upi--2020-12-07--Investigations continue in 3 Fort Bragg homicides

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. Army 's Criminal Investigations Command continues to investigate the deaths of three soldiers based in Fort Bragg in North Carolina near Fayetteville , after new details emerged last week .
The bodies of two of the soldiers , Army Master Sgt .
William J. Lavigne II , 37 , and veteran Timothy Dumas , 44 , were found Wednesday at a training ground at Fort Bragg .
ABC News reported Friday that foul play was suspected in the two men 's deaths .
Autopsy results for a third soldier , Spc .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ May , showed that the paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division was decapitated , as reported by the News and Observer .
`` While decapitation is , in and of itself , universally fatal , the remainder of the body in this case was not available for examination , and therefore potential causes of death involving the torso and extremities can not be excluded , '' the report from the Division of Forensic Pathology at East Carolina University 's Brody School of Medicine said .
`` A definitive cause of death can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ findings in this case are most consistent with death due to homicide . ''
Roman-Martinez , from Chino , Calif. , was reported missing by fellow soldiers who said they last saw him on May 22 at a campsite at the Cape Lookout National Seashore area , Army investigators said .
His phone and wallet were found at the campsite .
A $ 25,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved , but no arrests have been made yet .
Lavinge , one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assigned to the Army Special Operations Command .
Veteran Dumas also had Special Forces experience and had formerly served at Fort Bragg .
The two men `` may have been engaged in criminal activity before their deaths , '' a defense official told The Washington Post .
In March 2018 , Lavigne shot and killed Green Beret Sgt .
1st Class Mark Leshikar , 33 , in Fayetteville .
The shooting was ruled a justifiable homicide , according to the Cumberland County Sheriff 's Office , the Army Times reported .
About 50,700 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including members of the Army 's XVIII Airborne Corps and Special Operations Command , along with the Army Forces Command , 82nd Airborne Division and the Army Reserve Command .
Stars and Stripes reported that 31 soldiers assigned to the base have died this year , with nearly half dying by suicide .

The U.S. Army's Criminal Investigation Command is investigating the death of Spc. Enrique Roman-Martinez and two other homicides associated with Fort Bragg in North Carolina after new details emerged this week. Photo courtesy of Criminal Investigation Command
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army's Criminal Investigations Command continues to investigate the deaths of three soldiers based in Fort Bragg in North Carolina near Fayetteville, after new details emerged last week. The bodies of two of the soldiers, Army Master Sgt. William J. Lavigne II, 37, and veteran Timothy Dumas, 44, were found Wednesday at a training ground at Fort Bragg. ABC News reported Friday that foul play was suspected in the two men's deaths. Advertisement
Autopsy results for a third soldier, Spc. Enrique Roman-Martinez, 21, killed in May, showed that the paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division was decapitated, as reported by the News and Observer.
"While decapitation is, in and of itself, universally fatal, the remainder of the body in this case was not available for examination, and therefore potential causes of death involving the torso and extremities cannot be excluded," the report from the Division of Forensic Pathology at East Carolina University's Brody School of Medicine said. "A definitive cause of death cannot be determined, (but) the findings in this case are most consistent with death due to homicide."
Roman-Martinez, from Chino, Calif., was reported missing by fellow soldiers who said they last saw him on May 22 at a campsite at the Cape Lookout National Seashore area, Army investigators said. His phone and wallet were found at the campsite. A $25,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved, but no arrests have been made yet.
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Lavinge, one of the two men found last week, was assigned to the Army Special Operations Command. Veteran Dumas also had Special Forces experience and had formerly served at Fort Bragg.
The two men "may have been engaged in criminal activity before their deaths," a defense official told The Washington Post.
In March 2018, Lavigne shot and killed Green Beret Sgt. 1st Class Mark Leshikar, 33, in Fayetteville. The shooting was ruled a justifiable homicide, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, the Army Times reported.
About 50,700 active-duty soldiers are based at Fort Bragg including members of the Army's XVIII Airborne Corps and Special Operations Command, along with the Army Forces Command, 82nd Airborne Division and the Army Reserve Command.
Stars and Stripes reported that 31 soldiers assigned to the base have died this year, with nearly half dying by suicide.


upi--2020-12-07--USPS to release 'Love,' Year of the Ox, and Chien-Shiung Wu stamps

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- The U.S .
Postal Service has announced issue dates for the latest stamp in its `` Love '' series , as well as stamps that celebrate the Year of the Ox and honor nuclear physicist Chien-Shiung Wu .
The three stamps are to be issued within the first two months of 2021 , beginning in three select cities throughout the United States and accompanied by virtual stamp dedication events shared on the USPS ' social media pages , according to a press release .
The `` Love 2021 '' stamp , featuring original art @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greg Breeding , will lead off the new issues Jan. 14 , in Loveland , Colo. '' The stamp art features a lighthearted and colorful digital illustration with the word 'love ' and three large hearts shown in an unconventional palette of color duos , strikingly set against a dark blue background , '' the USPS said .
On Feb. 2 , a stamp featuring art of a blue ox mask by Camille Chew and directed by Antonio Alcala celebrating the Lunar New Year and the beginning of the Year of the Ox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Calling to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon or lion dances often performed during Lunar New Year parades , these three-dimensional masks are a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk art crafts during this auspicious time of year , '' USPS said .
The stamp honoring Wu , one of the top physicists of the 20th century , will be issued Feb. 11 in New York City .
The stamp features original art by Kam Mak and art direction by Ethel Kessler .
`` During a career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a field dominated by men , she established herself as the authority on conducting precise and accurate research to test fundamental theories of physics , '' the Postal Service said .

The U.S. Postal Service will release stamps marking the Year of the Ox, honoring physicist Chien-Shiung Wu and adding to its "Love" series in early 2021. Photos courtesy of USPS
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. Postal Service has announced issue dates for the latest stamp in its "Love" series, as well as stamps that celebrate the Year of the Ox and honor nuclear physicist Chien-Shiung Wu. The three stamps are to be issued within the first two months of 2021, beginning in three select cities throughout the United States and accompanied by virtual stamp dedication events shared on the USPS' social media pages, according to a press release. Advertisement
The "Love 2021" stamp, featuring original art by Bailey Sullivan and art direction by Greg Breeding, will lead off the new issues Jan. 14, in Loveland, Colo.
"The stamp art features a lighthearted and colorful digital illustration with the word 'love' and three large hearts shown in an unconventional palette of color duos, strikingly set against a dark blue background," the USPS said.
On Feb. 2, a stamp featuring art of a blue ox mask by Camille Chew and directed by Antonio Alcala celebrating the Lunar New Year and the beginning of the Year of the Ox will be issued in Chicago.
"Calling to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon or lion dances often performed during Lunar New Year parades, these three-dimensional masks are a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk art crafts during this auspicious time of year," USPS said.
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The stamp honoring Wu, one of the top physicists of the 20th century, will be issued Feb. 11 in New York City. The stamp features original art by Kam Mak and art direction by Ethel Kessler.
"During a career that spanned more than 40 years in a field dominated by men, she established herself as the authority on conducting precise and accurate research to test fundamental theories of physics," the Postal Service said.


upi--2020-12-07--Biden announces top national health selections

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- President-elect Joe Biden announced his picks Monday to head national health agencies and named California Attorney General Xavier Becerra as secretary of the Department Health and Human Services .
Becerra , 62 , elected in 2017 as California 's top prosecutor to replace Vice President-elect Kamala Harris , served as a member of Congress for more than 20 years and helped drive passage of the Affordable Care Act .
If confirmed , Becerra would be the first Latino to lead HHS .
Former U.S .
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy , 43 , who heads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will return as surgeon general .
`` I never dreamed I 'd have the honor to once again serve as Surgeon General , '' Murthy tweeted Monday .
`` In this moment of crisis , I 'm grateful for the opportunity to help end this pandemic , be a voice for science , and support our nation on its path to rebuilding and healing . ''
Rochelle Walensky , 51 , an infectious disease expert at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston , was chosen to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called to lead the brilliant team at the CDC , '' Walensky tweeted .
`` We are ready to combat this virus with science and facts . ''
Anthony Fauci will remain as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , the Biden team said Monday .
The new group of health leaders will face a national crisis of more than 280,000 deaths from COVID-19 and surges in new cases in the pandemic that Biden has said is the biggest threat to the United States .
`` This trusted and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest level of integrity , scientific rigor , and crisis-management experience to one of the toughest challenges America has ever faced -- getting the pandemic under control so that the American people can get back to work , back to their lives , and back to their loved ones , '' Biden said in a statement Monday .
`` This team of world-class medical experts and public servants will be ready on day one to mobilize every resource of the federal government to expand testing and masking , oversee the safe , equitable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccines , reopen schools and businesses safely , lower prescription drug and other health costs and expand affordable health care to all Americans , and rally the country and restore the belief that there is nothing beyond America 's capacity if we do it together , '' Biden added .
The team also announced that Marcella Nunez-Smith , of Yale Medical School 's Equity Research and Innovation Center , will serve as the COVID-19 Equity Task Force Chair .
Transition co-chair and former Obama administration official Jeff Zients will serve as White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the president .
National security expert Natalie Quillian will serve as deputy coordinator .

