upi--2020-02-18--Crews struggle to keep roads clear as winter storm crosses the country

A winter storm is dumping snow across upstate New York and portions of New England on Tuesday as it skirts across the Canada border .
The storm first rolled into the Pacific Northwest over the weekend before taking a cross-country tour , dropping several inches of snow across different regions and causing dangerous travel conditions .
Portions of upstate New York have reported upwards of 5 inches of snow as of midday Tuesday , with 5.5 inches covering Wells , New York .
Take a look below for a region-by-region breakdown of the storm 's impacts .
Slippery conditions and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Midwest on Tuesday following the storm 's snowfall on Monday .
The Minnesota Department of Transportation ( MnDOT ) tweeted on Tuesday morning and acknowledged that road conditions were rough .
`` Yes , roads were tough this morning .
Yes , crews were out working all night , '' the department said , adding that motorists should drive slow and increase following distance .
Josie Smith , traffic reporter at KSTP-TV in Minnesota , had her hands full on Tuesday as she tried to keep up with all of the mishaps on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feed dedicated to traffic turned into a live-tweeted chronicle of crashes and fender-benders happening amid the snowfall .
`` Whoa ! ''
Smith wrote on Twitter just after 8 a.m. `` Another jack-knifed semi ! ''
Just hours earlier another semi truck had jack-knifed on I-94 at St. Croix Trail in Minnesota , near the Wisconsin border .
Two to 4 inches of snow buried many areas in Minnesota on Monday as residents and crews between St .
Cloud and Minneapolis were left digging out from more than 5 inches of snow .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm swept through Minnesota and Wisconsin .
A crash amid slick conditions in eastern Minnesota on Monday left a 30-year-old woman in critical condition , according to CBSN Minnesota .
The storm unloaded snow in the Rockies Sunday into Monday before taking aim at the Midwest .
However , a piece of the system got caught in the region as up-flow winds into the Colorado Rockies ignited snowfall around Colorado Springs Monday night into Tuesday , according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski .
The region was covered by several inches of snow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ metro area on Tuesday morning .
Colorado Springs was put under accident alert by the police department early this week as travel times to Denver on I-25 became more than 20 minutes slower than usual .
Multiple accidents were reported along the snowy I-25 , including roll-over crashes near Walsenburg and an accident that caused a light pole to block merging lanes just south of Fillmore , the Colorado Springs Police Department said , adding that alcohol was believed to be a contributing factor in the Fillmore crash .
Many schools around southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including University of Colorado-Colorado Springs .
The U.S. Air Force Academy also closed to non-mission essential personnel as a result of the snow and ice .
The El Paso County Public Information Officer tweeted that plows were out in full force to clear roads on Tuesday , but snow was quickly recovering surfaces .
Areas near Colorado Springs received as much as 5 inches of snow from the system -- and Tuesday marked the 10th day in Colorado Springs with snow in the month of February , the 10th most for the month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Missoula , were under snow squall warnings and winter storm advisories late Sunday night into Monday as record snow piled up over some locations .
Missoula 's 3.2 inches of snow by early Monday afternoon broke the previous daily record of 2.5 inches set in 2018 , according to the National Weather Service ( NWS ) .
S. Pattee Canyon , an area southeast of Missoula that sits at an elevation of 4,500 feet , received 9 inches of snow .
As the morning commute started in Missoula , roads were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blocked all northbound lanes of a road near Lolo and Missoula , NBC Montana reported .

