much of his state .
Heavy rain will pose the greatest risk to lives and property along the Gulf Coast , forecasters say .
A general 2 inches to 4 inches of rain is forecast to fall across a wide area of southeast Texas and southern Louisiana .
Places closer to the coast , including Corpus Christi , Galveston and even into portions of the Rio Grande Valley could see between 4 and 8 inches of rainfall .
An AccuWeather Local StormMax of 12 inches is anticipated .
Locally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flash flooding , will occur across parts of Louisiana and Texas Friday and Saturday , regardless of precisely where the storm comes ashore .
`` Some of the rain will be beneficial , '' Sosnowski said , adding , `` but too much rain may also fall -- perhaps close to a foot in some areas of South Texas -- which will lead to flooding . ''
Low-water crossings -- rough paved roads that go through shallow streams with typically only a few inches of water flowing over top , which are prevalent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous to navigate .
Sosnowski said that in addition to some places in Texas seeing up to a foot of rain , even more rain could fall in the mountains of Mexico as the storm crosses the border while moving farther inland .
Gusty onshore winds could also lead to rough surf and rip currents along the central and western Gulf Coast into the weekend .
`` How much impact from wind will depend on the strength of the system as it moves ashore in Texas , '' Sosnowski said .
`` There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a couple of tornadoes or waterspouts around the time of landfall at the close of the week , '' Sosnowski said .
The strongest winds will be near and just north of where the center makes landfall but gusty winds can extend 100 miles or more to the north of the large system .
An uptick in rough surf including the frequency and strength of rip currents is in store along the western and central Gulf Coast of the United States into Saturday with the big storm acting like a giant plunger .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ resulted in the second record broken in the Atlantic basin just this week .
Hanna is the latest named storm in what has already been a remarkably busy Atlantic hurricane season , and one that AccuWeather meteorologists have been warning for months would be `` very active . ''
NOAA hurricane hunters investigated the storm late Thursday evening and officials at the National Hurricane Center made the call to upgrade the storm to tropical storm status late Thursday night .
Another investigation conducted on Friday showed the storm had strengthened some .
Tropical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own right on Wednesday as the earliest `` G '' named storm in Atlantic basin history .
By Friday afternoon , AccuWeather forecasters said the compact tropical storm would not reach hurricane force .
With its formation , Hanna earned the distinction of being the earliest-recorded `` H '' named storm in Atlantic basin history .
Prior to Hanna , the earliest eighth-named storm was Tropical Storm Harvey from 2005 , which formed on Aug. 3 .
The name Harvey was retired after Hurricane Harvey devastated the Houston area with more than 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national reporter Bill Wadell is on the ground in Corpus Christi and will be there as the storm moves through .
On Thursday , he spoke with Lori Ramirez , a Corpus Christi native who recently moved back there .
Ramirez told Wadell that many who live there consider tropical storms `` a part of life '' but that Hurricane Harvey , which devastated the region nearly three years ago , rattled people , causing many to take more precautions than they might have in the past with a storm approaching .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you 've got ta be prepared , especially when you 're living by the water , '' Ramirez told Wadell .
`` When it gets to hurricanes , you start to worry , '' she said , adding that 's when she activates a plan `` in case we need to get out of here . ''
Forecasters said Hanna 's rainfall could intensify as it moves inland .
`` While we expect Hanna to move at a steady pace , unlike that of Harvey , it will be moving slowly and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and raise the risk of major flooding over South Texas and part of northern Mexico , '' Sosnowski said .
As much as 16 inches of rain can fall on the mountains of northern Mexico from the slow-moving storm .
Hanna 's formation as Gonzalo continued to churn as an active storm in the Atlantic was fairly unusual during the month of July .
It has been a couple of years since there were two simultaneous named storms in the Atlantic -- the last occurrence happened in July 2018 when both Beryl and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Philip Klotzbach , a tropical meteorologist at Colorado State University .
There have been other active tropical storm duos in the Atlantic since 2000 , including Cindy and Dennis in 2005 , Franklin and Gert in 2005 , Bertha and Cristobal in 2008 and Cristobal and Dolly in 2008 .
Additionally , Dolly from 2008 was the last tropical storm to make landfall in the Lone Star state during the month of July , Klotzbach said .
More recently , Bret and Cindy were both active storms in the Atlantic during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that proceeded Gonzalo -- Cristobal , Edouard and Fay -- had also been the earliest storms of their respective letters .
And over in the Pacific basin , Hurricane Douglas , the Western Hemisphere 's first hurricane of 2020 , had exploded to Category 4 strength by Thursday night and was packing 130-mph sustained winds .
Douglas since weakened to a Category 3 storm with 120-mph winds as it charged toward the Hawaiian Islands .
AccuWeather meteorologists expect Douglas to weaken considerably before impacting Hawaii .
But , the storm added to what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how busy the tropics were during the third week of July .
Douglas , Gonzalo and Hanna were all visible in one shot on an AccuWeather radar image .