Vivek Murthy, former U.S. surgeon general, will return to the post for the Joe Biden administration, the Biden team said Monday. Photo courtesy of United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions/Wikimedia Commons
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- President-elect Joe Biden announced his picks Monday to head national health agencies and named California Attorney General Xavier Becerra as secretary of the Department Health and Human Services. Becerra, 62, elected in 2017 as California's top prosecutor to replace Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, served as a member of Congress for more than 20 years and helped drive passage of the Affordable Care Act. If confirmed, Becerra would be the first Latino to lead HHS. Advertisement
Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, 43, who heads Biden's COVID-19 advisory task force, will return as surgeon general.
"I never dreamed I'd have the honor to once again serve as Surgeon General," Murthy tweeted Monday. "In this moment of crisis, I'm grateful for the opportunity to help end this pandemic, be a voice for science, and support our nation on its path to rebuilding and healing."
Rochelle Walensky, 51, an infectious disease expert at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, was chosen to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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"I'm honored to be called to lead the brilliant team at the CDC," Walensky tweeted. "We are ready to combat this virus with science and facts."
Anthony Fauci will remain as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Biden team said Monday.
The new group of health leaders will face a national crisis of more than 280,000 deaths from COVID-19 and surges in new cases in the pandemic that Biden has said is the biggest threat to the United States.
"This trusted and accomplished team of leaders will bring the highest level of integrity, scientific rigor, and crisis-management experience to one of the toughest challenges America has ever faced -- getting the pandemic under control so that the American people can get back to work, back to their lives, and back to their loved ones," Biden said in a statement Monday.
"This team of world-class medical experts and public servants will be ready on day one to mobilize every resource of the federal government to expand testing and masking, oversee the safe, equitable, and free distribution of treatments and vaccines, reopen schools and businesses safely, lower prescription drug and other health costs and expand affordable health care to all Americans, and rally the country and restore the belief that there is nothing beyond America's capacity if we do it together," Biden added.
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The team also announced that Marcella Nunez-Smith, of Yale Medical School's Equity Research and Innovation Center, will serve as the COVID-19 Equity Task Force Chair.
Transition co-chair and former Obama administration official Jeff Zients will serve as White House coordinator of the COVID-19 response and counselor to the president. National security expert Natalie Quillian will serve as deputy coordinator.
Meet President Joe Biden's top adviser picks


upi--2020-12-07--Data shows demilitarizing police doesn't put officers or the public at risk

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- According to a new study , demilitarizing U.S. police departments does n't lead to an uptick in crime or jeopardize police safety .
In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 , 2001 , attacks , many police departments began acquiring armored vehicles , body armor and other types of military grade weapons and equipment with funding from the Department of Homeland Security .
Militarized police units have since become commonplace , researchers say .
This summer , units armed with helmets , shields , tear gas and rubber bullets were frequently deployed to break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of civilians , like George Floyd , at the hands of police officers .
Police advocates claim the transfer of surplus military equipment to law enforcement has led to reductions in crime , but new research suggests studies claiming to show such as effect have relied on faulty data .
According to the latest research -- published Monday in the journal Nature Human Behavior -- officials have failed to keep accurate records of federally subsidized weapons and equipment acquisitions , making it difficult to reach solid conclusions about the effects of such acquisitions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Michigan researcher Kenneth Lowande analyzed more than 3.8 million archived federal inventory records , he found more than 15,000 items went missing from agency inventories over a three month period .
More than 4,000 were received for transfer .
For comparison , Lowande looked at the hundreds of police departments that were demilitarized under the Obama administration in 2015 -- a practice that has been stopped and criticized by the Trump administration .
Lowande found no correlation between seizures of military equipment and crime rates .
The data also failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety .
In other words , the data suggests military equipment has no impact on the effectiveness of local police departments .
Police with access to military grade weapons and equipment are n't any safer than police without military gear , according to Lowande 's data .
`` When you examine crime and officer safety statistics in these demilitarized departments and compare them to similar departments that were n't impacted , you find essentially no differences , '' Lowande , a faculty associate at the Center for Political Studies at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a news release .
`` I find little to no evidence that demilitarization had an impact on violent crime or officer safety , '' Lowande said .
`` Put differently , contrary to the claims of those who support the transfer of equipment , these data do not support the conclusion that militarization saves lives -- or that demilitarization risks them . ''

The deployment of heavily armored police -- and the use of tear gas and rubber bullets -- to quell social justice protests has led many public officials to criticize to militarization of local police forces. Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- According to a new study, demilitarizing U.S. police departments doesn't lead to an uptick in crime or jeopardize police safety. In the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, many police departments began acquiring armored vehicles, body armor and other types of military grade weapons and equipment with funding from the Department of Homeland Security. Advertisement
Militarized police units have since become commonplace, researchers say. This summer, units armed with helmets, shields, tear gas and rubber bullets were frequently deployed to break up protests sparked in response to deaths of civilians, like George Floyd, at the hands of police officers.
Police advocates claim the transfer of surplus military equipment to law enforcement has led to reductions in crime, but new research suggests studies claiming to show such as effect have relied on faulty data.
According to the latest research -- published Monday in the journal Nature Human Behavior -- officials have failed to keep accurate records of federally subsidized weapons and equipment acquisitions, making it difficult to reach solid conclusions about the effects of such acquisitions on crime and public safety.
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When University of Michigan researcher Kenneth Lowande analyzed more than 3.8 million archived federal inventory records, he found more than 15,000 items went missing from agency inventories over a three month period. More than 4,000 were received for transfer.
For comparison, Lowande looked at the hundreds of police departments that were demilitarized under the Obama administration in 2015 -- a practice that has been stopped and criticized by the Trump administration.
Lowande found no correlation between seizures of military equipment and crime rates.
The data also failed to show a relationship between demilitarization and police safety. In other words, the data suggests military equipment has no impact on the effectiveness of local police departments.
Police with access to military grade weapons and equipment aren't any safer than police without military gear, according to Lowande's data.
"When you examine crime and officer safety statistics in these demilitarized departments and compare them to similar departments that weren't impacted, you find essentially no differences," Lowande, a faculty associate at the Center for Political Studies at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, said in a news release.
"I find little to no evidence that demilitarization had an impact on violent crime or officer safety," Lowande said. "Put differently, contrary to the claims of those who support the transfer of equipment, these data do not support the conclusion that militarization saves lives -- or that demilitarization risks them."


upi--2020-12-07--Nasdaq hits new high, Dow and S&P fall from Friday records

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- The Nasdaq Composite rose slightly to a new high on Monday , while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S & P 500 fell from record highs .
The tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 55.71 points , or 0.45 % , to a new record 12,519.94 , while the Dow dropped 148.47 points , or 0.49 % , and the S & P declined 7.16 points , or 0.19 % .
Tesla stock helped to propel the Nasdaq higher as it climbed 7.13 % to its own record high .
Facebook also gained 2.1 % and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3.43 % to lead the Dow 's decline , while the S & P 's energy sector dragged it lower as it fell 2.4 % .
The Nasdaq , Dow and S & P 500 had all closed at record highs after posting gains Friday before the latter two dropped Monday .
`` In the near-term , the risk of a modest equity market pullback has risen because the worsening virus situation in the U.S. could spur a positioning unwind , '' Goldman Sachs equity strategists said Monday .
`` Although vaccine approval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. could slow the near-term recovery in economic growth . ''
JPMorgan Chase strategists also warned that there was strong consensus in the market that investors hedge against crowded trades .
`` For asset allocators , what is thus important is scale exposure to avoid an overly concentrated portfolio , '' the report stated .
`` One way of scaling exposures to the consensus trading themes is by limiting exposure to the most crowded ones . ''

The Nasdaq Composite rose to a new record high on Monday while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 fell from records set on Friday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- The Nasdaq Composite rose slightly to a new high on Monday, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 fell from record highs. The tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 55.71 points, or 0.45%, to a new record 12,519.94, while the Dow dropped 148.47 points, or 0.49%, and the S&P declined 7.16 points, or 0.19%. Advertisement
Tesla stock helped to propel the Nasdaq higher as it climbed 7.13% to its own record high. Facebook also gained 2.1% and Apple increased 1.23%.
Intel dropped 3.43% to lead the Dow's decline, while the S&P's energy sector dragged it lower as it fell 2.4%.
The Nasdaq, Dow and S&P 500 had all closed at record highs after posting gains Friday before the latter two dropped Monday.
"In the near-term, the risk of a modest equity market pullback has risen because the worsening virus situation in the U.S. could spur a positioning unwind," Goldman Sachs equity strategists said Monday. "Although vaccine approval appears imminent, increased restrictions or shutdowns in the U.S. could slow the near-term recovery in economic growth."
JPMorgan Chase strategists also warned that there was strong consensus in the market that investors hedge against crowded trades.
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"For asset allocators, what is thus important is scale exposure to avoid an overly concentrated portfolio," the report stated. "One way of scaling exposures to the consensus trading themes is by limiting exposure to the most crowded ones."


upi--2020-12-07--Bill signed to award Medal of Honor to Sgt. Alwyn Cashe, Iraq war hero

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- Sgt .
First Class Alwyn Cashe , who died in 2005 while rescuing fellow soldiers from a burning vehicle in Iraq , was cleared to receive the Medal of Honor .
President Donald Trump signed a bipartisan bill on Friday , H.R .
8276 , `` which authorizes the President to posthumously award the Medal of Honor to Alwyn C. Cashe for acts of valor during Operation Iraqi Freedom while serving in the United States Army . ''
The legislation waives the normal five-year time limit for awarding the medal , regarded as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill passed the House in September , and the Senate in November , both by unanimous consent .
The matter now goes to the Defense Department , which is expected to officially nominate Cashe for the award .
Cashe , who sustained severe burns in his act of heroism , was awarded the Silver Star for his actions , but advocates have advocated for a higher honor .
Then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper , Rep. Stephanie Murphy , D-Fla. , Rep. Michael Waltz , R-Fla. , and Rep. Dan Crenshaw , R-Texas , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the honor .
Alejandro Villanueva , an Army Bronze Star recipient and current member of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team , has worn Cashe 's name on his helmet this year as a tribute .
`` The story of Alwyn 's heroism has inspired so many people and I can not wait for the day that his family will receive the nation 's highest award for combat valor on his behalf , '' Murphy said on Friday .
The delay in Cashe 's receipt of the Medal of Honor came because of conflicting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Daliaya , Iraq .
Army researchers said the fire , which burned nearly 75 percent of Cashe 's body , was caused by a roadside explosive and thus not a situation of actual combat .
Evidence that the vehicle was under enemy gunfire during his rescue attempts , however , was later found .
It was believed by some that the award to Cashe , who will be the first Black soldier of the Iraq War to receive the Medal of Honor , was slowed by internal Army discrimination .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back in time , '' said Cashe 's sister , Kasinal White , earlier this year .
`` I think given what [ Army officials ] knew at the time , they did the best they could . ''
Plans for a formal award of the medal have not been revealed .

