upi--2020-09-21--New York Giants star RB Saquon Barkley has torn ACL, done for season

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- An MRI on Monday confirmed that New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley has a torn ACL in his right knee .
The team announced that Barkley underwent additional tests at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan the day after he was injured during the Giants ' 17-13 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday .
According to the team , the Pro Bowl tailback will undergo surgery in the `` near future '' and miss the rest of the season .
`` Losing a player who is such a good teammate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worker on the field will impact your team in a lot of ways , '' Giants head coach Joe Judge told reporters Monday .
`` Saquon is a tremendous player .
We have even more respect for him as a person .
I personally hate it for this guy as hard as he has worked . ''
Barkley suffered the knee injury as he ran toward the sideline and was being tackled by Bears defensive back Eddie Jackson .
The running back grabbed his knee as he was about to hit the ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ field and transported him to the locker room on a cart .
He recorded 28 yards on four carries before exiting the game .
His season ends with 19 rushes for 34 yards and no touchdowns .
The Giants could turn to Dion Lewis and Wayne Gallman in the absence of Barkley this season .
According to ESPN and NFL Media , the team is bringing in former Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman for a workout this week .
The Giants selected Barkley with the No .
2 overall pick in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The 23-year-old tailback has rushed for 2,344 yards and 17 touchdowns on 497 carries in his first three seasons .

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Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller (23) takes down New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) on Sunday at Soldier Field in Chicago. Photo by Mark Black/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 21 (UPI) -- An MRI on Monday confirmed that New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley has a torn ACL in his right knee. The team announced that Barkley underwent additional tests at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan the day after he was injured during the Giants' 17-13 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday. According to the team, the Pro Bowl tailback will undergo surgery in the "near future" and miss the rest of the season. Advertisement
"Losing a player who is such a good teammate and someone who is such a hard worker on the field will impact your team in a lot of ways," Giants head coach Joe Judge told reporters Monday. "Saquon is a tremendous player. We have even more respect for him as a person. I personally hate it for this guy as hard as he has worked."
Barkley suffered the knee injury as he ran toward the sideline and was being tackled by Bears defensive back Eddie Jackson. The running back grabbed his knee as he was about to hit the ground.
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Giants trainers carried Barkley off the field and transported him to the locker room on a cart. He recorded 28 yards on four carries before exiting the game. His season ends with 19 rushes for 34 yards and no touchdowns.
The Giants could turn to Dion Lewis and Wayne Gallman in the absence of Barkley this season. According to ESPN and NFL Media, the team is bringing in former Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman for a workout this week.
The Giants selected Barkley with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Penn State. The 23-year-old tailback has rushed for 2,344 yards and 17 touchdowns on 497 carries in his first three seasons.
This week in the National Football League


upi--2020-09-21--Broncos WR Courtland Sutton out for year, QB Drew Lock to miss 3-5 weeks

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- The Denver Broncos will be without top wide receiver Courtland Sutton for the remainder of the season and quarterback Drew Lock for multiple weeks , the team announced Monday .
Sutton suffered a torn ACL during the Broncos ' 26-21 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday .
The third-year wideout missed the team 's season opener because of a right shoulder injury and had been limited in practice leading up to Week 2 .
Lock will miss three to five weeks with a severe strain of the rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sustained the injury in the first quarter of Sunday 's game against the Steelers .
`` Drew 's going to be out anywhere from three to four to five weeks , '' Broncos head coach Vic Fangio said .
`` It all depends on the healing process .
...
When it 's your throwing shoulder , it 's going to take time to heal it .
It 's got to calm down , get his strength back to where he fully has it , and he can operate at 100 percent . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ report that includes star linebacker Von Miller ( ankle ) and running back Phillip Lindsay ( toe ) .
Miller is expected to miss the remainder of the season , while Lindsay -- who missed Sunday 's game -- will be sidelined for multiple weeks .
Sutton , who had three receptions for 66 yards against the Steelers , played 31 snaps in the matchup .
His last catch of the contest came at the 6:23 mark in the second quarter , when he hauled in a 45-yard pass from backup quarterback Jeff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ K.J .
Hamler and Tyrie Cleveland are expected to see added work as the season moves forward .
Jeudy -- the Broncos ' first-round pick in this year 's NFL Draft -- ranks second on the team in catches and receiving yards .

Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock will miss three to five weeks with a severe strain of the rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 21 (UPI) -- The Denver Broncos will be without top wide receiver Courtland Sutton for the remainder of the season and quarterback Drew Lock for multiple weeks, the team announced Monday. Sutton suffered a torn ACL during the Broncos' 26-21 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The third-year wideout missed the team's season opener because of a right shoulder injury and had been limited in practice leading up to Week 2. Advertisement
Lock will miss three to five weeks with a severe strain of the rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder, according to the team. He sustained the injury in the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Steelers.
"Drew's going to be out anywhere from three to four to five weeks," Broncos head coach Vic Fangio said. "It all depends on the healing process. ... When it's your throwing shoulder, it's going to take time to heal it. It's got to calm down, get his strength back to where he fully has it, and he can operate at 100 percent."
Lock and Sutton join a Broncos injury report that includes star linebacker Von Miller (ankle) and running back Phillip Lindsay (toe). Miller is expected to miss the remainder of the season, while Lindsay -- who missed Sunday's game -- will be sidelined for multiple weeks.
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Sutton, who had three receptions for 66 yards against the Steelers, played 31 snaps in the matchup. His last catch of the contest came at the 6:23 mark in the second quarter, when he hauled in a 45-yard pass from backup quarterback Jeff Driskel.
Rookie receivers Jerry Jeudy, K.J. Hamler and Tyrie Cleveland are expected to see added work as the season moves forward. Jeudy -- the Broncos' first-round pick in this year's NFL Draft -- ranks second on the team in catches and receiving yards.
This week in the National Football League


upi--2020-09-21--Justice Department announces $101M in grants to combat human trafficking

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday announced nearly $ 101 million in federal grants to combat human trafficking .
Attorney General William Barr announced the grants through the Justice Department 's Office of Justice Programs during an event in Atlanta alongside Ivanka Trump , President Donald Trump 's daughter and adviser , as they met with federal law enforcement and toured the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy .
`` Working with state and local law enforcement and community victim service providers , we will continue to bring these criminals to justice and deliver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a Justice Department statement .
The office for Victims of Crime awarded $ 97.4 million in grants to state , local and tribal jurisdictions , service providers and task forces throughout the United States , while OJP 's National Institute of Justice awarded $ 3.5 million in support of research and evaluation related to human trafficking , the Justice Department said .
Grants include $ 22.7 million for programs to support the effectiveness of collaborative and multidisciplinary task forces combatting human trafficking ; $ 35.1 million to 73 organizations providing housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as programs focused on other services for victims of trafficking and preventing trafficking of girls .
At the event , Ivanka Trump highlighted `` Operation Not Forgotten '' a two-week effort in which the U.S .
Marshals Service said it found 39 missing children in Georgia and made nine arrests in August .
She added that the president , `` is committed to combatting this crime , committed to bringing justice to the victims -- to their families -- and committed to holistic healing that is so necessary for the brave survivors @ @

Attorney General William Barr and presidential adviser Ivanka Trump announced nearly $101 million in grants for programs combatting human trafficking during an event in Atlanta on Monday. Photo by Tami Chappell/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 21 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday announced nearly $101 million in federal grants to combat human trafficking. Attorney General William Barr announced the grants through the Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs during an event in Atlanta alongside Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trump's daughter and adviser, as they met with federal law enforcement and toured the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. Advertisement
"Working with state and local law enforcement and community victim service providers, we will continue to bring these criminals to justice and deliver critical aid to survivors," Barr said in a Justice Department statement.
The office for Victims of Crime awarded $97.4 million in grants to state, local and tribal jurisdictions, service providers and task forces throughout the United States, while OJP's National Institute of Justice awarded $3.5 million in support of research and evaluation related to human trafficking, the Justice Department said.
Grants include $22.7 million for programs to support the effectiveness of collaborative and multidisciplinary task forces combatting human trafficking; $35.1 million to 73 organizations providing housing assistance for victims of human trafficking as well as programs focused on other services for victims of trafficking and preventing trafficking of girls.
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At the event, Ivanka Trump highlighted "Operation Not Forgotten" a two-week effort in which the U.S. Marshals Service said it found 39 missing children in Georgia and made nine arrests in August.
She added that the president, "is committed to combatting this crime, committed to bringing justice to the victims -- to their families -- and committed to holistic healing that is so necessary for the brave survivors."


upi--2020-09-21--NYPD officer accused of spying on Tibetans for Chinese government