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 90 mph at the time it roared ashore at Padre Island, Texas, at 5 p.m. Saturday, according to The National Hurricane Center. Photo courtesy of NOAA
Most people in South Texas consider tropical storms "a part of life" but lingering memories and destruction from Hurricane Harvey, which devastated the region nearly three years ago, encouraged residents to take more precautions than they might have in the past with a storm approaching. Ahead of landfall, AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell spoke with Lori Ramirez, a Corpus Christi native who recently moved back to the area and is worried about Hanna's potential. Advertisement
"I'm a little nervous, but you've gotta be prepared, especially when you're living by the water," Ramirez told Wadell. "When it gets to hurricanes, you start to worry," she said, adding that's when she activates a plan "in case we need to get out of here."
Now that Hanna continues to unleash life-threatening flooding, it's a good thing that most residents took the time to be prepared.
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On Sunday morning, a tornado watch was issued for most of South Texas that included more than 2.2 million people. By Sunday afternoon, more than 244,000 customers across South Texas were without power, according to PowerOutage.us, as the storm continued to inundate the area, however outages starting to dwindle as Sunday progressed.
Hurricane Hanna's powerful storm surge of around 5 feet inundated Padre Island and collapsed a sizable portion the famous Bob Hall Pier early Saturday. With the pier being one of the most popular piers on the Texas Gulf Coast, Nueces County Judge Barbara said the county will do everything in its power to rebuild it, KRISTV reported.
Hurricane Hanna was officially classified as a Category 1 Hurricane Saturday morning - becoming Texas' first of the season. Hanna made landfall on Padre Island, Texas, a barrier island, at 5 p.m. CDT on Saturday, about 15 miles (north of Port Mansfield, Texas. The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 90 mph at the time it roared ashore, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Hanna later made landfall on mainland Texas at 6:15 P.M. CDT in eastern Kenedy County, about 15 miles north-northwestof Port Mansfield, Texas, with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph.
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A flash flood watch is still in effect for parts of several South Texas communities, including Nueces, Bee, Jim Wells, Refugio and San Patricio counties. The watch expires for those areas on Sunday night.
Flooding over the weekend forced Corpus Christi police to block access to areas in downtown as well as access from North Beach into downtown.
Aransas Pass Police are asking residents not to approach the downed lines. Major roads in Aransas Pass are clear of water, but there is some debris in the area and the ferry going to Port Aransas will remain closed until further notice. Harbor Del Sol Marina in Aransas Pass has severe damage and may be destroyed.
After becoming the first 2020 hurricane in the Atlantic Basin last week, Hanna was also the first hurricane to make landfall in the Western Hemisphere this season. The National Hurricane Center officially declared Hanna a Category 1 hurricane at 7 a.m. CDT on Saturday morning.
Hanna began to move inland across south Texas into Saturday night bringing strong winds and heavy rain with its presence. Around 1 a.m. CDT on Sunday, an update from the NHC reported that Hanna was downgraded to a tropical storm.
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In its 4 p.m. CDT update, the NHC said Hannah had weakened to a depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. The storm was about 35 miles west of Monterrey, Mexico, and was traveling west-southwest at 9 mph.
No coastal watches or warnings in effect.
On Saturday night, tornado watches and warnings encompassed large swaths of South Texas including Corpus Christi, McAllen and Brownsville. The tornado watch issued for Corpus Christi included more than 1.8 million people.
The storm is expected to bring heavy rainfall to Texas' southern coast with the potential for "life-threatening flash flooding," according to the National Weather Service.
Some damage to poorly constructed buildings and localized power outages can't be ruled out after landfall with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 100-mph wind gusts forecast. Once over land, Hanna will begin to lose wind intensity and should completely unravel Sunday night and Monday as it runs into the mountains of northeastern Mexico.
Although Hanna will continue to weaken and lose tropical characteristics through Sunday and into Monday, heavy rain will continue to inundate South Texas and northern Mexico.
Monterey, Mexico, which is home to over 4,000,000 people, can expect heavy rain to prompt life-threatening flash flooding Sunday and into Monday as the storm dissipates overhead.
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AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell was on the scene in Padre Island, Texas, about 30 miles south of Corpus Christi, and he reported seeing "pretty angry" Gulf waters as Hanna churned up a powerful storm surge and lashed the shoreline with high winds.
Wadell has been in south Texas since Thursday, making his first stop in Corpus Christi, and said conditions had been quickly deteriorating with some flooding already underway in low lying places on Padre Island. Tide levels were about five feet above normal, local officials said, and a buoy off the coast recorded a wind gust of 103 mph earlier on Saturday.
Video footage showed howling winds whipping through the leaves of palm trees a little farther up the coast in Corpus Christi, where a 54-mph wind gust was recorded at Bob Hall Pier on Saturday as the hurricane was closing in on the coast. As the storm churned up the Gulf, a portion of the end of the pier was destroyed from the barrage of heavy surf Saturday afternoon.
Video footage showed howling winds whipping through the leaves of palm trees a little farther up the coast in Corpus Christi, where a 54-mph wind gust was recorded at Bob Hall Pier on Saturday as the hurricane was closing in on the coast. As the storm churned up the Gulf, a portion of the end of the pier was destroyed from the barrage of heavy surf Saturday afternoon.
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Floodwaters from Hanna flooded the first floor of the Art Museum of South Texas in downtown Corpus Christi, and Wadell captured video right as the water was approaching.
Heavy rain will pose the greatest risk to lives and property along the Gulf Coast, forecasters say.
"Rainfall will be a major factor with widespread amounts of 4 to 8 inches across northeastern Mexico and south Texas, with 8 to 12 inches possible across deep south Texas, including most of the Rio Grande Valley and then into northeast Mexico as well," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said.
A general 2 to 4 inches of rain is forecast to fall across a wide area of southern Texas. An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 16 inches (400 mm) is possible in southern Texas and Mexico.
Low-water crossings will become too dangerous to navigate as some places in Texas could see up to a foot of rain. Even more rain could fall in the mountains of Mexico as the storm crosses the border while moving farther inland. Heavy, tropical rains with a change in elevation will also bring the threat for mudslides.
Hanna's strengthening through Friday prompted officials in Texas to make impact preparations. Tropical storm and hurricane warnings were in effect across a large portion of the Texas Gulf Coast as the storm spun closer to land.
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Residents in several south Texas communities were urged to evacuate on Friday ahead of landfall
A hurricane warning was also issued for Corpus Christi and surrounding areas, the first hurricane warning for this part of the Texas coast since August of 2017 before Hurricane Harvey made landfall.
Authorities in Corpus Christi shut down the beaches at noon on Friday ahead of the storm's arrival. Police and lifeguards could be seen ushering people off the beaches there, AccuWeather's Bill Wadell reported. The fire department was preparing crews for swift-water rescues and residents were filling sandbags.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had urged "all those who are in the path of this storm to heed the warnings and guidance from local officials before the storm makes landfall." In a statement, Abbott said that "Texas will coordinate with local officials to provide assistance and resources to communities in the area." Abbott was also updating residents on the growing COVID-19 crisis impacting much of his state.
In addition to dealing with Hurricane Hanna, Corpus Christi has seen a rash of coronavirus cases in recent weeks, a troubling trend that's been spreading across the Lone Star State as the pandemic has worsened there.
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With its formation, Hanna earned the distinction of being the earliest-recorded "H" named storm in Atlantic basin history. Prior to Hanna, the earliest eighth-named storm was Tropical Storm Harvey from 2005, which formed on Aug. 3. The name Harvey was retired after Hurricane Harvey devastated the Houston area with more than 60 inches of rain in 2017.
Hanna formed as Gonzalo continued to churn as an active storm in the Atlantic was fairly unusual during the month of July. It has been a couple of years since there were two simultaneous named storms in the Atlantic - the last occurrence happened in July 2018 when both Beryl and Chris swirled across the basin, according to Philip Klotzbach, a tropical meteorologist at Colorado State University.
There have been other active tropical storm duos in the Atlantic since 2000, including Cindy and Dennis in 2005, Franklin and Gert in 2005, Bertha and Cristobal in 2008 and Cristobal and Dolly in 2008. Additionally, Dolly from 2008 was the last tropical storm to make landfall in the Lone Star state during the month of July, Klotzbach said. More recently, Bret and Cindy were both active storms in the Atlantic during the 2011 hurricane season.
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Three tropical storms that proceeded Gonzalo -- Cristobal, Edouard and Fay -- had also been the earliest storms of their respective letters.
To stay up to date on the busy hurricane season, visit the AccuWeather hurricane center for all tropical weather information and news, including the next names on the 2020 Atlantic list.


upi--2020-07-24--Hawaii bracing for rare strike from hurricane as Douglas creeps closer