Legislation was signed by President Donald Trump on Friday to honor Sgt. First Class Alwyn Cashe, who died in Iraq in 2005, with the Medal of Honor. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Sgt. First Class Alwyn Cashe, who died in 2005 while rescuing fellow soldiers from a burning vehicle in Iraq, was cleared to receive the Medal of Honor. President Donald Trump signed a bipartisan bill on Friday, H.R. 8276, "which authorizes the President to posthumously award the Medal of Honor to Alwyn C. Cashe for acts of valor during Operation Iraqi Freedom while serving in the United States Army." Advertisement
The legislation waives the normal five-year time limit for awarding the medal, regarded as the nation's highest military award.
The bill passed the House in September, and the Senate in November, both by unanimous consent. The matter now goes to the Defense Department, which is expected to officially nominate Cashe for the award.
Cashe, who sustained severe burns in his act of heroism, was awarded the Silver Star for his actions, but advocates have advocated for a higher honor.
Then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., and Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, are among those leading the effort to upgrade the honor.
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Alejandro Villanueva, an Army Bronze Star recipient and current member of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team, has worn Cashe's name on his helmet this year as a tribute.
"The story of Alwyn's heroism has inspired so many people and I cannot wait for the day that his family will receive the nation's highest award for combat valor on his behalf," Murphy said on Friday.
The delay in Cashe's receipt of the Medal of Honor came because of conflicting information regarding the firefight during an ambush in Daliaya, Iraq.
Army researchers said the fire, which burned nearly 75 percent of Cashe's body, was caused by a roadside explosive and thus not a situation of actual combat. Evidence that the vehicle was under enemy gunfire during his rescue attempts, however, was later found.
It was believed by some that the award to Cashe, who will be the first Black soldier of the Iraq War to receive the Medal of Honor, was slowed by internal Army discrimination.
"I feel the right information did not get back in time," said Cashe's sister, Kasinal White, earlier this year. "I think given what [Army officials] knew at the time, they did the best they could."
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Plans for a formal award of the medal have not been revealed.


upi--2020-12-07--Arctic ground squirrels recycle their body's own nutrients to survive the long winters

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- By analyzing the body chemistry of hibernating Arctic ground squirrels , scientists found the rodents are able to recycle their body 's own nutrients during deep hibernation .
The discovery , detailed Monday in the journal Nature Metabolism , may explain how mammals survive prolonged periods of inactivity during the winter , as well as offer insights into muscle loss in humans .
For the study , researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks monitored ground squirrels in a lab for more than two years .
Using pulse isotopic tracing , scientists were able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels of nutrients through the squirrels ' bodies .
As the rodents slept away the winter , with temperatures just above freezing , the instruments observed the conversion of free nitrogen -- released by the animals ' atrophying muscles -- into amino acids .
Researchers suspect the squirrels are able to use the amino acids to synthesize proteins that can help buoy the health of lung and kidney tissue , as well as bolster skeletal muscle .
For eight months of the year , Arctic ground squirrels hibernate -- and they do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hibernation state , they take a single breath per minute .
Despite remaining inactive for the majority of the year , longer than other mammals , the squirrels do n't experience significant muscle loss or long-term cellular damage .
`` They 're just this extreme hibernator , and during the time they hibernate they do n't eat , they do n't drink , and they do n't have any underlying injuries to their bodies , '' lead study author Sarah Rice , doctoral student at UAF 's Institute of Arctic Biology , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously hypothesized that Arctic ground squirrels recycle urea , a nitrogen-rich waste product excreted in urine , but the latest study is the first to detect metabolic evidence of the phenomenon .
Authors of the new study suggest the biochemical secrets of hibernating animals could help researchers develop new treatments for muscle loss among cancer patients and the elderly .
The findings could also pave the way for better treatments for severe injuries , as well as preventative measures for astronauts , who often experience muscle atrophy in space .

A scientist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks holds a hibernating Arctic ground squirrel in the lab. Photo by Carla Frare/UAF
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- By analyzing the body chemistry of hibernating Arctic ground squirrels, scientists found the rodents are able to recycle their body's own nutrients during deep hibernation. The discovery, detailed Monday in the journal Nature Metabolism, may explain how mammals survive prolonged periods of inactivity during the winter, as well as offer insights into muscle loss in humans. Advertisement
For the study, researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks monitored ground squirrels in a lab for more than two years. Using pulse isotopic tracing, scientists were able to track the movements of nearly undetectable levels of nutrients through the squirrels' bodies.
As the rodents slept away the winter, with temperatures just above freezing, the instruments observed the conversion of free nitrogen -- released by the animals' atrophying muscles -- into amino acids.
Researchers suspect the squirrels are able to use the amino acids to synthesize proteins that can help buoy the health of lung and kidney tissue, as well as bolster skeletal muscle.
For eight months of the year, Arctic ground squirrels hibernate -- and they don't drink or eat. While in their hibernation state, they take a single breath per minute.
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Despite remaining inactive for the majority of the year, longer than other mammals, the squirrels don't experience significant muscle loss or long-term cellular damage.
"They're just this extreme hibernator, and during the time they hibernate they don't eat, they don't drink, and they don't have any underlying injuries to their bodies," lead study author Sarah Rice, doctoral student at UAF's Institute of Arctic Biology, said in a news release.
Researchers have previously hypothesized that Arctic ground squirrels recycle urea, a nitrogen-rich waste product excreted in urine, but the latest study is the first to detect metabolic evidence of the phenomenon.
Authors of the new study suggest the biochemical secrets of hibernating animals could help researchers develop new treatments for muscle loss among cancer patients and the elderly.
The findings could also pave the way for better treatments for severe injuries, as well as preventative measures for astronauts, who often experience muscle atrophy in space.


upi--2020-12-07--Forrest Fenn treasure finder steps forward

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- The treasure hunter who discovered the Forrest Fenn treasure in June identified himself Monday after heirs of the late Santa Fe art dealer announced they would be forced to reveal his identity .
Jack Steuf , a 32-year-old medical student and former journalist from Michigan identified himself in a post on Medium , after a lawsuit filed by disappointed searchers would have revealed his identity soon anyway , he said .
`` For the past six months , I have remained anonymous , not because I have anything to hide , but because Forrest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threats , home invasions , frivolous lawsuits , and a potential kidnapping -- all at the hands of people with delusions related to his treasure , '' Steuf wrote .
`` I do n't want those things to happen to me and my family . ''
`` My grandfather wanted to honor Jack 's desire to remain anonymous in an effort to protect him from potential harm and harassment like my grandfather and the rest of our family have experienced over the years since the treasure was hidden , and especially since it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` He went to great lengths and personal expense trying to help Jack retain his anonymity , and my family has continued to do so to the best of our ability up to this point . ''
Steuf said he is storing the treasure in a vault in New Mexico where he will keep it until he decides to sell it .
Meanwhile , he has moved his family to a more secure building .
`` When I found the treasure , it ended the hopes of the many people around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Steuf wrote .
`` I understand both the disappointment and disbelief many have and are experiencing and do not take personally the vitriolic comments made about me or the conspiracy theories that some seem to find comfort , '' he added .
`` But , to be clear , I am not and was never employed by Forrest , nor did he 'pick ' me in any way to 'retrieve ' the treasure .
I was a stranger to him and found the treasure as he designed it . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Mexico by a Chicago real estate attorney , Barbara Andersen , alleges that the unknown finder of the treasure found it by hacking her emails .
Andersen believed the treasure was in New Mexico .
Fenn announced in 2010 that he had hidden the chest filled with gold and precious stones worth millions of dollars somewhere in the Rocky Mountains between 5,000 and 10,200 feet in New Mexico , Colorado , Wyoming or Montana .
Many believed the treasure was a hoax , but friends of Fenn insisted they had seen it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were big gold nuggets from Alaska the size of your fist and gold coins , Krugerrands , and some little pre-Columbian statues , including a little frog , '' Santa Fe author Doug Preston told UPI in February .
He said he also saw `` loose gems .
It was like a pirate chest . ''
For 10 years , possibly more than 350,000 searchers followed Fenn 's cryptic clues in his book The Thrill of the Chase .
At least five people lost their lives searching for the treasure , and many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rescued by emergency personnel and park rangers .
Fenn initially came up with the idea of hiding the treasure after a cancer diagnosis in 1988 that he thought would end his life .
Steuf said he spent two years looking for the treasure after carefully following clues in Fenn 's book .
He did not use GPS or any technical tools , he said .
He went on 25 different search missions to find the treasure Steuf told Outside Magazine .
Steuf said he first determined the location where Fenn would want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not want to make that public .
`` It 's not an appropriate place to become a tourist destination , '' Steuf said .
`` It has huge meaning to Forrest , and I do n't want to see it destroyed .
And as much as I tried not to develop an attachment to the place , eventually I did , as well . ''
Fenn died in September in Santa Fe at age 90 , but not before meeting with Steuf and developing a short-lived but deep friendship Steuf said in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's incredibly generous to leave a chest full of gold out in the wilderness for someone to find , '' Steuf wrote .
`` It 's a whole other thing to set aside one 's driving desire for a legacy in order to protect that stranger .
Selflessness is the only way to describe it . ''