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- Federal prosecutors announced Monday they had filed charges against a New York City police officer who allegedly spied on Tibetan New Yorkers on behalf of the Chinese government .
Between 2014 and 2019 , Baimadajie Angwang , 33 , a community affairs officer in the 111th Precinct in northeast Queens and member of the U.S. Army Reserve , allegedly took orders from New York 's Chinese Consulate to report on the activities of ethnically Chinese and Tibetan residents .
Angwang also was accused of wire fraud , lying on documents for secret-level clearance and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violated every oath he took in this country .
One to the United States , another to the U.S. Army , and a third to this Police Department , '' NYPD Commissioner Dermot F. Shea said in a statement .
The FBI 's Counterintelligence Division and New York Police Department worked together to record conversations between Angwang , an ethnic Tibetan , and his `` handlers '' at the Chinese consulate .
The federal arrest affidavit , unsealed on Monday , alleges that Angwang called his contacts at the Chinese consulate dozens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boss . ''
Angwang allegedly offered to report the doings of the police department and help the consulate members develop `` soft power '' among Chinese and Tibetan immigrant communities in New York , the complaint alleges .
Tibet has been occupied by China since 1951 .
An independence movement in the Tibetan Autonomous Region has partially relied on expatriates for financial and political support .
Among the intelligence allegedly passed on by Angwang , in October 2018 , was the opening of a Tibetan community center in Queens from which Tibetan political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They are the biggest venue for activities right now .
If they are involved with politics , then in the future more than half of the meetings might take place there , '' Angwang allegedly told his handlers at the consulate .
He also suggested that the consulate try to `` develop '' Catholics , Muslims or those of Hui ethnicity in the Tibetan community because those ethnic subgroups were `` discriminated against and neglected , '' in the Tibetan Autonomous Region , where Tibetan Buddhism was the state religion .
Angwang was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rank of staff sergeant and stationed at Fort Dix , N.J. in an Airborne civil affairs battalion .
He had a U.S. security clearance .
In 2019 , Angwang lied on an electronically submitted SF-86C form for a background investigation , denying that he had relatives or contacts with a foreign government or foreign nationals , even though Angwang had relatives , including his parents , who worked for the Chinese government , the complaint said .
Angwang , a naturalized U.S. citizen , sought asylum in the United States after overstaying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he was `` arrested and tortured '' in China because of his Tibetan heritage , the complaint said .
`` According to the allegations , the Chinese government recruited and directed a U.S. citizen and member of our nation 's largest law enforcement department to further its intelligence gathering and repression of Chinese abroad , '' a statement from Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers said .
`` Our police departments provide for our public safety and are often the first line of defense against the national security threats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via video conference in federal court Monday .
If convicted of all charges , he could serve 55 years in prison .

NYPD officer Baimadajie Angwang, 33, was arrested and charged on Monday with spying for the Chinese consulate in New York City. Photo courtesy of NYC Police Benevolent Association
Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Federal prosecutors announced Monday they had filed charges against a New York City police officer who allegedly spied on Tibetan New Yorkers on behalf of the Chinese government. Between 2014 and 2019, Baimadajie Angwang, 33, a community affairs officer in the 111th Precinct in northeast Queens and member of the U.S. Army Reserve, allegedly took orders from New York's Chinese Consulate to report on the activities of ethnically Chinese and Tibetan residents. Advertisement
Angwang also was accused of wire fraud, lying on documents for secret-level clearance and obstructing an investigation.
"Baimadajie Angwang violated every oath he took in this country. One to the United States, another to the U.S. Army, and a third to this Police Department," NYPD Commissioner Dermot F. Shea said in a statement.
The FBI's Counterintelligence Division and New York Police Department worked together to record conversations between Angwang, an ethnic Tibetan, and his "handlers" at the Chinese consulate.
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The federal arrest affidavit, unsealed on Monday, alleges that Angwang called his contacts at the Chinese consulate dozens of times and referred to them as "boss."
Angwang allegedly offered to report the doings of the police department and help the consulate members develop "soft power" among Chinese and Tibetan immigrant communities in New York, the complaint alleges.
Tibet has been occupied by China since 1951. An independence movement in the Tibetan Autonomous Region has partially relied on expatriates for financial and political support.
Among the intelligence allegedly passed on by Angwang, in October 2018, was the opening of a Tibetan community center in Queens from which Tibetan political independence movements could be organized.
"They are the biggest venue for activities right now. If they are involved with politics, then in the future more than half of the meetings might take place there," Angwang allegedly told his handlers at the consulate.
He also suggested that the consulate try to "develop" Catholics, Muslims or those of Hui ethnicity in the Tibetan community because those ethnic subgroups were "discriminated against and neglected," in the Tibetan Autonomous Region, where Tibetan Buddhism was the state religion.
Angwang was a member of the Army Reserve with the rank of staff sergeant and stationed at Fort Dix, N.J. in an Airborne civil affairs battalion. He had a U.S. security clearance.
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In 2019, Angwang lied on an electronically submitted SF-86C form for a background investigation, denying that he had relatives or contacts with a foreign government or foreign nationals, even though Angwang had relatives, including his parents, who worked for the Chinese government, the complaint said.
Angwang, a naturalized U.S. citizen, sought asylum in the United States after overstaying a cultural exchange visa. He alleged that he was "arrested and tortured" in China because of his Tibetan heritage, the complaint said.
"According to the allegations, the Chinese government recruited and directed a U.S. citizen and member of our nation's largest law enforcement department to further its intelligence gathering and repression of Chinese abroad," a statement from Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers said.
"Our police departments provide for our public safety and are often the first line of defense against the national security threats our country faces."
Angwang appeared via video conference in federal court Monday. If convicted of all charges, he could serve 55 years in prison.


upi--2020-09-21--Tropical Storm Beta brings heavy rains to Texas coast

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- Tropical Storm Beta is expected to be the ninth-named storm this year to make landfall in the United States when it arrives later Monday , forecasters said .
Beta became the earliest 23rd-named tropical storm in the Atlantic , replacing Alpha from 2005 , and was the first storm to be named a Greek letter .
In its 4 a.m. CDT update Monday , the National Hurricane Center said Beta was located 25 miles southeast of Port O'Connor , Texas , and 45 miles south-southwest of Matagorda , Texas .
It had maximum sustained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ northwest at 5 mph .
The NHC said there 's a tropical storm warning in effect from Port Aransas , Texas , to Morgan City , La .
`` On the forecast track , the center of Beta will continue to move toward the central coast of Texas today and will likely move inland by tonight , '' the NHC said .
`` Beta is forecast to remain close to the coast of southeastern Texas on Tuesday and Wednesday . ''
Forecasters had been monitoring the disturbance for over a week before it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Late Friday , it became Tropical Storm Beta .
The National Hurricane Center is now using Greek letters because the list of names has been exhausted .
`` Beta has been feeling the impacts of some stronger vertical wind shear found over the northwestern Gulf of Mexico , '' AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller said .
Wind shear and dry air has so far limited Beta 's strength , and forecasters say the factors should prevent Beta from becoming a hurricane .
`` How strong Beta gets may hold the key on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski .
`` A stronger tropical storm tends to poke higher up into the atmosphere and might get steered westward toward Texas , while a weaker system may hover in the lowest part of the atmosphere , where it avoids stronger winds aloft and then hovers over the Gulf for days . ''
Forecasters said Beta has the best chance to make landfall along the coast of Texas between Corpus Christi and Galveston late Monday or early Tuesday , perhaps near Matagorda Bay .
`` Tropical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season is still in full swing , '' Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a statement Friday .
Residents are urged to not focus on Beta 's intensity , as days of heavy rainfall and flooding are likely , even well away from the center of the storm .
Heavy rainfall and the risk for flash flooding are likely even if the storm lingers just offshore .
`` In 2017 , [ Hurricane ] Harvey unloaded up to 61 inches of rain as it spent days over eastern Texas .
Even though this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harvey , it will have the resources to produce torrential rainfall , '' AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said .
Rainfall of 4-8 inches is expected across southeastern Texas and southern Louisiana .
From 8-16 inches are expected along the Texas and Louisiana coasts .
Waterspouts and isolated tornadoes could also occur in Beta 's outer bands .

Tropical Storm Beta is seen over southeastern Texas early Tuesday. The storm is expected to move slowly to the northeast Tuesday and Wednesday, ultimately weakening to a depression. Image courtesy NOAA/NHC
Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Beta made landfall along the Texas Gulf Coast late Monday, becoming the ninth named storm to hit the United States this year. The National Hurricane Center said in its 4 a.m. CDT update Tuesday, the center of the storm was 35 miles northwest of Port O'Connor, Texas, and 45 miles northwest of Matagorda, Texas. It had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving northwest at 3 mph. Advertisement
"On the forecast track, the center of Beta will move inland over southeastern Texas through Wednesday and then over Louisiana and Mississippi Wednesday night through Friday," the NHC said.
The center said the storm is expected to stall over land on Tuesday as it moves to the northeast toward the Louisiana coast. It's forecast to weaken to a depression late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
Communities that were devastated by Hurricane Laura, and to some extent more recently by Hurricane Sally, could face strong winds and downpours that could hinder ongoing recovery efforts.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 29 counties in Texas on Monday as Beta churned toward the coast.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency on Monday, opening up state resources to aid in local government response. He warned that the storm's slow movement puts the southwestern part of the state at risk for flooding through at least the middle of the week.
Widespread rainfall totals of 4-8 inches are expected across southeastern Texas and into southern Louisiana.
Heavy rainfall and the risk for flash flooding are likely even if the storm wobbles back over the water and lingers just offshore of the Texas coast as currently forecast.
"This rainfall can lead to significant, life-threatening flooding, which may last for several days," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller said.
Even though Beta is not nearly as strong as Hurricane Harvey, which exploded into a Category 4 storm in 2017, it is expected to crawl across the region, and forecasters warn that it will have enough fuel to produce torrential rainfall along its path. In 2017, Harvey unloaded up to 61 inches of rain as it spent days spinning over eastern Texas.
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In 2001, Tropical Storm Allison unleashed disastrous flooding across southeastern Texas, due to its slow movement.
Should the storm stall near the Texas coast, rainfall amounts could be higher and may even exceed 24 inches. Conversely, should Beta move along at a quicker pace or more drier air get pulled into the storm, total rainfall amounts could be cut in half for some locations, though flooding would still remain a threat.
Waterspouts and isolated tornadoes can occur in Beta's outer bands to the northeast of the center of the storm.
Depending on the exact track of Beta, drenching downpours could reach the Southeast later in the week, including areas recently impacted by Hurricane Sally.
Weak steering winds have resulted in Beta meandering over the Gulf of Mexico since last week.
The tropical storm claimed the second letter in the Greek alphabet on Friday, following Wilfred and Alpha. Once the last name on the Atlantic hurricane season's designated list is exhausted, Greek letters are used to identify tropical storms.
Prior to Beta, eight storms had made landfall in the U.S. during the hyperactive 2020 hurricane season. In comparison, 3 to 4 storms typically strike the country during an entire hurricane season.