July 24 ( UPI ) -- After spending some time as a Category 4 hurricane Thursday night , Hurricane Douglas began to lose wind strength on Friday .
However , the storm is expected to still be a hurricane as it barrels toward Hawaii by the end of the weekend .
As 11 a.m. Friday , Douglas was a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph and was trucking along to the west-northwest at 18 mph .
The storm was about 785 miles away from Hilo , Hawaii , and 985 miles east of the state capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the storm churned through the Pacific with winds of 130 mph .
Douglas is expected to remain a major hurricane ( Category 3 strength or higher ) through most of Friday .
Over the weekend , Douglas will continue to move into a much harsher environment for tropical systems to thrive , which will cause the storm to lose additional wind strength .
While Douglas will have to battle through an area of moderate to high wind shear , AccuWeather forecasters still expect the storm to maintain hurricane strength as it reaches the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend .
In anticipation of Douglas passing near or over the islands , Hawaii Gov .
David Ige issued a state of emergency declaration on Thursday .
Hurricane watches have also been issued for Maui and the Big Island .
`` Our top priority is always the safety , health and well-being of our residents and visitors .
Please take immediate steps to protect your families , loved ones , employees and property , '' Ige said in a news release .
According to Hawaii News Now , officials are looking at opening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic , some residents may have to shelter in place at home due to a reduced capacity at shelters .
`` We have limited shelter space due to COVID-19 guidelines , so we are urging the public to make preparations now to possible shelter in place at your home , or a family or friend 's home , '' Maui Emergency Management Agency Administrator Herman Andaya told Hawaii News Now .
The geography of Hawaii will play a big role in the exact track of the storm and therefore the level of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volcanoes that are on the islands are over thousands of feet high and are like pyramids in the middle of the Pacific Ocean , '' said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski .
`` Hurricanes are low-level storms , and when they run into these volcanic islands they 're going to follow the easiest path around . ''
Because of this , AccuWeather forecasters expect Douglas to travel north of the Big Island , Maui and Molokai with a landfall possible near the town of Kailua on Oahu .
Douglas is forecast to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scale for Hurricanes as the storm is expected to quickly lose wind intensity as it interacts with the rugged island terrain .
By Monday , Douglas is forecast to be downgraded to a tropical storm and then a tropical depression by Tuesday morning .
Regardless of intensity , Douglas is still expected to bring enough rainfall to cause isolated flash flooding and mudslides across the islands .
Winds mainly out of the north from the Big Island to Oahu will keep rainfall totals of 4 inches to 8 inches on the northern and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainly out of the south on Kauai will keep the highest rainfall totals on the southern side of the island .
An AccuWeather Local StormMax of 12 inches of rainfall is possible in the highest elevations .
While Douglas is expected to be a hurricane as it nears Hawaii , hurricane-force winds are not expected to reach the islands .
Wind gusts of 40 mph to 60 mph are expected to reach the eastern islands late Saturday night or early Sunday and can continue throughout the day on Monday .
AccuWeather senior meteorologist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the northwest and the south , wind directions not typical for the islands , could cause more damage than expected .
This can also bring larger waves from a direction that is usually not expected with predominantly east trade winds .
Winds will gradually dissipate into the middle of the week as the storm loses wind strength and moves away to the west .
Despite sitting in the middle of the Pacific , Hawaii does n't get struck by many powerful hurricanes .
Hurricane Lane came dangerously close in 2018 but did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , unleash record-breaking rainfall .
Arguably the most devastating storm in Hawaii 's recorded history was Iniki in September 1992 when it caused billions of dollars in damage .
Winds were recorded at 145 mph , and over 1,421 houses were destroyed .
Two tropical systems passed near Hawaii during the 2019 tropical season .
Hurricane Erik passed just south of the Big Island as a tropical storm , before degenerating into a tropical depression on Aug 4 .
Shortly thereafter , Hurricane Flossie passed close to the islands as a tropical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Big Island .
Hurricane Olivia in September 2018 was the last tropical system to bring direct impacts to the islands .
The storm made landfall on Maui and Lanai as a tropical storm , which was the first landfall on these islands in recorded history .

Hurricane Douglas is seen in the open Pacific Ocean on Monday afternoon after moving away from the Hawaiian Islands. Image courtesy NOAA/NHC
July 27 (UPI) -- Hurricane Douglas brushed the Hawaiian Islands early Monday as a Category 1 storm, and is expected to temporarily weaken before gaining speed in the coming days as it moves farther into the open Pacific Ocean. After peaking as a Category 4 hurricane last week, Douglas was downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph, the National Hurricane Service said in a 11 a.m. HST update Monday. Advertisement
Douglas was moving west at 20 mph and was about 190 miles west-northwest of from Lihue, Hawaii, and 480 miles west-northwest of Honolulu.
The hurricane center previously said Douglas had "rapidly" moved away from Kauai, one of Hawaii's two westernmost islands.
The center said a hurricane warning is in effect for portions of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from Nihoa to French Frigate Shoals, and a hurricane watch for portions of the Papahanaumokuakea monument from French Frigate Shoals to Maro Reef.
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A tropical storm warning also was in effect for portions of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from French Frigate Shoals to Maro Reef, and a tropical storm watch was in effect from Maro Reef to Lisianski.
Douglas is expected to continue moving west-northwest over the next few days, with a slight turn to the west while it increases in forward speed. The hurricane center said the storm will slightly weaken, but remain a hurricane until it fully passes west of Kauai.
Before brushing Hawaii, Douglas had to battle through an area of moderate-to-high wind shear and cooler ocean water to maintain its hurricane status. Later Monday, it was forecast to be downgraded to a tropical storm and then to a tropical depression early Tuesday.
In anticipation of Douglas passing dangerously close to the islands, Hawaii Gov. David Ige issued a state of emergency declaration last week. Officials in Maui County warned residents that they should prepare to shelter in place as the storm approaches the island.
Sirens blared in Honolulu on Sunday as the storm approached.
Hawaiian Airlines canceled a handful of flights Saturday and Sunday and issued a travel waiver for all flights in and out of the islands through Tuesday.
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Douglas was expected to bring enough rainfall to cause isolated flash flooding and mudslides across the islands.
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alan Reppert projected stronger winds would come out of the northwest as the storm approached and then out of the south as it departed.
"These wind directions are not typical for the islands, which usually see a more easterly or northeasterly wind direction. As such, the winds associated with Douglas could cause more damage than you would initially expected at these speeds," he said.
Winds will gradually dissipate into the middle of this week as the storm loses wind strength and moves away to the west.
After spending some time as a Category 4 hurricane Thursday night, Hurricane Douglas began to lose wind strength Friday. At peak intensity, the storm churned through the Pacific with winds of 130 mph.
Despite sitting in the middle of the Pacific, Hawaii isn't struck by many powerful hurricanes. Should Douglas make landfall in Hawaii, it would be only the third hurricane in recorded history to do so since 1959.
Hurricane Lane came dangerously close in 2018 but didn't make landfall. It did, however, unleash record-breaking rainfall.
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Arguably the most devastating storm in Hawaii's recorded history was Iniki in September 1992, when it caused billions of dollars in damage. Winds were recorded at 145 mph, and the story destroyed more than 1,420 houses.
Two tropical systems passed near Hawaii during the 2019 tropical season. Hurricane Erik sped just south of the Big Island as a tropical storm, before degenerating into a tropical depression Aug 4. Shortly thereafter, Hurricane Flossie passed close to the islands as a tropical depression Aug. 6 before dissipating north of the Big Island.
Hurricane Olivia in September 2018 was the last tropical system to bring direct impacts to the islands. The storm made landfall on Maui and Lanai as a tropical storm, which was the first landfall on these islands in recorded history.


upi--2020-07-24--U.S. Space Force realigns its administrative structure

July 24 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. Space Force began a transition to a field organizational structure on Friday , holding a virtual ceremony to announce the administrative realignment .
The Space Force , founded in December 2019 , is the space warfare branch of the U.S. Armed Forces .
Friday 's announced changes are its first realignment actions `` into the new service 's flatter field organization structure , '' the Space Force said in a statement .
In a prerecorded ceremony at Peterson Air Force Base , Colo. , officials said three echelons of command will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ garrison depending on focus , and squadron .
Three space wings and eight lower echelon commands were also inactivated and replaced with a Space Training and Readiness Delta Provisional , two garrison commands and eight mission deltas .
The STAR Delta Provisional will serve as the interim authority for education , training and evaluation units , and evolve to an eventual field command to be called STARCOM .
The Delta Provisional will be led by Col. Pete Flores , the branch also announced .
`` Today we take action , an important and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 21st century service purpose-built to achieve speed , agility , and unity of effort , '' Gen. John `` Jay '' Raymond , chief of space operations , said at the ceremony .
The 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base , Colo. , and the 50th Space Wing at Schriever Air Force Base , Colo. , were inactivated in favor of a unified command , with the Peterson-Schriever Garrison being activated .
The new garrison will be responsible for Thule Air Base , Greenland ; Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Station , Hawaii , and New Boston Air Force Station , N.H. Additionally , the 460th Space Wing , Buckley Air Force Base , Colo. , was inactivated , and the Buckley Garrison was activated .
The garrison will be responsible for installation support to Cape Cod Air Force Station , Mass .
; Cavalier Air Force Station , N.D. , and Clear Air force Station , Alaska .