The finder of the treasure hidden by Forrest Fenn (pictured) identified himself Monday after his identity would have come out in a lawsuit, he said. Photo courtesy of Dal Neitzel.
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- The treasure hunter who discovered the Forrest Fenn treasure in June identified himself Monday after heirs of the late Santa Fe art dealer announced they would be forced to reveal his identity. Jack Steuf, a 32-year-old medical student and former journalist from Michigan identified himself in a post on Medium, after a lawsuit filed by disappointed searchers would have revealed his identity soon anyway, he said. Advertisement
"For the past six months, I have remained anonymous, not because I have anything to hide, but because Forrest and his family endured stalkers, death threats, home invasions, frivolous lawsuits, and a potential kidnapping -- all at the hands of people with delusions related to his treasure," Steuf wrote. "I don't want those things to happen to me and my family."
Steuf's identity was confirmed Monday by Fenn's grandson Shiloh Forrest Olds.
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"My grandfather wanted to honor Jack's desire to remain anonymous in an effort to protect him from potential harm and harassment like my grandfather and the rest of our family have experienced over the years since the treasure was hidden, and especially since it was found," Olds said. "He went to great lengths and personal expense trying to help Jack retain his anonymity, and my family has continued to do so to the best of our ability up to this point."
Steuf said he is storing the treasure in a vault in New Mexico where he will keep it until he decides to sell it. Meanwhile, he has moved his family to a more secure building.
"When I found the treasure, it ended the hopes of the many people around the world who wanted to one day find it," Steuf wrote. "I understand both the disappointment and disbelief many have and are experiencing and do not take personally the vitriolic comments made about me or the conspiracy theories that some seem to find comfort," he added.
"But, to be clear, I am not and was never employed by Forrest, nor did he 'pick' me in any way to 'retrieve' the treasure. I was a stranger to him and found the treasure as he designed it."
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The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for New Mexico by a Chicago real estate attorney, Barbara Andersen, alleges that the unknown finder of the treasure found it by hacking her emails. Andersen believed the treasure was in New Mexico.
Fenn announced in 2010 that he had hidden the chest filled with gold and precious stones worth millions of dollars somewhere in the Rocky Mountains between 5,000 and 10,200 feet in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming or Montana.
Many believed the treasure was a hoax, but friends of Fenn insisted they had seen it with their own eyes.
"There were big gold nuggets from Alaska the size of your fist and gold coins, Krugerrands, and some little pre-Columbian statues, including a little frog," Santa Fe author Doug Preston told UPI in February. He said he also saw "loose gems. It was like a pirate chest."
For 10 years, possibly more than 350,000 searchers followed Fenn's cryptic clues in his book The Thrill of the Chase. At least five people lost their lives searching for the treasure, and many more went bankrupt or had to be rescued by emergency personnel and park rangers.
Fenn initially came up with the idea of hiding the treasure after a cancer diagnosis in 1988 that he thought would end his life.
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Steuf said he spent two years looking for the treasure after carefully following clues in Fenn's book. He did not use GPS or any technical tools, he said. He went on 25 different search missions to find the treasure Steuf told Outside Magazine. Steuf said he first determined the location where Fenn would want to die, but he said he would not want to make that public.
"It's not an appropriate place to become a tourist destination," Steuf said. "It has huge meaning to Forrest, and I don't want to see it destroyed. And as much as I tried not to develop an attachment to the place, eventually I did, as well."
Fenn died in September in Santa Fe at age 90, but not before meeting with Steuf and developing a short-lived but deep friendship Steuf said in an anonymous essay published in September.
"It's incredibly generous to leave a chest full of gold out in the wilderness for someone to find," Steuf wrote. "It's a whole other thing to set aside one's driving desire for a legacy in order to protect that stranger. Selflessness is the only way to describe it."


upi--2020-12-07--CDC: Schools, daycares can prevent COVID-19 spread with hygiene, distancing

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- Schools and daycare facilities can effectively operate with hand hygiene , mandatory mask-wearing and social distancing protocols in place during the COVID-19 pandemic , the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in an analysis published Monday .
Education and childcare facilities operating under the Head Start and Early Head Start programs implemented initiatives designed to limit the spread of COVID-19 within their facilities based on CDC guidelines .
Using funds allocated under the federal CARES Act , the facilities also took steps such as creating handwashing lessons and activities and reducing class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The facilities also purchased masks , provided daily health checks for students and staff and performed daily intensive cleaning and disinfecting of furniture and toys .
`` Head Start programs successfully implemented CDC-recommended mitigation strategies and supported other practices that helped to prevent [ COVID-19 ] transmission among children and staff members , '' the CDC researchers wrote .
The federal Office of Head Start allowed its local programs that remained open during the spring -- when many cities and states closed schools and other childcare facilities -- to use CARES @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This allowed them to continue `` to provide in-person services in the early phases of community transmission '' of COVID-19 in April and May , when many similar programs remained closed , according to the CDC .
The agency surveyed programs in Alaska , Georgia , Idaho , Maine , Missouri , Texas , Washington and Wisconsin to assess the effectiveness of these efforts in limiting virus spread .
Head Start programs in seven of the eight states completed the survey , representing 55 centers .
All of the programs reported implementing new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans in place to manage children and staff members with symptoms .
Three programs identified nine cases of the virus among children in three centers in May and June .
Administrators followed CDC recommendations for notification , isolation , facility closure and cleaning and disinfection , according to the CDC .
All three centers were closed for in-person classes for 14 days after identification of a case , but offered virtual programming to continue providing services , the agency said .
`` Implementing and monitoring adherence to CDC recommended mitigation strategies could play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in childcare settings , '' the CDC researchers wrote .
`` These approaches could be applied to other early care and education settings that remain open for in-person learning and potentially reduce the spread of ... [ the ] disease , '' they said .

Schools and childcare facilities can remain open during the pandemic by implementing measures to limit COVID-19 spread, according to a new CDC analysis. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Schools and daycare facilities can effectively operate with hand hygiene, mandatory mask-wearing and social distancing protocols in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in an analysis published Monday. Education and childcare facilities operating under the Head Start and Early Head Start programs implemented initiatives designed to limit the spread of COVID-19 within their facilities based on CDC guidelines. Advertisement
Using funds allocated under the federal CARES Act, the facilities also took steps such as creating handwashing lessons and activities and reducing class sizes for social distancing, the agency said.
The facilities also purchased masks, provided daily health checks for students and staff and performed daily intensive cleaning and disinfecting of furniture and toys.
"Head Start programs successfully implemented CDC-recommended mitigation strategies and supported other practices that helped to prevent [COVID-19] transmission among children and staff members," the CDC researchers wrote.
The federal Office of Head Start allowed its local programs that remained open during the spring -- when many cities and states closed schools and other childcare facilities -- to use CARES Act funds to implement CDC-recommended initiatives.
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This allowed them to continue "to provide in-person services in the early phases of community transmission" of COVID-19 in April and May, when many similar programs remained closed, according to the CDC.
The agency surveyed programs in Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Maine, Missouri, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin to assess the effectiveness of these efforts in limiting virus spread. Head Start programs in seven of the eight states completed the survey, representing 55 centers.
All of the programs reported implementing new procedures to address COVID-19 spread and had plans in place to manage children and staff members with symptoms.
Three programs identified nine cases of the virus among children in three centers in May and June. Administrators followed CDC recommendations for notification, isolation, facility closure and cleaning and disinfection, according to the CDC.
All three centers were closed for in-person classes for 14 days after identification of a case, but offered virtual programming to continue providing services, the agency said.
"Implementing and monitoring adherence to CDC recommended mitigation strategies could play a crucial role in reducing COVID-19 transmission in childcare settings," the CDC researchers wrote.
"These approaches could be applied to other early care and education settings that remain open for in-person learning and potentially reduce the spread of ... [the] disease," they said.


upi--2020-12-07--Mystery illness in India kills 1, sickens over 300

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- A mysterious illness in India has killed one man and sickened over 300 people since Saturday .
The cause of the illness spreading in Eluru town in Andhra Pradesh 's West Godavari district has yet to be identified , but symptoms reported since Saturday night have included giddiness and epilepsy .
A 45-year-old man , identified as Sridhar from Vidyanagar area of Eluru town , who experienced epilepsy and giddiness symptoms and was admitted to a local hospital , according to his family , died Sunday .
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital in Eluru as the number of patients rose to 347 .
The hospital discharged nearly 200 patients after treatment and a medical team collected blood samples from the patients for examination .
The illness was initially suspected to be caused from water contamination , but the government claimed water samples from 22 potentially impacted areas showed no signs of contamination and no viral infections were detected after blood tests .
All patients also tested negative for COVID-19 .
The opposition Telugu Desam Party has blamed the government for the illness .
TDP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broke out in an area that has lacked protected drinking water for the last 18 months .
Naidu also demanded a complete inquiry into the outbreak and Eluru declaration of health emergency .
Officials said National Institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad scientists would be assessing the situation Monday .
So far , health authorities have been unable to establish cause through blood tests and brain scans , but culture test results and e-coli results are still pending .
BJP MP G.V.L .
Narasimha Rao said that poisonous organochlorine substances could be the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with experts .