upi--2020-09-21--Federal judge rules election mail must be treated as first-class

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- A federal judge ruled Monday that the U.S .
Postal Service must give election mail first-class preference and make other changes to compensate for `` managerial failures '' that risk the security of mail-in voting .
U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero in the Southern District of New York became the second federal judge to rule against the USPS in a week .
On Thursday , a Washington-based federal judge placed a temporary block on operational changes that caused a slowdown in mail delivery in a lawsuit brought by attorneys general in 13 states .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all election mail shall be treated by the U.S .
Postal Service as first-class or priority mail express .
All overtime will be approved in the two weeks before election day to make sure absentee and mail-in ballots are counted , the ruling said .
These changes are to go into effect on Friday , when a settlement between the plaintiffs and the USPS must be hammered out , Marrero said .
If both parties do n't reach a settlement by the deadline , the changes will become law by judicial order , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than ever , the postal service 's status as a symbol of national unity must be validated by the demonstrated degree of its commitment to utmost effectiveness of election mail service , '' Marrero said .
`` The right to vote is too vital a value in our democracy to be left in a state of suspense in the minds of voters weeks before a presidential election , raising doubts as to whether their votes will ultimately be counted . ''
U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy instituted policies that Marrero said were meant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to follow the business model of a private enterprise . ''
These operational changes included reducing overtime pay ; eliminating mail-sorting machines in dense population areas and directing mail trucks to leave as scheduled , even if it would entail leaving mail behind for delivery on another day .
In August , the USPS agreed to suspend changes until after the election .
Marrero called the changes a series of `` multiple managerial failures [ that ] have undermined the postal employees ' ability to fulfill their vital mission . ''
The judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submit to the court a list of all steps necessary to restore first-class and marketing mail on-time delivery scores to their previous levels above 93 % and make a good-faith effort to follow those steps .
Because of the public health threats from COVID-19 to in-person voting , at least 22 states and the District of Columbia have changed laws to encourage voters to cast their ballots by mail and 34 states already permitted anyone to vote by mail .
Only five states require an excuse ( beyond COVID-19 health concerns ) to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also temporarily blocked the postal service from sending incorrect voter mailers in Colorado with information that implies voters need to request mail-in ballots 15 days before the election , when voters are automatically sent ballots .

A federal judge in the Southern District of New York ruled Monday that mail-in ballots must be considered first-class mail or priority express and that overtime to deliver election mail must be approved by the U.S. Postal Service. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 21 (UPI) -- A federal judge ruled Monday that the U.S. Postal Service must give election mail first-class preference and make other changes to compensate for "managerial failures" that risk the security of mail-in voting. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero in the Southern District of New York became the second federal judge to rule against the USPS in a week. Advertisement
On Thursday, a Washington-based federal judge placed a temporary block on operational changes that caused a slowdown in mail delivery in a lawsuit brought by attorneys general in 13 states.
Marrero approved a partial injunction ordering that all election mail shall be treated by the U.S. Postal Service as first-class or priority mail express. All overtime will be approved in the two weeks before election day to make sure absentee and mail-in ballots are counted, the ruling said.
These changes are to go into effect on Friday, when a settlement between the plaintiffs and the USPS must be hammered out, Marrero said. If both parties don't reach a settlement by the deadline, the changes will become law by judicial order, he said.
"Now, more than ever, the postal service's status as a symbol of national unity must be validated by the demonstrated degree of its commitment to utmost effectiveness of election mail service," Marrero said.
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"The right to vote is too vital a value in our democracy to be left in a state of suspense in the minds of voters weeks before a presidential election, raising doubts as to whether their votes will ultimately be counted."
U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy instituted policies that Marrero said were meant to "rechannel the USPS's mission to follow the business model of a private enterprise."
These operational changes included reducing overtime pay; eliminating mail-sorting machines in dense population areas and directing mail trucks to leave as scheduled, even if it would entail leaving mail behind for delivery on another day. In August, the USPS agreed to suspend changes until after the election.
Marrero called the changes a series of "multiple managerial failures [that] have undermined the postal employees' ability to fulfill their vital mission."
The judge also ruled that the post office shall submit to the court a list of all steps necessary to restore first-class and marketing mail on-time delivery scores to their previous levels above 93% and make a good-faith effort to follow those steps.
Because of the public health threats from COVID-19 to in-person voting, at least 22 states and the District of Columbia have changed laws to encourage voters to cast their ballots by mail and 34 states already permitted anyone to vote by mail. Only five states require an excuse (beyond COVID-19 health concerns) to vote by mail.
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A federal judge also temporarily blocked the postal service from sending incorrect voter mailers in Colorado with information that implies voters need to request mail-in ballots 15 days before the election, when voters are automatically sent ballots.


upi--2020-09-21--Study highlights carbon sequestration services provided by U.S. forests

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- Forests in the United States currently sequester approximately three decades worth of carbon dioxide emitted by the American fossil fuel industry , according to a new a study .
What 's more , forests and harvested wood products uptake approximately 14 percent of economy-wide CO2 emissions in the United States annually .
Despite declining carbon emissions in the United States , the contribution of forests to emissions offsets has remained stable .
This , researchers say , suggests the ability of U.S. forests to absorb new carbon -- an ability driven largely by forest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better understand the ability of afforestation and reforestation activities to improve carbon sequestration capabilities , researchers analyzed data from more than 130,000 national forest inventory plots .
The findings -- published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences -- confirmed that there is potential for U.S. forests to capture and store more carbon .
Researchers used forest inventory plots to estimate the total carbon storage capabilities provided by forests in the United States .
Their analysis showed each acre of forest in the United States stores nearly 700 metric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also showed forests are underperforming .
`` There are opportunities on existing forestland to increase the contribution of forests to climate change mitigation , '' researchers wrote in their paper .
Researchers found nearly 82 million acres of productive forestland in the U.S. are understocked with trees , characterized by tree coverage of less than 35 percent .
`` Currently , there is federal infrastructure to produce and plant approximately 65 million seedlings per year , and state and private capacity is approximately 1.1 billion tree seedlings per year , '' researchers wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28 million metric tons of CO2 annually .
According to the study 's authors , concentrating tree-planting efforts on understocked forest acreage could significantly increase carbon sequestration capacity in the United States .

Tree-planting efforts should be focused on understocked forestland, according to a new study of carbon sequestration in U.S. forests. Photo by Alex Indigo/CC
Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Forests in the United States currently sequester approximately three decades worth of carbon dioxide emitted by the American fossil fuel industry, according to a new a study. What's more, forests and harvested wood products uptake approximately 14 percent of economy-wide CO2 emissions in the United States annually. Advertisement
Despite declining carbon emissions in the United States, the contribution of forests to emissions offsets has remained stable. This, researchers say, suggests the ability of U.S. forests to absorb new carbon -- an ability driven largely by forest regrowth -- is slowly declining.
To better understand the ability of afforestation and reforestation activities to improve carbon sequestration capabilities, researchers analyzed data from more than 130,000 national forest inventory plots.
The findings -- published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences -- confirmed that there is potential for U.S. forests to capture and store more carbon.
Researchers used forest inventory plots to estimate the total carbon storage capabilities provided by forests in the United States. Their analysis showed each acre of forest in the United States stores nearly 700 metric tons of CO2. But the data also showed forests are underperforming.
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"There are opportunities on existing forestland to increase the contribution of forests to climate change mitigation," researchers wrote in their paper.
Researchers found nearly 82 million acres of productive forestland in the U.S. are understocked with trees, characterized by tree coverage of less than 35 percent.
"Currently, there is federal infrastructure to produce and plant approximately 65 million seedlings per year, and state and private capacity is approximately 1.1 billion tree seedlings per year," researchers wrote.
These efforts sequester between 16 and 28 million metric tons of CO2 annually.
According to the study's authors, concentrating tree-planting efforts on understocked forest acreage could significantly increase carbon sequestration capacity in the United States.


upi--2020-09-21--Dow falls 509 points, S&P 500 marks four straight days of losses

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- The Dow Jones Industrial Average recorded its worst day in about two weeks on Monday amid ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic .
The blue-chip index fell 509.72 points , or 1.84 % , its worst day since Sept. 8 , when it fell 2.3 % .
The S & P 500 marked its fourth straight day of losses for the first time since February as it dropped 1.16 % and the Nasdaq Composite notched slight losses , falling 0.13 % .
Stocks that would benefit from the lifting of restrictions related to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a renewed lockdown .
Carnival cruise line stock fell 6.66 % , Delta Air Lines stock fell 9.25 % and Southwest Airlines dropped 5.8 % .
Bank stocks also suffered Monday as Deutsche Bank dropped 8.25 % and JPMorgan Chase slid 3.09 % .
Tech stocks , which have served as a bellwether for the larger market in recent months , rebounded from losses last week as Netflix grew 3.7 % , Apple gained 3.03 % , Microsoft increased 1.07 % and Amazon closed the day up 0.19 % .
Monday 's declines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the worst September declines in years .
The S & P 500 was down 11 % on the month , its worst September since 2002 , the Dow was down 5.6 % , its worst drop since 2011 , and the Nasdaq has fallen 9.8 % , its worst September decline since 2008 .