CMSgt. Boston Alexander furls the flag as Col. James Smith relinquishes command of the U.S. Air Force 50th Space Wing on Friday, part of the realignment ceremony of the U.S. Space Force. Screenshot courtesy of U.S. Space Force
July 24 (UPI) -- The U.S. Space Force began a transition to a field organizational structure on Friday, holding a virtual ceremony to announce the administrative realignment. The Space Force, founded in December 2019, is the space warfare branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. Friday's announced changes are its first realignment actions "into the new service's flatter field organization structure," the Space Force said in a statement. Advertisement
In a prerecorded ceremony at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., officials said three echelons of command will be established -- field command, delta or garrison depending on focus, and squadron.
Three space wings and eight lower echelon commands were also inactivated and replaced with a Space Training and Readiness Delta Provisional, two garrison commands and eight mission deltas.
The STAR Delta Provisional will serve as the interim authority for education, training and evaluation units, and evolve to an eventual field command to be called STARCOM. The Delta Provisional will be led by Col. Pete Flores, the branch also announced.
"Today we take action, an important and significant step, towards the development of a 21st century service purpose-built to achieve speed, agility, and unity of effort," Gen. John "Jay" Raymond, chief of space operations, said at the ceremony.
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The 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.,and the 50th Space Wing at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo., were inactivated in favor of a unified command, with the Peterson-Schriever Garrison being activated.
The new garrison will be responsible for Thule Air Base, Greenland; Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colo.; Kaena Point Air Force Station, Hawaii, and New Boston Air Force Station, N.H.
Additionally, the 460th Space Wing, Buckley Air Force Base, Colo., was inactivated, and the Buckley Garrison was activated. The garrison will be responsible for installation support to Cape Cod Air Force Station, Mass.; Cavalier Air Force Station, N.D., and Clear Air force Station, Alaska.


upi--2020-07-24--President Donald Trump signs 4 executive orders to lower drug prices

July 24 ( UPI ) -- President Donald Trump on Friday signed four executive orders he said will lead to `` massive '' reductions in prescription drug costs .
He said the measures would put the financial savings directly into the pockets of patients .
`` I 'm signing four sweeping executive orders that will lead to a massive reduction in drugs costs , '' Trump said during a signing ceremony at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building .
The orders `` will completely restore the prescription drug market in terms of prices . ''
The first order will allow less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country .
The second allows drug company rebates to go directly to patients instead of healthcare providers .
The third gives discounts directly to patients , bypassing pharmacy benefit managers .
And the fourth slashes the prices Medicare pays on drugs to be more in line with other countries , what Trump calls a `` most favored nation '' status .
All four orders are subject to regulatory review .
Trump said the Medicare order would go into effect Aug. 25 to give pharmaceutical companies time to propose an alternative .
The orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ globe race to develop therapeutic treatments and vaccines for COVID-19 , a novel coronavirus that 's killed more than 634,000 people over the past several months , according to Johns Hopkins University .
Trump has made lowering drug prices one of the focuses of his administration , one year ago announcing a plan to allow cheaper , foreign drugs to be imported to the United States .

1/2
U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order on lowering drug prices in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C., on Friday. Photo by Stefani Reynolds/UPI | License Photo
July 24 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Friday signed four executive orders he said will lead to "massive" reductions in prescription drug costs. He said the measures would put the financial savings directly into the pockets of patients. Advertisement
"I'm signing four sweeping executive orders that will lead to a massive reduction in drugs costs," Trump said during a signing ceremony at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
The orders "will completely restore the prescription drug market in terms of prices."
The first order will allow less expensive drugs to be imported from foreign country. The second allows drug company rebates to go directly to patients instead of healthcare providers. The third gives discounts directly to patients, bypassing pharmacy benefit managers. And the fourth slashes the prices Medicare pays on drugs to be more in line with other countries, what Trump calls a "most favored nation" status.
All four orders are subject to regulatory review.
Trump said the Medicare order would go into effect Aug. 25 to give pharmaceutical companies time to propose an alternative.
The orders come as major pharmaceutical companies across the globe race to develop therapeutic treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, a novel coronavirus that's killed more than 634,000 people over the past several months, according to Johns Hopkins University.
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Trump has made lowering drug prices one of the focuses of his administration, one year ago announcing a plan to allow cheaper, foreign drugs to be imported to the United States.


upi--2020-07-24--Tech stocks drag on markets as U.S.-China relations sour

July 24 ( UPI ) -- The three major U.S. stock indexes closed down by at least 0.5 % Friday @ @ @ @ @ States and China .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.68 % , the S @ @ @ @ @ 0.62 % and the Nasdaq Composite lost nearly 1 % Friday .
The slide was @ @ @ @ @ tech stocks , including Facebook , which dropped 0.81 % , and Alphabet , which @ @ @ @ @ of the three indexes also had declines for the week , with the Dow dropping @ @ @ @ @ & P 500 dropping 0.28 % and tech-heavy Nasdaq dropping 1.33 % .
The losses @ @ @ @ @ between the United States and China over tit-for-tat closures of consulates in Houston and Chengdu @

The Nasdaq Composite took the biggest hit this week with losses in major tech stocks. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
July 24 (UPI) -- The three major U.S. stock indexes closed down by at least 0.5% Friday amid tensions between the United States and China. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.68%, the S&P 500 fell by 0.62% and the Nasdaq Composite lost nearly 1% Friday. Advertisement
The slide was led by losses in major tech stocks, including Facebook, which dropped 0.81% , and Alphabet, which dropped 0.56%.
Each of the three indexes also had declines for the week, with the Dow dropping 0.24%, the S&P 500 dropping 0.28% and tech-heavy Nasdaq dropping 1.33%.
The losses come as tensions further soured between the United States and China over tit-for-tat closures of consulates in Houston and Chengdu.


upi--2020-07-24--Human-sized robot presents lottery winner with check in Quebec

July 24 ( UPI ) -- The first in-person check presented to a lottery winner in Quebec since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic was presented by an official immune to the disease -- a human-sized robot .
Loto-Quebec said it employed the use of a robot designed by a student club at the Montreal-based Ecole de Technologie Superieure , in partnership with Centech , to present Guylaine Desjardins with her check for $ 4.47 million .
Lottery officials said during the ceremony , which was broadcast on Facebook Live , that no human hands had touched the check for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it over to Desjardins .
Desjardins won her jackpot from the July 1 Lotto 6/49 drawing , but she said it took a while for her to discover her win because she only checks her tickets after every four drawings .
She said her plans for her winnings include buying a three-wheeled motorcycle and celebrating with her two sons .
`` We want to just invest it for now given that we are n't able to travel right now , '' Desjardins said .
`` So we 'll invest it for a while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
We 'll take our time . ''

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July 24 (UPI) -- The first in-person check presented to a lottery winner in Quebec since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic was presented by an official immune to the disease -- a human-sized robot.
Loto-Quebec said it employed the use of a robot designed by a student club at the Montreal-based Ecole de Technologie Superieure, in partnership with Centech, to present Guylaine Desjardins with her check for $4.47 million.
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Lottery officials said during the ceremony, which was broadcast on Facebook Live, that no human hands had touched the check for the 72 hours before the robot handed it over to Desjardins.
Desjardins won her jackpot from the July 1 Lotto 6/49 drawing, but she said it took a while for her to discover her win because she only checks her tickets after every four drawings.
She said her plans for her winnings include buying a three-wheeled motorcycle and celebrating with her two sons.
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"We want to just invest it for now given that we aren't able to travel right now," Desjardins said. "So we'll invest it for a while before we decide what to do with it. We'll take our time."