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy (C) meets with patients being treated for an unknown disease in Eluru town, Andhra Pradesh, India. Photo by Stringer/EPA-EFE/Handout
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- A mysterious illness in India has killed one man and sickened over 300 people since Saturday. The cause of the illness spreading in Eluru town in Andhra Pradesh's West Godavari district has yet to be identified, but symptoms reported since Saturday night have included giddiness and epilepsy. Advertisement
A 45-year-old man, identified as Sridhar from Vidyanagar area of Eluru town, who experienced epilepsy and giddiness symptoms and was admitted to a local hospital, according to his family, died Sunday.
Police have ordered an autopsy report.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy visited ill patients Monday at the hospital in Eluru as the number of patients rose to 347.
The hospital discharged nearly 200 patients after treatment and a medical team collected blood samples from the patients for examination.
The illness was initially suspected to be caused from water contamination, but the government claimed water samples from 22 potentially impacted areas showed no signs of contamination and no viral infections were detected after blood tests.
All patients also tested negative for COVID-19.
The opposition Telugu Desam Party has blamed the government for the illness. TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu said the illness broke out in an area that has lacked protected drinking water for the last 18 months.
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Naidu also demanded a complete inquiry into the outbreak and Eluru declaration of health emergency.
Officials said National Institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad scientists would be assessing the situation Monday.
So far, health authorities have been unable to establish cause through blood tests and brain scans, but culture test results and e-coli results are still pending.
BJP MP G.V.L. Narasimha Rao said that poisonous organochlorine substances could be the most likely cause of the disease after talking with experts.


upi--2020-12-07--Watch: Deer repeatedly attempts to break into New Jersey school

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- The principal of a New Jersey elementary school shared security camera footage of a @ @ @ @ @ head-butt its way through a window .
The security camera footage from C.B .
Lamb @ @ @ @ @ the deer charging head-first into a large glass window in the early morning hours .
@ @ @ @ @ its own reflection for a rival deer , repeatedly slams into windows and glass doors @ @ @ @ @ into the building .
The deer left after a couple minutes of unsuccessful attempts and @ @ @ @ @ injured itself .

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Dec. 7 (UPI) -- The principal of a New Jersey elementary school shared security camera footage of a deer that repeatedly attempted to head-butt its way through a window.
The security camera footage from C.B. Lamb Elementary School in Wrightstown shows the deer charging head-first into a large glass window in the early morning hours.
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The deer, apparently mistaking its own reflection for a rival deer, repeatedly slams into windows and glass doors, but fails to break into the building.
The deer left after a couple minutes of unsuccessful attempts and did not appear to have injured itself.


upi--2020-12-07--Watch: Man uses sword to slice 68 grapes while standing on balance board

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- An Idaho man recaptured a Guinness World Record by using a samurai sword to @ @ @ @ @ standing on a balance board .
David Rush , who previously set the record at @ @ @ @ @ enlisted the help of neighbor Jonathan Hannon to take the record back after finding out @ @ @ @ @ 61 airborne grapes in one minute .
Hannon threw the grapes into the air with @ @ @ @ @ on the balance board and sliced them with his sword .
The men said the @ @ @ @ @ and one trip back to the store when they ran out of grapes .
Rush @ @ @ @ @ than 150 Guinness records to promote STEM education , was able to recapture the record @ @ @ @ @ grapes in one minute .

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Dec. 7 (UPI) -- An Idaho man recaptured a Guinness World Record by using a samurai sword to slice through 68 grapes while standing on a balance board.
David Rush, who previously set the record at 57 grapes, said he enlisted the help of neighbor Jonathan Hannon to take the record back after finding out someone else had sliced through 61 airborne grapes in one minute.
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Hannon threw the grapes into the air with both hands while Rush stood on the balance board and sliced them with his sword.
The men said the record required repeated attempts -- and one trip back to the store when they ran out of grapes.
Rush, who has broken more than 150 Guinness records to promote STEM education, was able to recapture the record by slicing a total 68 grapes in one minute.


upi--2020-12-07--In photos: U.S. commemorates Pearl Harbor Day ceremony in D.C.

From left to right , park ranger Sam Yancho of the National Park Service , living history volunteers Sidney Wade @ @ @ @ @ with Friends of the National World War II Memorial Vice Chairwoman Jane Droppa participate in @ @ @ @ @ ceremony .
Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

From left to right, park ranger Sam Yancho of the National Park Service, living history volunteers Sidney Wade and Patrick McCourt , along with Friends of the National World War II Memorial Vice Chairwoman Jane Droppa participate in a Pearl Harbor Day remembrance ceremony. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI


upi--2020-12-07--Lottery numbers from rubber ball toy pay off after 6 years

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- A pair of golfing buddies in Australia won a lottery jackpot of more than $ 650,000 using a set of numbers they got from a toy about seven years earlier .
One of the two men from Lara , Victoria , told The Lott officials the ticket they bought for Saturday 's TattsLotto drawing bore the same numbers as the tickets they have been buying for years .
`` A mate of mine from golf and I have been playing these numbers for about six or seven years now , '' the man said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rubber ball that had the numbers 1 to 100 inside it .
You shake it , and it lands on a number . ''
`` So we took turns doing that and would write a number down as we went .
It took us about an hour over a few beers , but that 's how we did it , '' the player said .
The numbers earned the men a total jackpot of $ 672,830.69 .
`` They 've been our lucky numbers for sure .
We have a win on them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always small wins , but it 's always something , '' the winner said .
`` We '' ll definitely keep playing these numbers !
We are n't giving up our lucky numbers ! ''
The man said he is making plans for his share of the winnings .
`` I think I 'll use my share to pay off my mortgage and maybe invest in an investment property , '' he said .

A pair of golfing buddies from Lara, Victoria, Australia, won more than $650,000 using a set of lottery numbers they got from a toy "six or seven years" earlier. Photo courtesy of The Lott
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Dec. 7 (UPI) -- A pair of golfing buddies in Australia won a lottery jackpot of more than $650,000 using a set of numbers they got from a toy about seven years earlier. One of the two men from Lara, Victoria, told The Lott officials the ticket they bought for Saturday's TattsLotto drawing bore the same numbers as the tickets they have been buying for years. Advertisement
"A mate of mine from golf and I have been playing these numbers for about six or seven years now," the man said. "We chose them using a rubber ball that had the numbers 1 to 100 inside it. You shake it, and it lands on a number."
"So we took turns doing that and would write a number down as we went. It took us about an hour over a few beers, but that's how we did it," the player said.
The numbers earned the men a total jackpot of $672,830.69.
"They've been our lucky numbers for sure. We have a win on them nearly every few weeks. They are always small wins, but it's always something," the winner said. "We"ll definitely keep playing these numbers! We aren't giving up our lucky numbers!"
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The man said he is making plans for his share of the winnings.
"I think I'll use my share to pay off my mortgage and maybe invest in an investment property," he said.


upi--2020-12-07--In photos: Meet President-elect Joe Biden's top adviser picks

Homeland Security Secretary .
The former Citizenship and Immigration Services director speaks at a naturalization ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial @ @ @ @ @ Washington , D.C. , in 2010 .
Mayorkas is the first Latino to be appointed @ @ @ @ @ by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI

Marcia Fudge
Housing and Urban Development Secretary. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki (L) looks on as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Fudge, the first Black woman to lead the department in decades, speaks at a news conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House. Photo by Michael Reynolds/UPI


upi--2020-12-07--Air Force opens five-day virtual meeting to accelerate innovation

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. Air Force began a five-day virtual event , AFWERX Accelerate , on Monday to highlight its culture of innovation .
The event this week will include discussions , interactive sessions and explanations of successful interactions between the Air Force and the private sector .
This year the event will highlight planned partnerships in 2021 , and 2020 successes of partnerships with industry , interagency and investment innovators , and `` disrupters across the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force , '' an Air Force statement on Monday said .
Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event with a welcome message , and Brig .
Gen. Heather L. Pringle , Air Force Research Laboratory commander , and Col. Nathan Diller , AFWERX director , added introductory remarks .
AFWERX , started in 2017 , specializes in low-funding opportunities to circumvent military bureaucracy and bring private sector entrepreneurs into Air Force programs .
It grew from three experiments in innovation to a single organization encouraging breakthroughs in improvement .
The program is now divided into three separate efforts , according to the Air Force .
AFVentures , the commercial investment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meant to create simple pathways for commercial innovators and private capital investment to help the with Air Force problem-solving .
Spark looks to empower enlisted personnel to generate ideas and execute solutions , and Prime identifies new technology sectors with strong commercial potential that could yield significant military and economic advantage .

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Joanne Bass, L, listens to a presentation at the AFWERX Austin, Texas hub, in August. Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force began a five-day virtual event, AFWERX Accelerate, on Monday to highlight its culture of innovation. The event this week will include discussions, interactive sessions and explanations of successful interactions between the Air Force and the private sector. Advertisement
This year the event will highlight planned partnerships in 2021, and 2020 successes of partnerships with industry, interagency and investment innovators, and "disrupters across the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force," an Air Force statement on Monday said.
Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett opened the event with a welcome message, and Brig. Gen. Heather L. Pringle, Air Force Research Laboratory commander, and Col. Nathan Diller, AFWERX director, added introductory remarks.
AFWERX, started in 2017, specializes in low-funding opportunities to circumvent military bureaucracy and bring private sector entrepreneurs into Air Force programs. It grew from three experiments in innovation to a single organization encouraging breakthroughs in improvement.
The program is now divided into three separate efforts, according to the Air Force.
AFVentures, the commercial investment arm of the Air Force, is meant to create simple pathways for commercial innovators and private capital investment to help the with Air Force problem-solving.
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Spark looks to empower enlisted personnel to generate ideas and execute solutions, and Prime identifies new technology sectors with strong commercial potential that could yield significant military and economic advantage.


upi--2020-12-07--U.S. Supreme Court passes on transgender school bathroom case

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a case that would have blocked transgender students from using school bathrooms and locker rooms that matched their gender identity .
The high court 's move was hailed as a win for advocates who have wondered if the court 's new conservative majority would make rulings that might threaten LGBT rights .
`` The Supreme Court has once again said that transgender youth are not a threat to other students , '' said Chase Strangio , deputy director for trans justice with the ACLU 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
`` The decision not to take this case is an important and powerful message to trans and non-binary youth that they deserve to share space with and enjoy the benefits of school alongside their non-transgender peers . ''
In 2018 , the U.S. District court in Portland , Ore. , dismissed a case brought by Parents for Privacy , a Dallas , Ore. , group that challenged the local school district 's `` Student Safety Plan , '' saying the new policy violated the privacy rights of cisgender students and staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using the bathrooms .
In February , the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court 's decision , saying that `` There is no Fourteenth Amendment fundamental privacy right to avoid all risk of intimate exposure to or by a transgender person who was assigned the opposite biological sex at birth . ''
Parents for Privacy argued in their brief to the high court that the school safety plan `` interferes with parents ' rights to direct the upbringing of their children , schoolchildren 's rights to bodily privacy , parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercise of religion , and children 's rights to be free from hostile educational environments under Title IX . ''
Activists have worried that conservative rulings on LGBT issues might be forthcoming from the court , since the shift to a conservative majority with the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett .
But the court decided to let the lower ruling stand .
`` This was a cruel case trying to punish a school district for letting a trans boy use the boys ' locker room and restroom , '' Gabriel Arkles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defense & Education Fund tweeted Monday .