The Dow Jones Industrial Average recorded its worst day since the beginning of the month and the S&P 500 fell for the fourth consecutive day as markets are primed for their worst September in years. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 21 (UPI) -- The Dow Jones Industrial Average recorded its worst day in about two weeks on Monday amid ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. The blue-chip index fell 509.72 points, or 1.84%, its worst day since Sept. 8, when it fell 2.3%. The S&P 500 marked its fourth straight day of losses for the first time since February as it dropped 1.16% and the Nasdaq Composite notched slight losses, falling 0.13%. Advertisement
Stocks that would benefit from the lifting of restrictions related to the pandemic declined amid reports Britain was considering a renewed lockdown. Carnival cruise line stock fell 6.66%, Delta Air Lines stock fell 9.25% and Southwest Airlines dropped 5.8%.
Bank stocks also suffered Monday as Deutsche Bank dropped 8.25% and JPMorgan Chase slid 3.09%.
Tech stocks, which have served as a bellwether for the larger market in recent months, rebounded from losses last week as Netflix grew 3.7%, Apple gained 3.03%, Microsoft increased 1.07% and Amazon closed the day up 0.19%.
Monday's declines put the market on pace for one of the worst September declines in years.
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The S&P 500 was down 11% on the month, its worst September since 2002, the Dow was down 5.6%, its worst drop since 2011, and the Nasdaq has fallen 9.8%, its worst September decline since 2008.


upi--2020-09-21--USS Antietam conducts Tomahawk strike exercise near Guam

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- U.S. military forces in the Valiant Shield 2020 exercise in the Pacific Ocean included a simulated Tomahawk cruise missile attack by the USS Antietam , the U.S. Navy said on Monday .
The guided-missile cruiser , part of the strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan , successfully targeted land on the uninhabited Farallon de Medinilla range off the coast of Guam on Sunday .
The exercise demonstrated the ship 's ability to `` track , target , and engage threats to protect peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The TLAM [ Tomahawk land-attack cruise missile ] exercise , as part of the overall Valiant Shield 20 scenario , provides the entire Ronald Reagan Strike Group the opportunity to exercise critical war fighting skills , '' said Capt .
Russell Caldwell , commander of the USS Antietam .
The exercise , Caldwell said , `` helps the warfighter refine their tactical abilities to respond to a full range of military response options that are available in defense of our shared interests in the Asia Pacific region . ''
The 12-day biennial exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 in Guam and at the Mariana Islands Range Complex , running through Sept. 25 .
Approximately 100 aircraft and about 11,000 personnel of the Navy , Army , Air Force and Marines are involved in training integration in a `` blue water environment . ''
On Saturday , another Valiant Shield exercise sank the decommissioned frigate USS Curtis in a sequence of live ordnance and missiles fired from planes , cruisers and a submarine .

A Tomahawk cruise missile was fired from the USS Antietam on Sunday in the Pacific Ocean, part of the Valiant Shield 2020 exercise. Photo courtesy of U.S. Pacific Fleet
Sept. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. military forces in the Valiant Shield 2020 exercise in the Pacific Ocean included a simulated Tomahawk cruise missile attack by the USS Antietam, the U.S. Navy said on Monday. The guided-missile cruiser, part of the strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, successfully targeted land on the uninhabited Farallon de Medinilla range off the coast of Guam on Sunday. Advertisement
The exercise demonstrated the ship's ability to "track, target, and engage threats to protect peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, the Navy said in a statement.
"The TLAM [Tomahawk land-attack cruise missile] exercise, as part of the overall Valiant Shield 20 scenario, provides the entire Ronald Reagan Strike Group the opportunity to exercise critical war fighting skills," said Capt. Russell Caldwell, commander of the USS Antietam.
The exercise, Caldwell said, "helps the warfighter refine their tactical abilities to respond to a full range of military response options that are available in defense of our shared interests in the Asia Pacific region."
The 12-day biennial exercise of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command started Sept. 14 in Guam and at the Mariana Islands Range Complex, running through Sept. 25. Approximately 100 aircraft and about 11,000 personnel of the Navy, Army, Air Force and Marines are involved in training integration in a "blue water environment."
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On Saturday, another Valiant Shield exercise sank the decommissioned frigate USS Curtis in a sequence of live ordnance and missiles fired from planes, cruisers and a submarine.


upi--2020-09-21--Couple to get matching tattoos of winning lottery numbers

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- An Australian couple who scored a lottery jackpot of more than $ 500,000 said they already decided what their first purchase will be : matching tattoos of their winning numbers .
The Adelaide woman told The Lott officials she checked the numbers for the Saturday X Lotto ticket she and her husband bought for the weekend 's drawing at 2:30 a.m. Sunday .
The woman said she initially thought it was a much smaller prize .
`` I shoved the phone in my hubby 's face screaming we had had a win , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I realized we 'd won a lot more . ''
The couple , discovering they had won $ 543,094.52 , ended up not going back to sleep .
`` We stayed up all morning drinking black sambuca to celebrate , '' she said .
`` I did n't sleep for the rest of the day , but I certainly had a good night 's sleep last night . ''
The winner said her ticket was purchased online and the numbers picked were random .
`` They were n't special numbers at the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she said .
`` My hubby reckons we 're going to get them tattooed on our arms .
We 'll always remember them . ''

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Sept. 21 (UPI) -- An Australian couple who scored a lottery jackpot of more than $500,000 said they already decided what their first purchase will be: matching tattoos of their winning numbers.
The Adelaide woman told The Lott officials she checked the numbers for the Saturday X Lotto ticket she and her husband bought for the weekend's drawing at 2:30 a.m. Sunday.
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The woman said she initially thought it was a much smaller prize.
"I shoved the phone in my hubby's face screaming we had had a win," she said. "That's when I realized we'd won a lot more."
The couple, discovering they had won $543,094.52, ended up not going back to sleep.
"We stayed up all morning drinking black sambuca to celebrate," she said. "I didn't sleep for the rest of the day, but I certainly had a good night's sleep last night."
The winner said her ticket was purchased online and the numbers picked were random.
"They weren't special numbers at the time, but they are definitely special now," she said. "My hubby reckons we're going to get them tattooed on our arms. We'll always remember them."


upi--2020-09-21--Look: Puppy rescued from backyard drain cover

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- Firefighters in Pennsylvania came to the rescue of a puppy who went wandering in @ @ @ @ @ and ended up with her head stuck through the middle of a drain lid .
@ @ @ @ @ said a crew responded to the home Sunday when the owners called to report the @ @ @ @ @ stuck through the middle of a drain cover .
`` When dispatched to an animal @ @ @ @ @ no idea they would be in store for such a delicate and prolonged extrication , @ @ @ @ @ Firefighters said they were eventually able to free the canine without any injuries .

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Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Pennsylvania came to the rescue of a puppy who went wandering in her owner's back yard and ended up with her head stuck through the middle of a drain lid.
The Palmer Municipal Fire Department said a crew responded to the home Sunday when the owners called to report the curious puppy's head was stuck through the middle of a drain cover.
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"When dispatched to an animal rescue today, PMFD had no idea they would be in store for such a delicate and prolonged extrication," the department said.
Firefighters said they were eventually able to free the canine without any injuries.


upi--2020-09-21--Watch: Texas city attempts world record for line of rubber ducks

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- A Texas city 's annual Rotary Duck Derby , delayed for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic , went forward without some of the usual fanfare , but with a Guinness World Record for lining up rubber ducks .
The City of Graham 's 3rd Annual Rotary Duck Derby , which was originally scheduled for April , took place at the city 's Downtown Square .
Residents could sponsor a duck in the race for $ 5 or 24 ducks for $ 100 , with the proceeds being donated by the Graham Rotary Club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This year 's event was light on arts and crafts , but featured a Guinness World Record attempt for the longest line of rubber ducks .
`` We had to eliminate a few fun aspects for the kiddos so we thought a fun community event would be to bag all these 20,000 ducks then line them up to beat a Guinness World Record , '' Sarah Lundgren , president of Graham Rotary Club , told TNN .
Organizers said they expected the number of ducks to come out to 20,000 , enough to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Rotary Club has yet to release the final count of ducks .