upi--2020-07-24--Keel laid for USS Beloit, Navy's 15th Freedom-class littoral combat ship

July 24 ( UPI ) -- Construction began this week on LCS 29 , the future USS Beloit and the U.S. Navy 's newest littoral combat ship , in Marinette , Wis. A low-key keel-laying ceremony was held this week with a reduced crowd over concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic , but Beloit City Council President Regina Dunkin , Rhett Merriman of Fairbanks Morse and representatives of Fincantieri Marinette Marine and Lockheed Martin attended .
The ship 's sponsor , retired Maj. Gen. Marcia Anderson , grew up in nearby Beloit , Wis. , and was the first Black female @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She watched as her initials were inscribed on a plaque that will form the ship 's keel , a maritime tradition .
The ship 's future name was chosen in honor of the city of Beloit and the city 's Fairbanks Morse , originally a locomotive builder , but producer of marine engines and propulsion systems for the U.S. Navy for 125 years .
The ship will be the 15th Freedom-variant LCS .
Over 30 Freedom- and Independence-class LCS vessels now serve in the Navy , Lockheed Martin said in a press release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construction at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine facilities , where five other LCS are currently being built .
The ship is expected to be completed by December 2021 .

Retired Maj. Gen. Marcia Anderson looks at her initials welded into a plaque that will form the keel of the future USS Beloit, the Navy's next littoral combat ship. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin
July 24 (UPI) -- Construction began this week on LCS 29, the future USS Beloit and the U.S. Navy's newest littoral combat ship, in Marinette, Wis. A low-key keel-laying ceremony was held this week with a reduced crowd over concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Beloit City Council President Regina Dunkin, Rhett Merriman of Fairbanks Morse and representatives of Fincantieri Marinette Marine and Lockheed Martin attended. Advertisement
The ship's sponsor, retired Maj. Gen. Marcia Anderson, grew up in nearby Beloit, Wis., and was the first Black female major general in the U.S. Army. She watched as her initials were inscribed on a plaque that will form the ship's keel, a maritime tradition.
The ship's future name was chosen in honor of the city of Beloit and the city's Fairbanks Morse, originally a locomotive builder, but producer of marine engines and propulsion systems for the U.S. Navy for 125 years.
The ship will be the 15th Freedom-variant LCS. Over 30 Freedom- and Independence-class LCS vessels now serve in the Navy, Lockheed Martin said in a press release on Wednesday.
The ship in under construction at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine facilities, where five other LCS are currently being built.
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The ship is expected to be completed by December 2021.


upi--2020-07-24--Watch: Viewer email leads TV reporter to thyroid cancer diagnosis

July 24 ( UPI ) -- A Florida TV news reporter said she will be `` forever grateful '' to a sharp-eyed viewer whose email led to the discovery that she has thyroid cancer .
Victoria Price , a reporter for WFLA-TV , said she received an email in June from a viewer who expressed concern for Price 's health .
`` Hi .
Just saw your news report .
What concerned me is the lump on your neck .
Please have your thyroid checked .
Reminds me of my neck .
Mine turned out to be cancer .
Take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote .
Price said her primary care physician performed some tests that ruled out hypothyroidism and she was referred to a specialist .
The reporter was able to see a specialist Tuesday at Tampa General Hospital and was told that she has thyroid cancer spreading to her lymph nodes .
Price said she is scheduled to undergo surgery Monday to remove her thyroid and lymph nodes .
She wrote that she expects to be back at work in about a week `` if all goes well . ''
Price said she sent an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her neck lump to thank them , but she has yet to receive a response .
`` If you 're reading this , do n't feel obligated to write back .
You 've already done so much more than you may realize , '' Price wrote .
She said she will be `` forever grateful '' for the viewer taking the time to send the email .

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July 24 (UPI) -- A Florida TV news reporter said she will be "forever grateful" to a sharp-eyed viewer whose email led to the discovery that she has thyroid cancer.
Victoria Price, a reporter for WFLA-TV, said she received an email in June from a viewer who expressed concern for Price's health.
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"Hi. Just saw your news report. What concerned me is the lump on your neck. Please have your thyroid checked. Reminds me of my neck. Mine turned out to be cancer. Take care of yourself," the viewer wrote.
Price said her primary care physician performed some tests that ruled out hypothyroidism and she was referred to a specialist.
The reporter was able to see a specialist Tuesday at Tampa General Hospital and was told that she has thyroid cancer spreading to her lymph nodes.
Price said she is scheduled to undergo surgery Monday to remove her thyroid and lymph nodes. She wrote that she expects to be back at work in about a week "if all goes well."
Price said she sent an email to the viewer who pointed out her neck lump to thank them, but she has yet to receive a response.
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"If you're reading this, don't feel obligated to write back. You've already done so much more than you may realize," Price wrote.
She said she will be "forever grateful" for the viewer taking the time to send the email.


upi--2020-07-24--Facebook proposes $650M settlement for facial recognition suit

July 24 ( UPI ) -- Facebook this week offered to pay $ 650 million to settle a class-action facial @ @ @ @ @ in Illinois .
The proposal was a $ 100 million increase from its previous offer @ @ @ @ @ Donato of the Northern District of California rejected in June for being too paltry .
@ @ @ @ @ year was found to have violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act with its facial @ @ @ @ @ friends to be tagged in uploaded photos .
The state said Facebook did n't get @ @ @ @ @ the feature .
Three Illinois residents sued the company in 2015 and sparked a class-action @ @ @ @ @ payments of between $ 1,000 to $ 5,000 for each violation , which would total @ @ @ @ @ .
The new offer will result in a payout of between $ 200 and $ @ @ @ @ @ by the lawsuit .

The new offer from Facebook is $100 million higher than one made earlier this year and rejected by a judge as too paltry. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
July 24 (UPI) -- Facebook this week offered to pay $650 million to settle a class-action facial recognition lawsuit in federal court in Illinois. The proposal was a $100 million increase from its previous offer, which District Judge James Donato of the Northern District of California rejected in June for being too paltry. Advertisement
The social media company last year was found to have violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act with its facial recognition software, which suggested friends to be tagged in uploaded photos.
The state said Facebook didn't get users' consent before enabling the feature. Three Illinois residents sued the company in 2015 and sparked a class-action lawsuit.
The law requires payments of between $1,000 to $5,000 for each violation, which would total much higher than settlement offer. The new offer will result in a payout of between $200 and $400 to each user affected by the lawsuit.
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upi--2020-07-24--Mild COVID-19 symptoms can last up to 3 weeks, CDC says

July 24 ( UPI ) -- More than one-third of people with mild COVID-19 experience symptoms for up to three weeks after they receive a diagnosis , according to figures released Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
This includes more than 25 % of young adults ages 18 to 34 , agency researchers said .
Younger people are considered to be at lower risk for severe COVID-19 , but they constitute a significant portion of new infections in many outbreak hotspots across the country .
`` These findings indicate that COVID-19 can result in prolonged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illness , including young adults , '' the agency researchers wrote .
`` Preventative measures , including social distancing , frequent hand-washing and the consistent and correct use of face coverings in public , should be strongly encouraged to slow the spread of [ the disease ] , '' they said .
The findings are based on a survey of 294 adults with mild COVID-19 , conducted between April 15 and June 25 , CDC researchers said .
Participants were selected from 14 predominantly urban academic health systems in 13 states , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported that their COVID-19 symptoms resolved within seven days , the rest -- 35 % -- indicated that they persisted for between 14 and 21 days , the researchers said .
Cough was the most common `` persistent '' symptom in 43 % percent of respondents , followed by fatigue in 35 % and fever in 26 % , they said .
Thirty-two percent of adults ages 35 to 49 and 47 % of those 50 and older reported persistent symptoms , the researchers said .
More than half of people with at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commonly , high blood pressure , obesity or mental health disorders -- also said they experienced persistent COVID-19 symptoms , the researchers said .
However , nearly one in five young adults ages 18 to 34 with no chronic medical conditions said that they had persistent symptoms of the infection , according to the findings .
As a comparison , more than 90 % of those diagnosed with the flu fully recover within two weeks , research shows .
`` This report indicates that even among symptomatic adults tested in outpatient settings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms and return to usual health , '' the researchers wrote .