The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear a case involving parents who sued to stop transgender students from using bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. File Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a case that would have blocked transgender students from using school bathrooms and locker rooms that matched their gender identity. The high court's move was hailed as a win for advocates who have wondered if the court's new conservative majority would make rulings that might threaten LGBT rights. Advertisement
"The Supreme Court has once again said that transgender youth are not a threat to other students," said Chase Strangio, deputy director for trans justice with the ACLU's LGBT & HIV Project, in a statement. "The decision not to take this case is an important and powerful message to trans and non-binary youth that they deserve to share space with and enjoy the benefits of school alongside their non-transgender peers."
In 2018, the U.S. District court in Portland, Ore., dismissed a case brought by Parents for Privacy, a Dallas, Ore., group that challenged the local school district's "Student Safety Plan," saying the new policy violated the privacy rights of cisgender students and staff not to be exposed to transgender children using the bathrooms.
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In February, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's decision, saying that "There is no Fourteenth Amendment fundamental privacy right to avoid all risk of intimate exposure to or by a transgender person who was assigned the opposite biological sex at birth."
Parents for Privacy argued in their brief to the high court that the school safety plan "interferes with parents' rights to direct the upbringing of their children, schoolchildren's rights to bodily privacy, parents' and children's rights to free exercise of religion, and children's rights to be free from hostile educational environments under Title IX."
Activists have worried that conservative rulings on LGBT issues might be forthcoming from the court, since the shift to a conservative majority with the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
But the court decided to let the lower ruling stand.
"This was a cruel case trying to punish a school district for letting a trans boy use the boys' locker room and restroom," Gabriel Arkles, attorney with the New York-based Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund tweeted Monday.


upi--2020-12-07--Officials delay over 150 Israelis in Dubai airport amid visa issues

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- Officials temporarily denied entry to the United Arab Emirates to over 150 Israelis due to visa issues encountered when their flight landed in Dubai .
The issue occurred early Monday after about 200 Israeli tourists arrived in the United Arab Emirates on a FlyDubai Flight , Channel 12 News reported .
The holdup occurred due to a change in visa regulations Sunday evening .
Passengers with Israeli citizenship were required to fill out electronic visa forms , which was not required before the regulations change .
After Israeli 's Foreign Ministry senior officials intervened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the clearance was resolved , taking about four hours .
The change in visa regulations may be due to Israel suggesting that Dubai would be marked as a red state , which would mean its citizens could not enter Israel , according to Israeli media .
The regulation changes Sunday do not affect passengers with non-Israeli citizenship , but all Israeli visitors will now be required to fill out E-visa forms .
`` We apologize to the 155 who were late when they arrived this morning .
We review the reasons behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this was inconvenient for our passengers , '' the airline said in the statement .
`` These are not the service standards we would expect for any of our passengers , and we re-check the process and procedures to prevent delays on subsequent flights . ''
Israel and the UAE formally normalized relations in September , agreeing to a mutual visa waiver , but there is still not formal visa agreement between them .
Meanwhile , tourist visas are available for Israeli passport holders through airlines and travel and tourism offices , Abu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

FlyDubai apologized after 155 Israeli travelers' entry into Dubai was delayed Monday over visa issues. File Photo by Emil Salman/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Officials temporarily denied entry to the United Arab Emirates to over 150 Israelis due to visa issues encountered when their flight landed in Dubai. The issue occurred early Monday after about 200 Israeli tourists arrived in the United Arab Emirates on a FlyDubai Flight, Channel 12 News reported. Advertisement
The holdup occurred due to a change in visa regulations Sunday evening.
Passengers with Israeli citizenship were required to fill out electronic visa forms, which was not required before the regulations change. After Israeli's Foreign Ministry senior officials intervened and the travelers applied for electronic visas, the clearance was resolved, taking about four hours.
National Security Council head Meir Ben-Shabbat also helped settle the issue.
The change in visa regulations may be due to Israel suggesting that Dubai would be marked as a red state, which would mean its citizens could not enter Israel, according to Israeli media.
The regulation changes Sunday do not affect passengers with non-Israeli citizenship, but all Israeli visitors will now be required to fill out E-visa forms.
FlyDubai apologized in a statement.
"We apologize to the 155 who were late when they arrived this morning. We review the reasons behind this delay, and we understand that this was inconvenient for our passengers," the airline said in the statement. "These are not the service standards we would expect for any of our passengers, and we re-check the process and procedures to prevent delays on subsequent flights."
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Israel and the UAE formally normalized relations in September, agreeing to a mutual visa waiver, but there is still not formal visa agreement between them. Meanwhile, tourist visas are available for Israeli passport holders through airlines and travel and tourism offices, Abu Dhabi's foreign ministry announced last week.


upi--2020-12-07--Watch: Australian suburb covered in 'hairy panic' tumbleweeds

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- An Australian town is undergoing a massive clean-up operation after recent winds brought so @ @ @ @ @ that some people reported being trapped in their homes .
The influx of tumbleweeds -- @ @ @ @ @ panic '' in Australia -- took place during the weekend in Hillside , a northwest @ @ @ @ @ Pigott said the tumbleweeds that covered her yard were up to 14 feet high in @ @ @ @ @ her family spent an entire day cleaning up the grass , only to find their @ @ @ @ @ day .
Neighbors said they believe the tumbleweeds came in from an unmaintained property near @ @ @ @ @ the local council has refused to help residents clean up the mess .
Weather reports @ @ @ @ @ 68 mph during the weekend .

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Dec. 7 (UPI) -- An Australian town is undergoing a massive clean-up operation after recent winds brought so many tumbleweeds to the area that some people reported being trapped in their homes.
The influx of tumbleweeds -- known as a "hairy panic" in Australia -- took place during the weekend in Hillside, a northwest suburb of Melbourne.
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Claire Pigott said the tumbleweeds that covered her yard were up to 14 feet high in some spots. She said her family spent an entire day cleaning up the grass, only to find their home buried again the following day.
Neighbors said they believe the tumbleweeds came in from an unmaintained property near the suburb. They said the local council has refused to help residents clean up the mess.
Weather reports warned residents of winds reaching 68 mph during the weekend.


upi--2020-12-07--SpaceX wins $885 million for Starlink broadband service

ORLANDO , Fla. , Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- The Federal Communications Commission on Monday awarded SpaceX 's Starlink Internet venture $ 885 million in a broadband services auction for rural America .
It was the fourth-largest award in recent competitive bidding .
The win provides new funding to Starlink , which recently provided free public testing in limited areas of the northwestern United States and Canada .
The money also will help Starlink move toward bringing better-quality and faster Internet service to rural areas .
Elon Musk 's company has more than 900 Starlink communications satellites in orbit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SpaceX won bids to provide broadband in 35 states , more states than any of the 180 companies that bid in the recent auction , which covered 49 states .
The contracts are a significant win for SpaceX , said Shagun Sachdeva , who has worked as an analyst covering large satellite constellations and recently founded her own consulting company , France-based Kosmic Apple .
`` If SpaceX manages to get government and military contracts for Starlink , as they seem to be successfully doing so far , they can keep the commercial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market share , '' Sachdeva said .
The FCC funding and recent public testing mean SpaceX is `` most definitely one of the front runners now '' in providing broadband service , she said .
The companies that won more funding than SpaceX were LTD Broadband , which operates in the Upper Midwest , at $ 1.32 billion ; Connecticut-based Charter Communications , $ 1.22 billion ; and Rural Electric Cooperation Consortium , a nationwide collection of rural utilities , at $ 1.1 billion .
SpaceX Starlink satellites operate at roughly 340 miles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a low-Earth orbit , and travel at 17,500 mph , according to SpaceX .
Winning bids in the auction allows SpaceX to submit formal applications for contract Internet service in rural areas .
SpaceX has advertised Starlink at $ 99 a month after the purchase of a satellite dish receiver for $ 499 , but the FCC funding is to be used partly to lower those costs for rural areas .