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Sept. 21 (UPI) -- A Texas city's annual Rotary Duck Derby, delayed for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, went forward without some of the usual fanfare, but with a Guinness World Record for lining up rubber ducks.
The City of Graham's 3rd Annual Rotary Duck Derby, which was originally scheduled for April, took place at the city's Downtown Square.
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Residents could sponsor a duck in the race for $5 or 24 ducks for $100, with the proceeds being donated by the Graham Rotary Club to a variety of community projects.
This year's event was light on arts and crafts, but featured a Guinness World Record attempt for the longest line of rubber ducks.
"We had to eliminate a few fun aspects for the kiddos so we thought a fun community event would be to bag all these 20,000 ducks then line them up to beat a Guinness World Record," Sarah Lundgren, president of Graham Rotary Club, told TNN.
Organizers said they expected the number of ducks to come out to 20,000, enough to break the Guinness record of 17,782 ducks.
The Rotary Club has yet to release the final count of ducks.


upi--2020-09-21--Immunotherapy drug boosts survival with bladder cancer

An immunotherapy drug significantly improved survival in patients with the most common type of bladder cancer , according to a new study .
About 550,000 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed worldwide each year , making it the 10th most common type of cancer , the study authors noted .
Chemotherapy is the initial standard of care for advanced bladder cancer .
After chemotherapy , patients are checked regularly because the cancer often returns quickly .
If the cancer does return , it 's usually very difficult to treat .
The new phase 3 clinical trial included 700 patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- the most common form of bladder cancer -- whose disease had n't progressed after standard chemotherapy .
These patients were randomly assigned to receive either standard care alone ( regular checks ) or took the immunotherapy drug avelumab , delivered by infusion , in addition to standard care .
Patients in the avelumab group had a 31 % reduction in risk of death and median overall survival of 21.4 months , compared with 14.3 months among patients who received standard care alone , said the team led by Thomas Powles .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mary University of London , in the United Kingdom .
`` This is the first time that an immune therapy clinical trial has shown a survival benefit for first-line therapy in metastatic bladder cancer , '' Powles said in a university news release .
`` We saw a meaningful reduction in the risk of death and a significant overall survival benefit with avelumab , which underscores the potential for this immunotherapy to be practice-changing for patients , '' he added .
Side effects led 11 % of the patients in the avelumab group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the study published Sept. 18 in the New England Journal of Medicine .
In the United States , avelumab is currently approved for the `` maintenance '' treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma that has not progressed after the use of first-line platinum-containing chemotherapies .
One physician who treats patients with metastatic bladder cancer called the new study `` a significant step forward . ''
`` While current chemotherapy is effective initially , the vast majority of patients will experience progression and ultimately die of their disease , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't involved in the new study .
`` With this new study , avelumab offers patients an additional treatment which could slow down the progression and increase their survival time with this disease , '' said Vira , who is system chief of urology at Northwell Cancer Institute in Lake Success , N.Y .
The study was funded by drug companies Pfizer , and Merck KGaA in Darmstadt , Germany .
The American Cancer Society has more on bladder cancer .

Patients who received avelumab in a clinical trial had a 31% reduction in risk of death and median overall survival of 21.4 months, compared with 14.3 months among patients who received standard care alone. Photo by Chokniti Khongchum from Pixabay
An immunotherapy drug significantly improved survival in patients with the most common type of bladder cancer, according to a new study. About 550,000 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed worldwide each year, making it the 10th most common type of cancer, the study authors noted. Advertisement
Chemotherapy is the initial standard of care for advanced bladder cancer. After chemotherapy, patients are checked regularly because the cancer often returns quickly. If the cancer does return, it's usually very difficult to treat.
The new phase 3 clinical trial included 700 patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma -- the most common form of bladder cancer -- whose disease hadn't progressed after standard chemotherapy.
These patients were randomly assigned to receive either standard care alone (regular checks) or took the immunotherapy drug avelumab, delivered by infusion, in addition to standard care.
Patients in the avelumab group had a 31% reduction in risk of death and median overall survival of 21.4 months, compared with 14.3 months among patients who received standard care alone, said the team led by Thomas Powles. He's professor of genitourinary oncology at Queen Mary University of London, in the United Kingdom.
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"This is the first time that an immune therapy clinical trial has shown a survival benefit for first-line therapy in metastatic bladder cancer," Powles said in a university news release.
"We saw a meaningful reduction in the risk of death and a significant overall survival benefit with avelumab, which underscores the potential for this immunotherapy to be practice-changing for patients," he added.
Side effects led 11% of the patients in the avelumab group to stop the therapy, according to the study published Sept. 18 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
In the United States, avelumab is currently approved for the "maintenance" treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma that has not progressed after the use of first-line platinum-containing chemotherapies.
One physician who treats patients with metastatic bladder cancer called the new study "a significant step forward."
"While current chemotherapy is effective initially, the vast majority of patients will experience progression and ultimately die of their disease," explained Dr. Manish Vira, who wasn't involved in the new study.
"With this new study, avelumab offers patients an additional treatment which could slow down the progression and increase their survival time with this disease," said Vira, who is system chief of urology at Northwell Cancer Institute in Lake Success, N.Y.
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The study was funded by drug companies Pfizer, and Merck KGaA in Darmstadt, Germany.
More information
The American Cancer Society has more on bladder cancer.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-09-21--Watch: 6-month-old baby goes water skiing in Utah

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- A Utah couple said their son broke an unofficial world record by going water @ @ @ @ @ 6 months and 4 days .
Casey and Mindi Humpherys posted a video to Instagram @ @ @ @ @ , water skiing at Lake Powell .
`` I went water skiing for my 6 @ @ @ @ @ 's a big deal ... # worldrecord , '' the photo caption reads .
The @ @ @ @ @ the youngest water skier was set by Auburn Absher , who tackled the sport at @ @ @ @ @ and 10 days .

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Sept. 21 (UPI) -- A Utah couple said their son broke an unofficial world record by going water skiing at the age of 6 months and 4 days.
Casey and Mindi Humpherys posted a video to Instagram showing their son, Rich, water skiing at Lake Powell.
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"I went water skiing for my 6 month birthday. Apparently that's a big deal... #worldrecord," the photo caption reads.
The previous unofficial world record for the youngest water skier was set by Auburn Absher, who tackled the sport at the age of 6 months and 10 days.


upi--2020-09-21--House Democrats introduce bill to avert government shutdown

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- House Democrats unveiled a stopgap bill Monday to avert a government shutdown , but Republicans immediately opposed it because it did n't include bailout money for agriculture .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , introduced the bill , known as a continuing resolution , to extend federal funding past the Sept. 30 deadline and avoid a government shutdown weeks before the Nov. 3 presidential election .
`` The continuing resolution introduced today will avert a catastrophic shutdown in the middle of the ongoing pandemic , wildfires and hurricanes and keep government open until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have bipartisan legislation to fund the government for this fiscal year , '' Pelosi said in a statement .
The proposal omits a $ 30 billion commitment supported by President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers to refill a bailout for farmers through the Commodity Credit Corp. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , criticized the bill Monday , promising a fight between Senate Republicans and their colleagues in the House .
Both chambers of Congress must approve identical bills before they can be signed by the president .
`` House Democrats ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shamefully leaves out key relief and support that American farmers need , '' McConnell tweeted Monday .
`` This is no time to add insult to injury and defund help for farmers and rural America . ''
The president announced more aid to farmers on his campaign tours , including a second round of $ 14 billion from the Department of Agriculture 's Coronavirus Food Assistance Program .
The new aid sought by the White House would replenish those funds .
Democrats called the farm aid an election-year giveaway for farmers hit hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin agreed in theory on a stopgap bill at the beginning of September , but details have not been hammered out as the clock winds down on an Oct. 1 deadline .
The bill is separate from a new proposed $ 2 trillion coronavirus relief bill , passed by the House in May that has stalled in the Senate .
On Monday , the White House said it might accept a stopgap bill , even without the additional aid for farmers .
`` We do prefer additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all , we want a clean CR to keep the government open , '' White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told The Washington Post .