Thirty-five percent of those with mild COVID-19 report that their symptoms lasted more than two weeks, according to the CDC. Photo by Peter DaSilva/UPI | License Photo
July 24 (UPI) -- More than one-third of people with mild COVID-19 experience symptoms for up to three weeks after they receive a diagnosis, according to figures released Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This includes more than 25% of young adults ages 18 to 34, agency researchers said. Advertisement
Younger people are considered to be at lower risk for severe COVID-19, but they constitute a significant portion of new infections in many outbreak hotspots across the country.
"These findings indicate that COVID-19 can result in prolonged illness even among persons with milder outpatient illness, including young adults," the agency researchers wrote.
"Preventative measures, including social distancing, frequent hand-washing and the consistent and correct use of face coverings in public, should be strongly encouraged to slow the spread of [the disease]," they said.
The findings are based on a survey of 294 adults with mild COVID-19, conducted between April 15 and June 25, CDC researchers said. Participants were selected from 14 predominantly urban academic health systems in 13 states, they said.
Although 65% of respondents reported that their COVID-19 symptoms resolved within seven days, the rest -- 35% -- indicated that they persisted for between 14 and 21 days, the researchers said.
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Cough was the most common "persistent" symptom in 43% percent of respondents, followed by fatigue in 35% and fever in 26%, they said.
Thirty-two percent of adults ages 35 to 49 and 47% of those 50 and older reported persistent symptoms, the researchers said.
More than half of people with at least one chronic health condition -- most commonly, high blood pressure, obesity or mental health disorders -- also said they experienced persistent COVID-19 symptoms, the researchers said.
However, nearly one in five young adults ages 18 to 34 with no chronic medical conditions said that they had persistent symptoms of the infection, according to the findings.
As a comparison, more than 90% of those diagnosed with the flu fully recover within two weeks, research shows.
"This report indicates that even among symptomatic adults tested in outpatient settings, it might take weeks for resolution of symptoms and return to usual health," the researchers wrote.


upi--2020-07-24--Watch: RSPCA rescues deer with antlers caught in climbing rope

July 24 ( UPI ) -- Animal rescuers in Britain responded to a park where a fallow deer was found @ @ @ @ @ a climbing rope .
The RSPCA said members of the public contacted the organization to @ @ @ @ @ were tangled in a climbing rope suspended from a tree at Hilston Park in Monmouthshire @ @ @ @ @ 's attempts to free itself only resulted in the animal swinging from the rope by @ @ @ @ @ Simon Evans and animal welfare officer Rohan Barker shot the deer with a tranquilizer dart @ @ @ @ @ the animal 's antlers once it was unconscious .
The drugs wore off after about @ @ @ @ @ was released in a safe spot near the scene .

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July 24 (UPI) -- Animal rescuers in Britain responded to a park where a fallow deer was found with its antlers tangled in a climbing rope.
The RSPCA said members of the public contacted the organization to report the buck's antlers were tangled in a climbing rope suspended from a tree at Hilston Park in Monmouthshire, Wales.
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The deer's attempts to free itself only resulted in the animal swinging from the rope by its antlers.
RSPCA inspector Simon Evans and animal welfare officer Rohan Barker shot the deer with a tranquilizer dart and disentangled the rope from the animal's antlers once it was unconscious.
The drugs wore off after about 20 minutes and the deer was released in a safe spot near the scene.


upi--2020-07-24--President Donald Trump awards Medal of Freedom to former Rep. Jim Ryun

July 24 ( UPI ) -- President Donald Trump praised Olympic silver medalist and former Rep. Jim Ryun as `` an American patriot '' Friday during a ceremony awarding him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom .
Trump presented the medal to the Olympian in a ceremony in the White House 's Blue Room .
`` Jim has personified the greatness of this country throughout his life , whether he was running on a track race or whether he was ... running for office , '' Trump said .
`` He 's a giant of American athletics , a dedicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , generosity and faith . ''
Ryun competed in the 1,500-meter track event in the 1964 Olympics at age 17 after becoming the first American high school student to break the 4-minute mile .
He later won a silver medal at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico and competed again four years later in Germany .
Ryun set a world record in the mile , 3:51.3 , at age 19 and the mark remains the 11th-fastest in U.S. history .
Following his running career , Ryun served a little more than five terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 2007 , first filling the seat after Rep. Sam Brownback left for the Senate .
Speaking during the ceremony , Ryun sided with Trump 's criticisms of American athletes kneeling or otherwise protesting during the national anthem .
`` In an age when many think it 's inappropriate to dishonor the flag , I will tell you , it is one of the greatest honors and privileges of my life to represent this amazing country and represent the stars and stripes on my chest while racing in the 60s and 70s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such pride and love of country and I can not tell you how much I appreciate your full-throated championing of this great country . ''
The Presidential Medal of Freedom , one of the two highest civilian honors in the United States , recognizes recipients for `` an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States , world peace , cultural or other significant public or private endeavors . ''

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Jim Ryun smiles Friday after receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the Blue Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. Pool Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo
July 24 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump praised Olympic silver medalist and former Rep. Jim Ryun as "an American patriot" Friday during a ceremony awarding him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Trump presented the medal to the Olympian in a ceremony in the White House's Blue Room. Advertisement
"Jim has personified the greatness of this country throughout his life, whether he was running on a track race or whether he was ... running for office," Trump said.
"He's a giant of American athletics, a dedicated public servant and a man of charity, generosity and faith."
Ryun competed in the 1,500-meter track event in the 1964 Olympics at age 17 after becoming the first American high school student to break the 4-minute mile. He later won a silver medal at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico and competed again four years later in Germany.
Ryun set a world record in the mile, 3:51.3, at age 19 and the mark remains the 11th-fastest in U.S. history.
Following his running career, Ryun served a little more than five terms in the House representing Kansas between 1996 and 2007, first filling the seat after Rep. Sam Brownback left for the Senate.
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Speaking during the ceremony, Ryun sided with Trump's criticisms of American athletes kneeling or otherwise protesting during the national anthem.
"In an age when many think it's inappropriate to dishonor the flag, I will tell you, it is one of the greatest honors and privileges of my life to represent this amazing country and represent the stars and stripes on my chest while racing in the 60s and 70s," he said.
"There was such pride and love of country and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your full-throated championing of this great country."
The Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the two highest civilian honors in the United States, recognizes recipients for "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."


upi--2020-07-24--Operation Inherent Resolve praises recent success of Syrian forces