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SpaceX has won $885 million through a Federal Communications Commission auction to provide broadband service to rural areas via the company's Starlink satellites, as depicted in this artist's concept. Image courtesy of SpaceX
ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 7 (UPI) -- The Federal Communications Commission on Monday awarded SpaceX's Starlink Internet venture $885 million in a broadband services auction for rural America. It was the fourth-largest award in recent competitive bidding. The win provides new funding to Starlink, which recently provided free public testing in limited areas of the northwestern United States and Canada. The money also will help Starlink move toward bringing better-quality and faster Internet service to rural areas. Advertisement
Elon Musk's company has more than 900 Starlink communications satellites in orbit and intends to launch hundreds more.
SpaceX won bids to provide broadband in 35 states, more states than any of the 180 companies that bid in the recent auction, which covered 49 states.
The contracts are a significant win for SpaceX, said Shagun Sachdeva, who has worked as an analyst covering large satellite constellations and recently founded her own consulting company, France-based Kosmic Apple.
"If SpaceX manages to get government and military contracts for Starlink, as they seem to be successfully doing so far, they can keep the commercial costs low enough to gain a decent market share," Sachdeva said.
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The FCC funding and recent public testing mean SpaceX is "most definitely one of the front runners now" in providing broadband service, she said.
The companies that won more funding than SpaceX were LTD Broadband, which operates in the Upper Midwest, at $1.32 billion; Connecticut-based Charter Communications, $1.22 billion; and Rural Electric Cooperation Consortium, a nationwide collection of rural utilities, at $1.1 billion.
SpaceX Starlink satellites operate at roughly 340 miles above the Earth, which is considered a low-Earth orbit, and travel at 17,500 mph, according to SpaceX.
Winning bids in the auction allows SpaceX to submit formal applications for contract Internet service in rural areas. SpaceX has advertised Starlink at $99 a month after the purchase of a satellite dish receiver for $499, but the FCC funding is to be used partly to lower those costs for rural areas.
NASA, SpaceX complete historic first mission to space station


upi--2020-12-07--Study: Brain 'signatures' of major depression may help diagnosis, treatment

Dec. 7 ( UPI ) -- Using machine learning , researchers identified distinct patterns of coordinated activity between parts of the brain in people with major depressive disorder , which could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment , according to a study published Monday by PLOS Biology .
Although major depression is fairly easy to diagnose , a better understanding of the brain networks associated with the disease could improve treatment , according to the researchers .
The machine-learning method identified several key functional connections in magnetic resonance imaging that could serve as a brain network signature for major depression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serve as a foundation for discovering brain network patterns associated with different types of depression and reveal relationships between depression and other disorders , the researchers said .
A better understanding of brain network connections in major depression could also help match patients to more effective treatments or lead to the development of new treatments , they said .
`` Despite the progress of neuroscience , biological examinations of the brain have not been used for clinical diagnosis in psychiatry , '' study co-author Ayumu Yamashita told UPI .
`` Our study will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show ] it will be possible to objectively diagnose depression based on abnormal brain signature , '' said Yamashita , a scientist with Advanced Telecommunications Research Institutes International in Japan .
Machine-learning algorithms can be applied to data on brain activity in people with depression to find similar `` signatures , '' or abnormalities , that may be linked with the development of the disease , they said .
Recent research suggests major depressive disorder is linked with faulty connections between two brain networks , called the limbic and frontostriatal networks .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for identifying these faulty connections using MRI has made their use as a diagnostic tool challenging , Yamashita said .
For this study , Yamashita and his colleagues used machine learning to analyze brain network data from 713 people , 149 of whom had major depression .
They collected the data for the study using a technique called resting-state functional MRI , which detects brain activity and produces images that reveal coordinated activity , or `` functional connections , '' between different parts of the brain .
When the researchers applied these signatures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their approach was 70 % accurate at identifying which of them had major depressive disorder , they said .
`` Our study will improve the quality of diagnosis from doctors , by checking [ for ] biological abnormalities in brain , '' Yamashita said .
`` This is the first step in transforming conventional medical treatment methods ... into a cutting-edge science-based medical treatment methods , '' he said .

Machine learning may help identify brain abnormalities in people with major depressive disorder, a new study has found. Photo by StockSnap/Pixabay
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Using machine learning, researchers identified distinct patterns of coordinated activity between parts of the brain in people with major depressive disorder, which could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment, according to a study published Monday by PLOS Biology. Although major depression is fairly easy to diagnose, a better understanding of the brain networks associated with the disease could improve treatment, according to the researchers. Advertisement
The machine-learning method identified several key functional connections in magnetic resonance imaging that could serve as a brain network signature for major depression.
The new brain network signature could serve as a foundation for discovering brain network patterns associated with different types of depression and reveal relationships between depression and other disorders, the researchers said.
A better understanding of brain network connections in major depression could also help match patients to more effective treatments or lead to the development of new treatments, they said.
"Despite the progress of neuroscience, biological examinations of the brain have not been used for clinical diagnosis in psychiatry," study co-author Ayumu Yamashita told UPI.
"Our study will change this situation, [as we show] it will be possible to objectively diagnose depression based on abnormal brain signature," said Yamashita, a scientist with Advanced Telecommunications Research Institutes International in Japan.
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Machine-learning algorithms can be applied to data on brain activity in people with depression to find similar "signatures," or abnormalities, that may be linked with the development of the disease, they said.
Recent research suggests major depressive disorder is linked with faulty connections between two brain networks, called the limbic and frontostriatal networks.
However, inconsistencies in the standards and protocols for identifying these faulty connections using MRI has made their use as a diagnostic tool challenging, Yamashita said.
For this study, Yamashita and his colleagues used machine learning to analyze brain network data from 713 people, 149 of whom had major depression.
They collected the data for the study using a technique called resting-state functional MRI, which detects brain activity and produces images that reveal coordinated activity, or "functional connections," between different parts of the brain.
When the researchers applied these signatures to the MRIs of 521 people, their approach was 70% accurate at identifying which of them had major depressive disorder, they said.
"Our study will improve the quality of diagnosis from doctors, by checking [for] biological abnormalities in brain," Yamashita said.
"This is the first step in transforming conventional medical treatment methods ... into a cutting-edge science-based medical treatment methods," he said.


upi--2020-12-08--Second 'Euphoria' special to debut on Jan. 24

Dec. 8 ( UPI ) -- The second of two special episodes of Euphoria is set to premiere on HBO @ @ @ @ @ .
Directed by the show 's creator Sam Levinson , the episode follows Jules ( @ @ @ @ @ as she reflects on the year during the Christmas holiday .
Schafer serves as co-executive @ @ @ @ @ which she co-wrote with Levinson .
The first special episode centered on Zendaya 's character @ @ @ @ @ .
Zendaya won an Emmy in September for her performance in Season 1 .
The @ @ @ @ @ with addiction , identity and relationship issues .

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Hunter Schafer's special episode of "Euphoria" is set to air on HBO Jan. 24. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 8 (UPI) -- The second of two special episodes of Euphoria is set to premiere on HBO and HBO Max Jan. 24. Directed by the show's creator Sam Levinson, the episode follows Jules (played by Hunter Schafer) as she reflects on the year during the Christmas holiday. Advertisement
Schafer serves as co-executive producer on the episode, which she co-wrote with Levinson.
The first special episode centered on Zendaya's character Rue. It debuted Sunday.
Zendaya won an Emmy in September for her performance in Season 1.
The show is about teens struggling with addiction, identity and relationship issues.


upi--2020-12-08--Look: Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins celebrate daughter Roux's birth

Dec. 8 ( UPI ) -- WWE stars Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins are celebrating the birth of their first child .
Lynch , 33 , and Rollins , 34 , took to Instagram Monday after welcoming a daughter , Roux .
Lynch shared a photo of herself and Rollins holding their baby girl 's tiny hand .
`` Welcome to the world Roux .
You are the love of our lives .
# andnew , '' she captioned the post .
Rollins posted the same picture on his own account .
Fellow wrestlers Natalya , Paige , Peyton Royce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lynch and Rollins in the comments .
`` Congratulations @ beckylynchwwe and @ wwerollins !
So happy for you guys !
!
!
!
! ''
Natalya wrote .
`` Omg !
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Congrats !
Love you !
!
!
!
!
!
!
Ca n't wait to meet her , '' Lana said .
Lynch and Rollins got engaged in August 2019 and announced in May that they were expecting .
`` I have no idea what happens from here , but I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dreams come true , '' Lynch said on Instagram at the time .
Lynch shared a first sonogram on Rollins ' birthday in May and posted maternity photos with Rollins in November .
Lynch has been on maternity leave from the WWE since May .
Rollins continues to compete in WWE wrestling and appear on SmackDown .

Dec. 8 (UPI) -- WWE stars Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins are celebrating the birth of their first child.
Lynch, 33, and Rollins, 34, took to Instagram Monday after welcoming a daughter, Roux.
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Lynch shared a photo of herself and Rollins holding their baby girl's tiny hand.
"Welcome to the world Roux. You are the love of our lives. #andnew," she captioned the post.
Rollins posted the same picture on his own account.
"#andnew," he wrote.
Fellow wrestlers Natalya, Paige, Peyton Royce and Lana were among those to congratulate Lynch and Rollins in the comments.
"Congratulations @beckylynchwwe and @wwerollins! So happy for you guys!!!!!" Natalya wrote.
"Omg!!!!!!!!!! Congrats! Love you!!!!!!! Can't wait to meet her," Lana said.
Lynch and Rollins got engaged in August 2019 and announced in May that they were expecting.
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"I have no idea what happens from here, but I do know that you've made all my dreams come true," Lynch said on Instagram at the time.
Lynch shared a first sonogram on Rollins' birthday in May and posted maternity photos with Rollins in November.
Lynch has been on maternity leave from the WWE since May. Rollins continues to compete in WWE wrestling and appear on SmackDown.


upi--2020-12-08--White Sox trade for ex-Rangers RHP Lance Lynn

Dec. 8 ( UPI ) -- The Chicago White Sox on Tuesday acquired right-handed pitcher Lance Lynn as part of a trade with the Texas Rangers .
Sources told MLB.com , ESPN and The Athletic that the White Sox will send right-handed pitcher Dane Dunning and left-handed pitcher Avery Weems to Texas as part of the swap .
The trade is pending a review of medical records .
Lynn , 33 , started a league-high 13 games and appeared in a league-high 84 innings last season for the Rangers .
He posted a 6-3 record and 3.32 ERA in 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 3.67 ERA in 33 appearances in 2019 .
He owns a 104-71 record and a 3.57 ERA for his career .
Lynn -- a 2012 All-Star -- has also played for the St. Louis Cardinals , Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees during his nine-year MLB tenure .
Dunning , 25 , was the White Sox 's No .
5 prospect , according to MLB Pipeline .
The No .
29 overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft went 2-0 with a 3.97 ERA in seven appearances last season .
Dunning was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was traded in 2016 with Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez to the White Sox in exchange for outfielder Adam Eaton .
Weems , 23 , was a sixth-round pick by the White Sox in the 2019 MLB Draft .
Lynn has a $ 9.3 million salary in 2021 before he hits free agency next off-season .