House Democrats announced a stopgap funding bill Monday to avert a government shutdown scheduled for Oct. 1. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 21 (UPI) -- House Democrats unveiled a stopgap bill Monday to avert a government shutdown, but Republicans immediately opposed it because it didn't include bailout money for agriculture. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., introduced the bill, known as a continuing resolution, to extend federal funding past the Sept. 30 deadline and avoid a government shutdown weeks before the Nov. 3 presidential election. Advertisement
"The continuing resolution introduced today will avert a catastrophic shutdown in the middle of the ongoing pandemic, wildfires and hurricanes and keep government open until Dec. 11, when we plan to have bipartisan legislation to fund the government for this fiscal year," Pelosi said in a statement.
The proposal omits a $30 billion commitment supported by President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers to refill a bailout for farmers through the Commodity Credit Corp.
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., criticized the bill Monday, promising a fight between Senate Republicans and their colleagues in the House. Both chambers of Congress must approve identical bills before they can be signed by the president.
"House Democrats' rough draft of a government funding bill shamefully leaves out key relief and support that American farmers need," McConnell tweeted Monday. "This is no time to add insult to injury and defund help for farmers and rural America."
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The president announced more aid to farmers on his campaign tours, including a second round of $14 billion from the Department of Agriculture's Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. The new aid sought by the White House would replenish those funds.
Democrats called the farm aid an election-year giveaway for farmers hit hard by coronavirus and Trump's trade policies.
Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin agreed in theory on a stopgap bill at the beginning of September, but details have not been hammered out as the clock winds down on an Oct. 1 deadline.
The bill is separate from a new proposed $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill, passed by the House in May that has stalled in the Senate.
On Monday, the White House said it might accept a stopgap bill, even without the additional aid for farmers.
"We do prefer additional farm aid in the CR...Most of all, we want a clean CR to keep the government open," White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told The Washington Post.


upi--2020-09-21--Mike Pompeo announces sanctions against Iran's defense ministry, Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Monday new sanctions against Iran 's defense ministry and Venezuela 's Nicolas Maduro for supporting Iran 's missile programs .
Pompeo said during a press conference that he would sanction Iran 's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics , along with Iran 's Defense Industries Organization and its director .
He said that the U.S. administration is also sanctioning Venezuela 's former president Maduro for working with the Iranian regime for nearly two years to `` flout the U.N. arms embargo . ''
President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the administration a `` new and powerful tool to enforce the U.N. arms embargo and hold those who seek to evade U.N. sanctions accountable , '' Pompeo added .
`` Our actions today are a warning that should be heard worldwide , '' Pompeo said .
`` No matter who you are , if you violate the U.N. arms embargo on Iran , you risk sanctions . ''
Pompeo also announced sanctions Monday on Hamid Reza Ghadirian , who is a group director in the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran , and Ahmad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centrifuge Technology Company , under existing U.S. authority targeting proliferators of weapons of mass destruction .
`` These individuals are central to Iran 's uranium enrichment operations , '' he said .
Pompeo added that the sanctions were part of a `` maximum pressure campaign '' announced in 2018 under Trump 's leadership .
Then , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced the department 's sanctions against entities that support Iran 's nuclear and ballistic missile programs , including individuals affiliated with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran , which has operational and regulatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Treasury department sanctioned three deputy directors of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran on Monday , along with three entities subordinate to the same organization that are active components of Iran 's nuclear program , Mnuchin said .
The Treasury also sanctioned several key producers and suppliers of goods for Iran 's nuclear missile programs .
Among those designated , were Mammut Industries and Mammut Diesel , along with several shareholders and senior officials of those companies .
In particular , Mnuchin also pointed out sanctions against Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group , Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Among other entities sanctioned was the Shahid Haj Ali Movahed Research Center , which has played a key role in Iranian-North Korean missile cooperation , according to a statement .
`` This administration will use every tool at our disposal to stop Iran 's nuclear ballistic , missile and conventional weapons pursuit , which it uses directly to threaten and terrorize the rest of the world , '' Mnuchin said .
Along with the Treasury sanctions , the Department of Commerce announced that it would add five scientists in Iran 's nuclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the sanctions were another important step toward peace after Trump signed the Abraham Accords last week to normalize relations between the United Arab Emirates , Bahrain and Israel .
Meanwhile , Palestinian Authority leadership has condemned the U.S. brokered deal , with Palestinian leadership saying in a statement it `` destroys the Arab peace initiative . ''
The Treasury department also said in a statement that it re-imposed U.N. sanctions on Ghannadi Maragheh and Karimi Sabet lifted in January 2016 under a `` snapback , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members have said that Washington does not have authority to execute the `` snapback '' mechanism since it pulled out of the nuclear deal in 2018 , which Trump called `` defective at its core . ''
The U.N. arms embargo is set to end in October under the 2015 nuclear deal , which lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on Iran 's nuclear program through 2025 .
U.S. officials have said that they can unilaterally reimpose sanctions through a `` snapback '' mechanism .
On Sunday , Iranian President Hassan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to the United States unilateral move to reinstate U.N. sanctions against Tehran .
`` If the U.S. wants to engage in bullying , it will face Iran 's rigid response , '' state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported .

Secretary of State Michael Pompeo announced sanctions Monday to mount pressure on the Iranian regime. Photo by Greg Nash/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 21 (UPI) -- The U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Monday new sanctions against Iran's defense ministry and Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro for supporting Iran's missile programs. Pompeo said during a press conference that he would sanction Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, along with Iran's Defense Industries Organization and its director. Advertisement
He said that the U.S. administration is also sanctioning Venezuela's former president Maduro for working with the Iranian regime for nearly two years to "flout the U.N. arms embargo."
President Donald Trump's executive order announced Monday gives the administration a "new and powerful tool to enforce the U.N. arms embargo and hold those who seek to evade U.N. sanctions accountable," Pompeo added.
"Our actions today are a warning that should be heard worldwide," Pompeo said. "No matter who you are, if you violate the U.N. arms embargo on Iran, you risk sanctions."
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Pompeo also announced sanctions Monday on Hamid Reza Ghadirian, who is a group director in the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, and Ahmad Asghari Shivai, head of the Iran Centrifuge Technology Company, under existing U.S. authority targeting proliferators of weapons of mass destruction.
"These individuals are central to Iran's uranium enrichment operations," he said.
Pompeo added that the sanctions were part of a "maximum pressure campaign" announced in 2018 under Trump's leadership.
Then, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced the department's sanctions against entities that support Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, including individuals affiliated with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, which has operational and regulatory control over the nuclear program.
The Treasury department sanctioned three deputy directors of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran on Monday, along with three entities subordinate to the same organization that are active components of Iran's nuclear program, Mnuchin said.
The Treasury also sanctioned several key producers and suppliers of goods for Iran's nuclear missile programs. Among those designated, were Mammut Industries and Mammut Diesel, along with several shareholders and senior officials of those companies.
In particular, Mnuchin also pointed out sanctions against Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, Iran's primary developer of liquid propelled missiles.
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Among other entities sanctioned was the Shahid Haj Ali Movahed Research Center, which has played a key role in Iranian-North Korean missile cooperation, according to a statement.
"This administration will use every tool at our disposal to stop Iran's nuclear ballistic, missile and conventional weapons pursuit, which it uses directly to threaten and terrorize the rest of the world," Mnuchin said.
Along with the Treasury sanctions, the Department of Commerce announced that it would add five scientists in Iran's nuclear weapons development program to its entity list.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the sanctions were another important step toward peace after Trump signed the Abraham Accords last week to normalize relations between the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Israel.
Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority leadership has condemned the U.S. brokered deal, with Palestinian leadership saying in a statement it "destroys the Arab peace initiative."
The Treasury department also said in a statement that it re-imposed U.N. sanctions on Ghannadi Maragheh and Karimi Sabet lifted in January 2016 under a "snapback," provision. However, other Security Council members have said that Washington does not have authority to execute the "snapback" mechanism since it pulled out of the nuclear deal in 2018, which Trump called "defective at its core."
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The U.N. arms embargo is set to end in October under the 2015 nuclear deal, which lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on Iran's nuclear program through 2025. U.S. officials have said that they can unilaterally reimpose sanctions through a "snapback" mechanism.
On Sunday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani vowed in a televised address to respond to the United States unilateral move to reinstate U.N. sanctions against Tehran.
"If the U.S. wants to engage in bullying, it will face Iran's rigid response," state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported.


upi--2020-09-21--Britain reauthorizes program allowing Afghan interpreters to relocate

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- Over 150 civilian interpreters used by the British military in Afghanistan can apply to permanently reside in Britain , the government said .
The relocation program was established in 2013 as a debt of gratitude for the interpreters ' service , and included an opportunity to relocate to Britain .
So far , 445 former interpreters and their families have relocated .
The announcement on Saturday by the Ministry of Defense is an extension of the program , under which visas for the 150 were scheduled to expire in 2021 .
`` They were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces , and their linguistic and cultural expertise enabled the U.K. to work hand-in-hand with our Afghan partners and local communities while protecting British troops , '' a ministry statement said .
The interpreters worked on the front lines in Afghanistan 's Helmand province with troops from 2006 until the British withdrawal in 2014 .
The British government was accused of failing to protect them from Taliban reprisals after the withdrawal , and a 2018 report by parliament 's Defense Committee said safeguards `` had dismally failed to give any meaningful assurance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was announced by Defense Secretary Ben Wallace and Home Secretary Priti Patel .
`` Courageous Afghans worked side by side with our Armed Forces to defeat terrorism , risking their own lives in the pursuit of peace , '' Patel said .
`` In recognition of their dedication , today we are fulfilling our promise and have expanded the relocation scheme so that more brave Afghans and their families can come and build a new life in the U.K . ''