July 24 ( UPI ) -- The Syrian Democratic Forces , fighting the Islamic State and other militias in Syria , was singled out for praise on Friday by the U.S. Defense Department .
The Special Operations Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve on Friday said that SDF partners had detained 69 IS members and uncovered multiple weapons and ammunitions caches over the last month .
In an operations update , U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Kenneth P. Ekman , deputy commander of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve , said the success in defeats against IS is built on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partners .
''The ISF [ internal security forces ] continues to prove their capabilities as a cohesive force , even in complex operations , '' he said .
`` They showed outstanding cooperation among the Iraqi army , Federal Police intelligence service and anti-terrorism troops in clearing ISIS hideouts in remote areas . ''
Ekman , speaking over a live satellite feed from Baghdad , noted that IS no longer controls physical territory in Syria .
SDF personnel , advised by SOJTF-OIR , completed its largest anti-IS mission in June , officials said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons and ammunition caches across over 1,400 square miles of Syrian territory .
SDF also cooperated with Iraqi security personnel with intelligence sharing and synchronization of operations , U.S. Army Central Command officials said .
`` The SDF successfully planned and executed this operation against [ IS ] with very little assistance from the coalition , '' said Brig .
Gen. Guillaume Beaurpere , SOJTF-OIR Commanding General .
`` Not only did they demonstrate an ability to synchronize effects over a large swath of northeast Syria , their operation further degraded the limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region , '' Beaurpere said .
In March , the SDF regained control of the al-Sina'ah Prison in Hasakah after it was overtaken by IS inmates .
Troops including the Syrian Democratic Forces pursue Islamic State members in Deir Ezzor , Syria .
Photo courtesy of SDF

U.S. commanders on Friday noted the recent success of the Syrian Democratic Forces. An SDF soldier is pictured during a live-fire training exercise near Shaddadi, Syria, in 2018. Photo by Staff Sgt. Timothy Koster/U.S. Army
July 24 (UPI) -- The Syrian Democratic Forces, fighting the Islamic State and other militias in Syria, was singled out for praise on Friday by the U.S. Defense Department. The Special Operations Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve on Friday said that SDF partners had detained 69 IS members and uncovered multiple weapons and ammunitions caches over the last month. Advertisement
In an operations update, U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Kenneth P. Ekman, deputy commander of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, said the success in defeats against IS is built on the triumphs of predecessors and Iraqi and Syrian partners.
''The ISF [internal security forces] continues to prove their capabilities as a cohesive force, even in complex operations,'' he said. "They showed outstanding cooperation among the Iraqi army, Federal Police intelligence service and anti-terrorism troops in clearing ISIS hideouts in remote areas."
Ekman, speaking over a live satellite feed from Baghdad, noted that IS no longer controls physical territory in Syria.
SDF personnel, advised by SOJTF-OIR, completed its largest anti-IS mission in June, officials said, capturing the 69 IS members and weapons and ammunition caches across over 1,400 square miles of Syrian territory.
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SDF also cooperated with Iraqi security personnel with intelligence sharing and synchronization of operations, U.S. Army Central Command officials said.
"The SDF successfully planned and executed this operation against [IS] with very little assistance from the coalition," said Brig. Gen. Guillaume Beaurpere, SOJTF-OIR Commanding General.
"Not only did they demonstrate an ability to synchronize effects over a large swath of northeast Syria, their operation further degraded the limited capabilities of [IS] remnants in the region," Beaurpere said.
In March, the SDF regained control of the al-Sina'ah Prison in Hasakah after it was overtaken by IS inmates.
Troops including the Syrian Democratic Forces pursue Islamic State members in Deir Ezzor, Syria. Photo courtesy of SDF


upi--2020-07-24--Reports: U.S. arrests Chinese scientist who hid at San Francisco consulate

July 24 ( UPI ) -- Federal officials on Friday arrested a Chinese scientist they said had taken refuge in the Chinese consulate in San Francisco and was wanted for an alleged visa violation .
Officials arrested Juan Tang for allegedly hiding her connection to China 's military , the People 's Liberation Army , on her visa application , senior administration officials told CNN and CNBC .
She 's expected to make a court appearance later Friday .
Tang was among four Chinese researchers charged for their connection to the PLA .
Federal officials arrested the other three earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filing this week , the FBI said it interviewed Tang on June 20 and raided her residence .
Prosecutors believe Tang went to the San Francisco consulate shortly afterward to evade arrest .
Prosecutors say Tang was working in the United States on a J-1 visa but was charged for a violation .
`` Her J-1 visa application stated she had never served in the military , but [ an ] open source investigation revealed photographs of her in the uniform of the Civilian Cadre of the [ People 's Liberation Army ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a researcher at the Air Force Military Medical University , which is another name for [ Fourth Military Medical University ] , '' prosecutors said in the court documents .
`` During an interview with FBI agents on June 20 , Tang denied serving in the Chinese military , claimed she did not know the meaning of the insignia on her uniform , and that wearing a military uniform was required for attendance at FMMU because it was a military school . ''
Authorities said their raid of Tang 's home turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese military , and prosecutors said in the complaint the San Francisco consulate was used to shield Chinese nationals from U.S. prosecution .
Tang 's arrest came amid a tit-for-tat diplomatic tussle between the United States and China .
The Trump administration closed the Chinese consulate in Houston , it said , to protect U.S. intellectual property .
China retaliated Friday by ordering the closure of the U.S. consulate in Chengdu .
Clyde Hughes and Darryl Coote contributed to this report .

Prosecutors said Juan Tang took refuge at the Chinese consulate in San Francisco after she was interviewed by investigators. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
July 24 (UPI) -- Federal officials on Friday arrested a Chinese scientist they said had taken refuge in the Chinese consulate in San Francisco and was wanted for an alleged visa violation. Officials arrested Juan Tang for allegedly hiding her connection to China's military, the People's Liberation Army, on her visa application, senior administration officials told CNN and CNBC. She's expected to make a court appearance later Friday. Advertisement
Tang was among four Chinese researchers charged for their connection to the PLA. Federal officials arrested the other three earlier in the week.
In a court filing this week, the FBI said it interviewed Tang on June 20 and raided her residence. Prosecutors believe Tang went to the San Francisco consulate shortly afterward to evade arrest.
Prosecutors say Tang was working in the United States on a J-1 visa but was charged for a violation.
"Her J-1 visa application stated she had never served in the military, but [an] open source investigation revealed photographs of her in the uniform of the Civilian Cadre of the [People's Liberation Army], and that she had been employed as a researcher at the Air Force Military Medical University, which is another name for [Fourth Military Medical University]," prosecutors said in the court documents.
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"During an interview with FBI agents on June 20, Tang denied serving in the Chinese military, claimed she did not know the meaning of the insignia on her uniform, and that wearing a military uniform was required for attendance at FMMU because it was a military school."
Authorities said their raid of Tang's home turned up evidence of her connection with the Chinese military, and prosecutors said in the complaint the San Francisco consulate was used to shield Chinese nationals from U.S. prosecution.
Tang's arrest came amid a tit-for-tat diplomatic tussle between the United States and China. The Trump administration closed the Chinese consulate in Houston, it said, to protect U.S. intellectual property.
China retaliated Friday by ordering the closure of the U.S. consulate in Chengdu.
Clyde Hughes and Darryl Coote contributed to this report.


upi--2020-07-24--Look: Russell Wilson and Ciara announce birth of son Win Harrison

July 24 ( UPI ) -- NFL star Russell Wilson and singer Ciara announced the Friday birth of their son @ @ @ @ @ in posts on social media .
Wilson , 31 , quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks @ @ @ @ @ Instagram showing him posing for a photo with his wife , 34 , and their @ @ @ @ @ a video to Instagram showing the couple and some medical workers singing `` Happy Birthday @ @ @ @ @ who was born weighing 8 pounds , 1 ounce .
The football star and singer @ @ @ @ @ , Sienna Princess , 3 .
Ciara has a son , Future Zahir , 6 @ @ @ @ @ with rapper Future .