Pitcher Lance Lynn (pictured) will slide in behind Lucas Giolito and Dallas Keuchel in the Chicago White Sox rotation next season after he was acquired Tuesday in a trade with the Texas Rangers. File Photo by Trask Smith/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 8 (UPI) -- The Chicago White Sox on Tuesday acquired right-handed pitcher Lance Lynn as part of a trade with the Texas Rangers. Sources told MLB.com, ESPN and The Athletic that the White Sox will send right-handed pitcher Dane Dunning and left-handed pitcher Avery Weems to Texas as part of the swap. The trade is pending a review of medical records. Advertisement
Lynn, 33, started a league-high 13 games and appeared in a league-high 84 innings last season for the Rangers. He posted a 6-3 record and 3.32 ERA in 2020. Lynn posted a 16-11 record with a 3.67 ERA in 33 appearances in 2019.
He owns a 104-71 record and a 3.57 ERA for his career. Lynn -- a 2012 All-Star -- has also played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees during his nine-year MLB tenure.
Dunning, 25, was the White Sox's No. 5 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The No. 29 overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft went 2-0 with a 3.97 ERA in seven appearances last season.
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Dunning was drafted by the Washington Nationals, but was traded in 2016 with Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez to the White Sox in exchange for outfielder Adam Eaton. Weems, 23, was a sixth-round pick by the White Sox in the 2019 MLB Draft.
Lynn has a $9.3 million salary in 2021 before he hits free agency next off-season.


upi--2020-12-08--'Safe harbor' deadline arrives for states to cement President-elect Joe Biden's election win

Dec. 8 ( UPI ) -- Tuesday marks the federal `` safe harbor '' deadline , which requires states to lock in their slates of electors who will formally cast the ballots for President-elect Joe Biden next week .
Under federal law , the deadline ensures that Congress counts the electoral votes of states that have resolved all disputes and chosen their electors a full six days before the Electoral College meets to officially cast the ballots .
Electors will gather in their state capitals next Monday , which put the safe harbor deadline on Tuesday .
After the electors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent to Washington , D.C. , to be counted by Congress on Jan. 6 .
The deadline , typically a little-noticed formality in the electoral process , has attracted attention this year due to President Donald Trump 's groundless efforts to overturn Biden 's victory in multiple battleground states .
All but a couple of the Trump campaign 's legal challenges have been dismissed in state and federal courts as baseless and lacking evidence to support any claims of voter fraud .
Federal judges in Michigan and Georgia threw out two suits on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not meet the safe harbor deadline is Wisconsin , where a judge has scheduled a hearing for Thursday to hear a Trump campaign appeal that was rejected last week by the state supreme court .
Wisconsin 's electors will still meet on Monday to cast their votes for Biden , but it 's theoretically possible that Congress could reject them during counting next month if the state misses the safe harbor deadline -- a possibility experts say is highly unlikely .
For that to happen , lawmakers in both chambers would need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's longshot legal effort takes another hit with Tuesday 's passing of the safe harbor deadline , as Biden 's victory becomes all but `` locked in . ''
`` Without credible evidence to support the idea that there 's a problem , it just becomes less and less likely that anyone is going to disrupt the schedule as it unfolds in state statutes and federal law , '' William and Mary School of Law election law program chief Rebecca Green told USA Today .
The campaign is appealing setbacks in Pennsylvania , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential to keep the state from meeting the safe harbor deadline or block its 20 electoral votes for Biden .
Pennsylvania , Georgia and Michigan were three key states that allowed Biden to clinch the presidency .
`` Assuming that the pending federal court litigation does not give the plaintiffs any of the remedies they are seeking , these federal cases should not affect safe harbor status , even if they go past Tuesday , '' Ohio State University election law expert Edward Foley told NBC News .

The White House is pictured on Monday, with its flag at half-staff to commemorate the 79th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Photo by Chris Kleponis/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Tuesday marks the federal "safe harbor" deadline, which requires states to lock in their slates of electors who will formally cast the ballots for President-elect Joe Biden next week. Under federal law, the deadline ensures that Congress counts the electoral votes of states that have resolved all disputes and chosen their electors a full six days before the Electoral College meets to officially cast the ballots. Advertisement
Electors will gather in their state capitals next Monday, which put the safe harbor deadline on Tuesday. After the electors cast their ballots, they will be sent to Washington, D.C., to be counted by Congress on Jan. 6.
The deadline, typically a little-noticed formality in the electoral process, has attracted attention this year due to President Donald Trump's groundless efforts to overturn Biden's victory in multiple battleground states.
All but a couple of the Trump campaign's legal challenges have been dismissed in state and federal courts as baseless and lacking evidence to support any claims of voter fraud. Federal judges in Michigan and Georgia threw out two suits on Monday.
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The only state that may not meet the safe harbor deadline is Wisconsin, where a judge has scheduled a hearing for Thursday to hear a Trump campaign appeal that was rejected last week by the state supreme court.
Wisconsin's electors will still meet on Monday to cast their votes for Biden, but it's theoretically possible that Congress could reject them during counting next month if the state misses the safe harbor deadline -- a possibility experts say is highly unlikely. For that to happen, lawmakers in both chambers would need to object in writing.
Analysts say Trump's longshot legal effort takes another hit with Tuesday's passing of the safe harbor deadline, as Biden's victory becomes all but "locked in."
"Without credible evidence to support the idea that there's a problem, it just becomes less and less likely that anyone is going to disrupt the schedule as it unfolds in state statutes and federal law," William and Mary School of Law election law program chief Rebecca Green told USA Today.
The campaign is appealing setbacks in Pennsylvania, but legal analysts doubt they have any potential to keep the state from meeting the safe harbor deadline or block its 20 electoral votes for Biden. Pennsylvania, Georgia and Michigan were three key states that allowed Biden to clinch the presidency.
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"Assuming that the pending federal court litigation does not give the plaintiffs any of the remedies they are seeking, these federal cases should not affect safe harbor status, even if they go past Tuesday," Ohio State University election law expert Edward Foley told NBC News.
Meet President Joe Biden's top adviser picks


upi--2020-12-08--In photos: Meet President-elect Joe Biden's top adviser picks


upi--2020-12-08--Watch: Mariah Carey hopes to adapt 'The Meaning' memoir as new film

Dec. 8 ( UPI ) -- Mariah Carey says it was `` always her goal '' to adapt her memoir as a new film .
The 50-year-old singer discussed the possibility of her book The Meaning of Mariah Carey being made into a movie during Monday 's episode of The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon .
`` We 're talking about some things , '' Carey confirmed .
`` I really feel like it should .
That was always my goal but it was important to write the book first because there 's so much , and then to kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that . ''
Carey addressed rumors that writer , director and producer Lee Daniels is interested in the project .
`` We love Lee , '' she said .
`` Lee is my -- he 's one of my dearest friends , and he gets me in a way that most people do n't .
But I 'm not allowed to say yes , no , maybe so .
Only Lee tells little leaks about things . ''
When asked who might play her in the film , Carey said they need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` range . ''
`` I do n't know , '' she said .
`` We 're figuring out different takes on that .
...
They 're going to have to have quite the range . ''
Carey released The Meaning of Mariah Carey in September and mentioned she was in talks for a movie adaptation in an interview with Elle published last week .
On The Tonight Show , Carey also discussed her hit holiday single `` All I Want for Christmas is You , '' released in 1994 .
Carey said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ song as a listener .
`` Like , for so long , I would put it on -- It 's part of my Christmas playlist -- I would put it on and pick it apart , '' she said .
`` Like , all the other artists ' songs would come on , and I 'd just be enjoying the Christmas spirit .
And then I hear that , and I go , 'Why did I keep that there ?
Why did n't I change that ? '
'' Carey 's holiday special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Apple TV+ this month .
She released a new video for her holiday song `` Oh Santa ! ''
featuring Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson last week .

Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Mariah Carey says it was "always her goal" to adapt her memoir as a new film.
The 50-year-old singer discussed the possibility of her book The Meaning of Mariah Carey being made into a movie during Monday's episode of The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.
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"We're talking about some things," Carey confirmed. "I really feel like it should. That was always my goal but it was important to write the book first because there's so much, and then to kind of pick and choose how we translate that."
Carey addressed rumors that writer, director and producer Lee Daniels is interested in the project.
"We love Lee," she said. "Lee is my -- he's one of my dearest friends, and he gets me in a way that most people don't. But I'm not allowed to say yes, no, maybe so. Only Lee tells little leaks about things."
When asked who might play her in the film, Carey said they need to find an actress with a lot of "range."
"I don't know," she said. "We're figuring out different takes on that. ... They're going to have to have quite the range."
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Carey released The Meaning of Mariah Carey in September and mentioned she was in talks for a movie adaptation in an interview with Elle published last week.
On The Tonight Show, Carey also discussed her hit holiday single "All I Want for Christmas is You," released in 1994. Carey said it took her years to enjoy the song as a listener.
"Like, for so long, I would put it on -- It's part of my Christmas playlist -- I would put it on and pick it apart," she said. "Like, all the other artists' songs would come on, and I'd just be enjoying the Christmas spirit. And then I hear that, and I go, 'Why did I keep that there? Why didn't I change that?'"
Carey's holiday special Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special premiered on Apple TV+ this month. She released a new video for her holiday song "Oh Santa!" featuring Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson last week.