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, L, and Home Secretary Priti Patel, C, speak with an unidentified Afghan former interpreter at Wrethasm Camp in Thetford, Britain. Photo courtesy of British Ministry of Defense
Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Over 150 civilian interpreters used by the British military in Afghanistan can apply to permanently reside in Britain, the government said. The relocation program was established in 2013 as a debt of gratitude for the interpreters' service, and included an opportunity to relocate to Britain. So far, 445 former interpreters and their families have relocated. Advertisement
The announcement on Saturday by the Ministry of Defense is an extension of the program, under which visas for the 150 were scheduled to expire in 2021.
"They were often the eyes and ears of British forces, and their linguistic and cultural expertise enabled the U.K. to work hand-in-hand with our Afghan partners and local communities while protecting British troops," a ministry statement said.
The interpreters worked on the front lines in Afghanistan's Helmand province with troops from 2006 until the British withdrawal in 2014.
The British government was accused of failing to protect them from Taliban reprisals after the withdrawal, and a 2018 report by parliament's Defense Committee said safeguards "had dismally failed to give any meaningful assurance of protection."
The new relocation plan was announced by Defense Secretary Ben Wallace and Home Secretary Priti Patel.
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"Courageous Afghans worked side by side with our Armed Forces to defeat terrorism, risking their own lives in the pursuit of peace," Patel said. "In recognition of their dedication, today we are fulfilling our promise and have expanded the relocation scheme so that more brave Afghans and their families can come and build a new life in the U.K."


upi--2020-09-21--U.N. head Antonio Guterres on World Peace Day: We face 'common enemy' in COVID-19

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- The United Nations General Assembly on Monday preceded the first day of high-level debate in New York City with a call by leaders for world peace amid the global health crisis .
Peace between nations has been challenged during a time of COVID-19 , Secretary-general Antonio Guterres said in a message to celebrate the International Day of Peace on Monday , which came ahead of Tuesday 's opening of the assembly 's annual General Debate session .
`` Our world faces a common enemy , '' Guterres said .
`` A deadly virus that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , contributing to international tensions and exacerbating already formidable peace and security challenges . ''
The focus of this year 's day of peace is `` Shaping Peace Together . ''
`` In that spirit , and to mark our 75th anniversary , the United Nations is bringing people together for a global conversation about shaping our future and forging peace in trying times , '' Guterres added .
Guterres said he will ask the assembly to vote on a cease-fire measure he introduced in March .
Earlier Monday , the secretary-general spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1945 when governments agreed to form the body to prevent a response at the end of World War II .
`` It took two world wars , millions of deaths and the horrors of the Holocaust for world leaders to commit to international cooperation and the rule of law , '' Guterres said .
`` A Third World War -- which so many had feared -- has been avoided .
Never in modern history have we gone so many years without a military confrontation between the major powers . ''
With climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationships , it 's even more important to work together , he added .
`` No one wants a world government -- but we must work together to improve world governance . ''
H.E .
Volkan Bozkir , president of the U.N. General Assembly , said the global body was built on three pillars -- peace and security , development and human rights .
Those three concepts , he added , `` are equally important , interrelated , and interdependent .
`` One can not advance without the other . ''
International Peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day , was established in 1981 and is dedicated to world peace , largely through the absence or war or violence .
It used to be held on varying dates in September , but was permanently moved to Sept. 21 in 2001 .

The flags of the United Nations and United States are seen outside of the U.N. building in New York City on Monday, one day before the start of the assembly's 75th General Debate. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 21 (UPI) -- The United Nations General Assembly on Monday preceded the first day of high-level debate in New York City with a call by leaders for world peace amid the global health crisis. Peace between nations has been challenged during a time of COVID-19, Secretary-general Antonio Guterres said in a message to celebrate the International Day of Peace on Monday, which came ahead of Tuesday's opening of the assembly's annual General Debate session. Advertisement
"Our world faces a common enemy," Guterres said. "A deadly virus that is causing immense suffering, destroying livelihoods, contributing to international tensions and exacerbating already formidable peace and security challenges."
The focus of this year's day of peace is "Shaping Peace Together."
"In that spirit, and to mark our 75th anniversary, the United Nations is bringing people together for a global conversation about shaping our future and forging peace in trying times," Guterres added.
Guterres said he will ask the assembly to vote on a cease-fire measure he introduced in March.
Earlier Monday, the secretary-general spoke of the birth of the United Nations in 1945 when governments agreed to form the body to prevent a response at the end of World War II.
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"It took two world wars, millions of deaths and the horrors of the Holocaust for world leaders to commit to international cooperation and the rule of law," Guterres said. "A Third World War -- which so many had feared -- has been avoided. Never in modern history have we gone so many years without a military confrontation between the major powers."
With climate crises and public health threats worldwide fraying relationships, it's even more important to work together, he added.
"No one wants a world government -- but we must work together to improve world governance."
H.E. Volkan Bozkir, president of the U.N. General Assembly, said the global body was built on three pillars -- peace and security, development and human rights. Those three concepts, he added, "are equally important, interrelated, and interdependent.
"One cannot advance without the other."
International Peace Day, also known as World Peace Day, was established in 1981 and is dedicated to world peace, largely through the absence or war or violence. It used to be held on varying dates in September, but was permanently moved to Sept. 21 in 2001.


upi--2020-09-21--CDC reverses new guidelines again on indoor COVID-19 spread

Sept. 21 ( UPI ) -- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials continued to modify the agency 's guidelines on COVID-19 Monday , this time pulling down a days-old change suggesting that the virus can spread from person to person among those greater than 6 feet apart , particularly indoors .
The agency 's guidance has long said that respiratory droplets , emitted from the nose and mouth of an infected person , `` are the main way the virus spreads . ''
But an update posted Friday said these microscopic particles could travel distances greater than 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spaces , like `` restaurants and fitness classes . ''
That language , however , was removed late Monday morning .
A top CDC official told the Washington Post that the information `` does not reflect our current state of knowledge . ''
`` A draft version of proposed changes to these recommendations was posted in error to the agency 's official website , '' the CDC said in a statement posted on the guidelines home page .
`` CDC is currently updating its recommendations regarding airborne transmission of [ COVID-19 and ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the update language will be posted , '' it said .
Given that , the CDC and others have been recommending that people wear face coverings -- particularly when social distancing is challenging -- to prevent spread of the disease .
This is due , at least in part , to research that suggests the new coronavirus spreads more efficiently than the flu , and that infected people can pass it to others by talking or even singing , particularly indoors .
Although more than 200 scientists petitioned the World Health Organization in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmission to indicate that there is `` a risk of airborne infection beyond three to 6.5 feet from the infected person , particularly indoors , '' the international agency 's guidelines only say that such transmission `` can not be ruled out . ''

Customers have lunch at El Toro Mexican restaurant in Clute, Texas, as an employee works while wearing a mask and gloves in May. Photo by Trask Smith/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials continued to modify the agency's guidelines on COVID-19 Monday, this time pulling down a days-old change suggesting that the virus can spread from person to person among those greater than 6 feet apart, particularly indoors. The agency's guidance has long said that respiratory droplets, emitted from the nose and mouth of an infected person, "are the main way the virus spreads." Advertisement
But an update posted Friday said these microscopic particles could travel distances greater than 6 feet, particularly in poorly ventilated indoor spaces, like "restaurants and fitness classes."
That language, however, was removed late Monday morning.
A top CDC official told the Washington Post that the information "does not reflect our current state of knowledge."
"A draft version of proposed changes to these recommendations was posted in error to the agency's official website," the CDC said in a statement posted on the guidelines home page.
"CDC is currently updating its recommendations regarding airborne transmission of [COVID-19 and] once this process has been completed, the update language will be posted," it said.
Given that, the CDC and others have been recommending that people wear face coverings -- particularly when social distancing is challenging -- to prevent spread of the disease.
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This is due, at least in part, to research that suggests the new coronavirus spreads more efficiently than the flu, and that infected people can pass it to others by talking or even singing, particularly indoors.
Although more than 200 scientists petitioned the World Health Organization in July to change its guidelines on virus transmission to indicate that there is "a risk of airborne infection beyond three to 6.5 feet from the infected person, particularly indoors," the international agency's guidelines only say that such transmission "cannot be ruled out."


upi--2020-09-22--Study: Homemade masks as effective against COVID-19 as store bought

Do n't fret about whether that fabric mask you made on your sewing machine protects against the spread of COVID-19 as well as the face masks sold in stores , new research reassures .
Taher Saif , a professor of mechanical science and engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , examined the effectiveness of common household fabrics in blocking droplets .
`` Our goal is to show that many common fabrics exploit the trade-off between breathability and efficiency of blocking droplets -- large and small , '' Saif said in a university news release .
The team tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fabrics .
The fabrics ranged from new and used garments , quilted cloths , bedsheets and dishcloths .
`` Testing the breathability of these fabrics was the easy part , '' Saif said .
`` We simply measured the rate of airflow through the fabric .
Testing the droplet-blocking ability is a bit more complicated . ''
Researchers filled the nozzle of an inhaler with distilled water seeded with fluorescent particles that were the size of coronavirus particles .
The inhaler forced the water through the nozzle and made droplets that collected on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To test the material they placed it over the collection dish , then repeated the process with different materials .
`` We count the number of nanoparticles landing on the dish using a high-resolution confocal microscope .
We can then use the ratio of the number collected with and without the fabric to give us a measure of droplet-blocking efficiency , '' Saif explained .
The droplets left the inhaler at about 17 meters per second .
Droplets from speaking , coughing and sneezing have speeds in the range of 10 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found that all of the fabrics tested are considerably effective at blocking the 100-nanometer particles carried by high-velocity droplets similar to those that may be released by speaking , coughing and sneezing , even as a single layer , '' Saif said .
`` With two or three layers , even the more permeable fabrics , such as T-shirt cloth , achieve droplet-blocking efficiency that is similar to that of a medical mask , while still maintaining comparable or better breathability , '' he said .
The report was published recently in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on COVID-19 , see the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