July 24 (UPI) -- NFL star Russell Wilson and singer Ciara announced the Friday birth of their son, Win Harrison Wilson, in posts on social media.
Wilson, 31, quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, posted a photo to Instagram showing him posing for a photo with his wife, 34, and their newborn son.
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"Happy Birthday WIN!!!" Wilson wrote. "Mommy & Daddy Love You!"
Ciara posted a video to Instagram showing the couple and some medical workers singing "Happy Birthday" to baby win, who was born weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce.
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The football star and singer have one previous child together, Sienna Princess, 3. Ciara has a son, Future Zahir, 6, from a previous relationship with rapper Future.
Ciara's career: Music, red carpets, family


upi--2020-07-24--Watch: Man chops through 50 watermelons on another man's head in 1 minute

July 24 ( UPI ) -- A serial record breaker armed himself with a machete and chopped through 50 watermelons @ @ @ @ @ a friend in 60 seconds .
Ashrita Furman , whose Guinness World Record-breaking career has @ @ @ @ @ , chopped through 50 watermelons placed on Homagni Baptista 's head in Karambunai , Sabath @ @ @ @ @ was enough for Furman to capture another world record title , Guinness said .
Furman @ @ @ @ @ used a machete to chop through 26 watermelons placed on his own stomach in 1 @ @

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July 24 (UPI) -- A serial record breaker armed himself with a machete and chopped through 50 watermelons placed on the head of a friend in 60 seconds.
Ashrita Furman, whose Guinness World Record-breaking career has included more than 600 titles, chopped through 50 watermelons placed on Homagni Baptista's head in Karambunai, Sabath, Malaysia.
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The number was enough for Furman to capture another world record title, Guinness said.
Furman previously made headlines when he used a machete to chop through 26 watermelons placed on his own stomach in 1 minute.


upi--2020-07-24--Paramount delays 'Top Gun: Maverick,' 'A Quiet Place Part II' to 2021

July 24 ( UPI ) -- Paramount has delayed Top Gun : Maverick and A Quiet Place Part II to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Top Gun : Maverick , which was set for Dec. 23 and stars Tom Cruise , will now hit theaters on July 2 , 2021 .
A Quiet Place Part II , originally scheduled for Sept. 6 and stars Emily Blunt and John Krasinski , will be released on April 23 , 2021 .
Krasinski also serves as writer and director .
The delays come as movie theaters nationwide are remaining closed due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently announced delays for a number of Star Wars and Avatar films .
`` We truly believe that there is no movie-viewing experience like the one enjoyed in theaters , '' Paramount president of domestic distribution Chris Aronson said in a statement .
`` We are committed to the theatrical experience and our exhibition partners , and want to stress that we are confident that , when the time comes , audiences everywhere will once again enjoy the singular joy of seeing Paramount films on the big screen , '' he continued .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 will be released on April 8 , 2022 ; a new Jackass film on Sept. 3 , 2021 , Under the Boardwalk on July 22 , 2022 and The Tiger 's Apprentice on Feb. 10 , 2023 .

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"Top Gun: Maverick" star Tom Cruise attends the "Mission: Impossible - Fallout" premiere on July 2018. Paramount has pushed back the releases of "Top Gun: Maverick" and "A Quiet Place Part II." File Photo by Oliver Contreras/UPI | License Photo
July 24 (UPI) -- Paramount has delayed Top Gun: Maverick and A Quiet Place Part II to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Top Gun: Maverick, which was set for Dec. 23 and stars Tom Cruise, will now hit theaters on July 2, 2021. Advertisement
A Quiet Place Part II, originally scheduled for Sept. 6 and stars Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, will be released on April 23, 2021. Krasinski also serves as writer and director.
The delays come as movie theaters nationwide are remaining closed due to the pandemic. Disney has also recently announced delays for a number of Star Wars and Avatar films.
"We truly believe that there is no movie-viewing experience like the one enjoyed in theaters," Paramount president of domestic distribution Chris Aronson said in a statement.
"We are committed to the theatrical experience and our exhibition partners, and want to stress that we are confident that, when the time comes, audiences everywhere will once again enjoy the singular joy of seeing Paramount films on the big screen," he continued.
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Paramount also announced that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will be released on April 8, 2022; a new Jackass film on Sept. 3, 2021, Under the Boardwalk on July 22, 2022 and The Tiger's Apprentice on Feb. 10, 2023.


upi--2020-07-24--USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group joins 5th Fleet in Indian Ocean

July 24 ( UPI ) -- The strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz entered the 5th Fleet area of operations on Friday as a Middle East presence , the Navy announced .
The Nimitz strike group replaces that of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower , which will leave the Red Sea and head via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean Sea after a six-month deployment in the area .
The Nimitz strike group , known as Carrier Strike Group 11 , includes the aircraft carrier and the nine squadrons of F/A-18E/F and F/A-18C fighter planes of Carrier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USS Princeton , and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett and USS Ralph Johnson .
The 5th Fleet , headquartered with U.S.Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain , is responsible for naval forces in the Persian Gulf , Red Sea , Arabian Sea , and parts of the Indian Ocean , an area of about 2.5 million square miles .
It borders 20 countries and includes three chokepoints whose access is crucial for the flow of global commerce .
The United States has maintained an aircraft carrier in the region since 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USS Nimitz will be the fourth U.S. aircraft carrier in the region .
Prior to Friday , the USS Nimitz had been operating within the 7th Fleet 's sphere of influence in the Indian Ocean , and completed exercises with the Indian Navy earlier this week .
The two navies conducted multiple exercises a mutual live-fire exercise , an air defense exercise , flight operations and a farewell passing exercise .
`` This was a unique opportunity to train and strengthen ties with the Indian Navy , '' said Capt .
Peter Kim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We were able to achieve a high level of integration and cooperation while conducting many events to include gunnery and air defense exercises . ''

The carrier strike group led by the USS Nimitz entered the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet on Friday, replacing the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower strike force. Photo by MCS1 Michael D. Cole/U.S. Navy
July 24 (UPI) -- The strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz entered the 5th Fleet area of operations on Friday as a Middle East presence, the Navy announced. The Nimitz strike group replaces that of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, which will leave the Red Sea and head via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean Sea after a six-month deployment in the area. The Nimitz strike group, known as Carrier Strike Group 11, includes the aircraft carrier and the nine squadrons of F/A-18E/F and F/A-18C fighter planes of Carrier Air Wing, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton, and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett and USS Ralph Johnson. Advertisement
The 5th Fleet, headquartered with U.S.Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain, is responsible for naval forces in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean, an area of about 2.5 million square miles. It borders 20 countries and includes three chokepoints whose access is crucial for the flow of global commerce.
The United States has maintained an aircraft carrier in the region since 2019, after tensions with Iran accelerated. The USS Nimitz will be the fourth U.S. aircraft carrier in the region.
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Prior to Friday, the USS Nimitz had been operating within the 7th Fleet's sphere of influence in the Indian Ocean, and completed exercises with the Indian Navy earlier this week. The two navies conducted multiple exercises a mutual live-fire exercise, an air defense exercise, flight operations and a farewell passing exercise.
"This was a unique opportunity to train and strengthen ties with the Indian Navy," said Capt. Peter Kim commanding officer of the USS Princeton. "We were able to achieve a high level of integration and cooperation while conducting many events to include gunnery and air defense exercises."