A woman takes a photo while wearing a protective face mask -- many people across the country have made their own since the pandemic started -- on a sidewalk on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City in May. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Don't fret about whether that fabric mask you made on your sewing machine protects against the spread of COVID-19 as well as the face masks sold in stores, new research reassures. Taher Saif, a professor of mechanical science and engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, examined the effectiveness of common household fabrics in blocking droplets. Advertisement
"Our goal is to show that many common fabrics exploit the trade-off between breathability and efficiency of blocking droplets -- large and small," Saif said in a university news release.
The team tested breathability and droplet-blocking of 11 common household fabrics. The fabrics ranged from new and used garments, quilted cloths, bedsheets and dishcloths.
"Testing the breathability of these fabrics was the easy part," Saif said. "We simply measured the rate of airflow through the fabric. Testing the droplet-blocking ability is a bit more complicated."
Researchers filled the nozzle of an inhaler with distilled water seeded with fluorescent particles that were the size of coronavirus particles.
The inhaler forced the water through the nozzle and made droplets that collected on a dish in front of the inhaler. To test the material they placed it over the collection dish, then repeated the process with different materials.
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"We count the number of nanoparticles landing on the dish using a high-resolution confocal microscope. We can then use the ratio of the number collected with and without the fabric to give us a measure of droplet-blocking efficiency," Saif explained.
The droplets left the inhaler at about 17 meters per second. Droplets from speaking, coughing and sneezing have speeds in the range of 10 to 40 meters per second.
"We found that all of the fabrics tested are considerably effective at blocking the 100-nanometer particles carried by high-velocity droplets similar to those that may be released by speaking, coughing and sneezing, even as a single layer," Saif said.
"With two or three layers, even the more permeable fabrics, such as T-shirt cloth, achieve droplet-blocking efficiency that is similar to that of a medical mask, while still maintaining comparable or better breathability," he said.
The report was published recently in the journal Extreme Mechanics Letters.
More information
For more on COVID-19, see the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-09-22--Many feel greater global cooperation would've limited COVID-19, Pew Research poll shows

Sept. 22 ( UPI ) -- A new global survey Tuesday showed that nearly 60 % of people in more than a dozen nations believe that greater international cooperation would 've helped stem the COVID-19 outbreak .
Pew Research Center found that 59 % of respondents said more cooperation with the international community would have kept cases lower in their native country .
The question was part of a Pew survey gauging sentiment in 14 nations about international cooperation .
Eighty-one percent said all nations should take steps to act more as a global community that works together to solve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on how respondents view the United Nations , which began the debate portion of the 75th General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday .
While the global body is widely viewed as an organization that promotes peace and human rights , fewer people believe it effectively handles international issues or cares about ordinary citizens .
Barely half of respondents said the body efficiently handles global issues and just 53 % said it cares about the needs of citizens .
In the United States , most ( 72 % ) said the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % ) agreed that it advocates for human rights .
Just 51 % said it effectively handles global issues and 55 % said it promotes action against infectious diseases , like COVID-19 .
Young people between the ages of 18 and 29 were most likely to view the United Nations and World Health Organization favorably .
Seventy-two percent said they have a positive view , compared to 58 % of those over 50 .
In the United States , 62 % said they have a favorable view of the United Nations .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization have been relatively consistent in recent years , '' Pew wrote .
`` Still , there has been a large upward shift in approval from 2007 , when 48 % of Americans had a favorable view . ''
Politically , nearly 80 % of Democrats said that the United States should take the interests of other countries into account when making foreign policy moves , compared to just 31 % of Republicans .
Pew surveyed 14,200 adults in Australia , Belgium , Britain , Canada , Denmark , France , Germany , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Korea , Spain , Sweden and the United States between June and August .
The survey has a margin of error between 3 and 4.2 points .

Volunteers with the COVID Memorial Project plant 20,000 American flags on Monday near the Washington Monument, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The project on Tuesday will pay tribute the 200,000 Americans who have died from the outbreak. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 22 (UPI) -- A new global survey Tuesday showed that nearly 60% of people in more than a dozen nations believe that greater international cooperation would've helped stem the COVID-19 outbreak. Pew Research Center found that 59% of respondents said more cooperation with the international community would have kept cases lower in their native country. Advertisement
The question was part of a Pew survey gauging sentiment in 14 nations about international cooperation.
Eighty-one percent said all nations should take steps to act more as a global community that works together to solve problems.
The poll also sought feedback on how respondents view the United Nations, which began the debate portion of the 75th General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday.
While the global body is widely viewed as an organization that promotes peace and human rights, fewer people believe it effectively handles international issues or cares about ordinary citizens.
Barely half of respondents said the body efficiently handles global issues and just 53% said it cares about the needs of citizens.
In the United States, most (72%) said the United Nations promotes peace and many (70%) agreed that it advocates for human rights. Just 51% said it effectively handles global issues and 55% said it promotes action against infectious diseases, like COVID-19.
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Young people between the ages of 18 and 29 were most likely to view the United Nations and World Health Organization favorably. Seventy-two percent said they have a positive view, compared to 58% of those over 50.
In the United States, 62% said they have a favorable view of the United Nations.
"The U.S. public's views of the organization have been relatively consistent in recent years," Pew wrote. "Still, there has been a large upward shift in approval from 2007, when 48% of Americans had a favorable view."
Politically, nearly 80% of Democrats said that the United States should take the interests of other countries into account when making foreign policy moves, compared to just 31% of Republicans.
Pew surveyed 14,200 adults in Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United States between June and August. The survey has a margin of error between 3 and 4.2 points.


upi--2020-09-22--1 in 5 women with migraine avoiding pregnancy, study says

Many women with severe migraines do n't want to get pregnant because of concerns about their headaches , a new study finds .
Migraine , one of the world 's leading causes of disability , particularly affects women of childbearing age .
Researchers surveyed 607 U.S. women afflicted with severe migraines .
One in 5 said they 're avoiding pregnancy due to their migraines .
Among those , 72.5 % thought their migraines would be worse during or just after pregnancy 68.3 % thought their migraines would make pregnancy difficult and 82.6 % thought their migraines would make raising a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern that their migraine medications would harm their child 's development and that their baby would inherit genes that increase their risk of migraine .
Women who had migraines associated with their menstrual cycle were more likely to avoid pregnancy than those who did n't have menstrual-related migraines .
The study also found that those who avoided pregnancy were more likely to have a history of depression , more migraines a month , and higher migraine-related disability over the three previous months , according to findings published this month in the journal Mayo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with migraines do n't get pregnant due to concerns about their health and the well-being of their child , research shows that migraine improves in up to 75 % of women during pregnancy .
`` A large number of women with migraine might avoid pregnancy due to migraine .
So they can make informed decisions , it is important that women with migraine have access to reliable information about the relationship between migraine and pregnancy , '' said lead author Dr. Ryotaro Ishii , a visiting scientist at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for migraine suffers of childbearing age to receive education about its potential impact of migraine on pregnancy .
`` As the leading cause of years lived with disability in the world , and one that affects one in three women during their lifetime , these data highlight the substantial impact migraine has on pregnancy and family planning , '' said study co-author Dr. David Dodick , of the Mayo Clinic , in Phoenix .
`` Clinicians must be alert to and proactively manage these important concerns of their female patients , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more on migraine and pregnancy .

Nearly three-quarters of women with migraine were concerned pregnancy would make it worse, researchers found in a recent survey. Photo by RobinHiggins /Pixabay
Many women with severe migraines don't want to get pregnant because of concerns about their headaches, a new study finds. Migraine, one of the world's leading causes of disability, particularly affects women of childbearing age. Advertisement
Researchers surveyed 607 U.S. women afflicted with severe migraines. One in 5 said they're avoiding pregnancy due to their migraines.
Among those, 72.5% thought their migraines would be worse during or just after pregnancy 68.3% thought their migraines would make pregnancy difficult and 82.6% thought their migraines would make raising a child difficult.
The women also expressed concern that their migraine medications would harm their child's development and that their baby would inherit genes that increase their risk of migraine.
Women who had migraines associated with their menstrual cycle were more likely to avoid pregnancy than those who didn't have menstrual-related migraines.
The study also found that those who avoided pregnancy were more likely to have a history of depression, more migraines a month, and higher migraine-related disability over the three previous months, according to findings published this month in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Even though many women with migraines don't get pregnant due to concerns about their health and the well-being of their child, research shows that migraine improves in up to 75% of women during pregnancy.
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"A large number of women with migraine might avoid pregnancy due to migraine. So they can make informed decisions, it is important that women with migraine have access to reliable information about the relationship between migraine and pregnancy," said lead author Dr. Ryotaro Ishii, a visiting scientist at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix.
The authors said it's crucial for migraine suffers of childbearing age to receive education about its potential impact of migraine on pregnancy.
"As the leading cause of years lived with disability in the world, and one that affects one in three women during their lifetime, these data highlight the substantial impact migraine has on pregnancy and family planning," said study co-author Dr. David Dodick, of the Mayo Clinic, in Phoenix.
"Clinicians must be alert to and proactively manage these important concerns of their female patients," he added.
More information
The American Migraine Foundation has more on migraine and pregnancy.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.