A winter storm is dumping snow across upstate New York and portions of New England on Tuesday as it skirts across the Canada border. The storm first rolled into the Pacific Northwest over the weekend before taking a cross-country tour, dropping several inches of snow across different regions and causing dangerous travel conditions.
Portions of upstate New York have reported upwards of 5 inches of snow as of midday Tuesday, with 5.5 inches covering Wells, New York.
Advertisement
Take a look below for a region-by-region breakdown of the storm's impacts.
Slippery conditions and delays persisted across portions of the Upper Midwest on Tuesday following the storm's snowfall on Monday. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) tweeted on Tuesday morning and acknowledged that road conditions were rough.
"Yes, roads were tough this morning. Yes, crews were out working all night," the department said, adding that motorists should drive slow and increase following distance.
Advertisement
Josie Smith, traffic reporter at KSTP-TV in Minnesota, had her hands full on Tuesday as she tried to keep up with all of the mishaps on area roadways. The station's Twitter feed dedicated to traffic turned into a live-tweeted chronicle of crashes and fender-benders happening amid the snowfall. "Whoa!" Smith wrote on Twitter just after 8 a.m. "Another jack-knifed semi!"
Just hours earlier another semi truck had jack-knifed on I-94 at St. Croix Trail in Minnesota, near the Wisconsin border.
Two to 4 inches of snow buried many areas in Minnesota on Monday as residents and crews between St. Cloud and Minneapolis were left digging out from more than 5 inches of snow.
Roads were snow-covered on Monday as the storm swept through Minnesota and Wisconsin. A crash amid slick conditions in eastern Minnesota on Monday left a 30-year-old woman in critical condition, according to CBSN Minnesota.
Advertisement
The storm unloaded snow in the Rockies Sunday into Monday before taking aim at the Midwest. However, a piece of the system got caught in the region as up-flow winds into the Colorado Rockies ignited snowfall around Colorado Springs Monday night into Tuesday, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
The region was covered by several inches of snow, causing significant travel delays around the metro area on Tuesday morning. Colorado Springs was put under accident alert by the police department early this week as travel times to Denver on I-25 became more than 20 minutes slower than usual.
Multiple accidents were reported along the snowy I-25, including roll-over crashes near Walsenburg and an accident that caused a light pole to block merging lanes just south of Fillmore, the Colorado Springs Police Department said, adding that alcohol was believed to be a contributing factor in the Fillmore crash.
Many schools around southern Colorado were either delayed or closed, including University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. The U.S. Air Force Academy also closed to non-mission essential personnel as a result of the snow and ice.
Advertisement
The El Paso County Public Information Officer tweeted that plows were out in full force to clear roads on Tuesday, but snow was quickly recovering surfaces.
Areas near Colorado Springs received as much as 5 inches of snow from the system -- and Tuesday marked the 10th day in Colorado Springs with snow in the month of February, the 10th most for the month since 2003.
Portions of western Montana, including Missoula, were under snow squall warnings and winter storm advisories late Sunday night into Monday as record snow piled up over some locations.
Missoula's 3.2 inches of snow by early Monday afternoon broke the previous daily record of 2.5 inches set in 2018, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). S. Pattee Canyon, an area southeast of Missoula that sits at an elevation of 4,500 feet, received 9 inches of snow.
As the morning commute started in Missoula, roads were snow-covered and hazardous. A multi-vehicle accident blocked all northbound lanes of a road near Lolo and Missoula, NBC Montana reported.


upi--2020-02-18--Blood pressure drug linked to cancer, other side effects

Patients taking a common diuretic to help lower blood pressure may be better off with a similarly effective but safer one , a new study suggests .
Current guidelines recommend the drug chlorthalidone , sold as Thalitone , as the first-line diuretic .
But it can have serious side effects that can be avoided with another diuretic , hydrochlorothiazide , sold as Hydrodiuril , researchers say .
`` Diuretics are recognized as among the best drugs to treat hypertension , but there are no randomized studies to help decide which diuretic is best , '' said lead author Dr. George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Columbia University in New York City .
Hydrochlorothiazide is the world 's most-used diuretic , but chlorthalidone is gaining favor because it is longer acting and , therefore , might be more effective , Hripcsak said .
Guidelines from both the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association recommend chlorthalidone for that reason .
But the new study found that patients taking chlorthalidone were three times more likely than those taking hydrochlorothiazide to have dangerously low levels of potassium and other electrolyte imbalances , as well as kidney problems .
Six percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , compared with 2 % of those taking hydrochlorothiazide .
The rate remained the same even with lower doses of chlorthalidone , the researchers found .
`` If you are taking chlorthalidone , then your physician should be monitoring your electrolytes and kidney function carefully , '' Hripcsak said .
For the study , his team reviewed 17 years of data on more than 730,000 patients treated for high blood pressure .
While both drugs were equally effective in preventing heart attack and hospitalization for heart failure and stroke , chlorthalidone had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study found .
Those side effects include low potassium , which can trigger abnormal heart rhythms ; low salt , which can cause confusion ; kidney failure ; and type 2 diabetes .
This is not the first study to point out these side effects of chlorthalidone , the study authors said .
`` Until stronger evidence comes out to the contrary , I believe this study tips the scales toward hydrochlorothiazide for people taking a diuretic for high blood pressure , '' said study co-author Dr. Harlan Krumholz , a professor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Conn. Krumholz predicted treatment guidelines might shift from a generic endorsement of chlorthalidone to a more specific statement about the drug that seems safer .
He added that both drugs seem equally effective and are both inexpensive .
`` The good news is that the better choice is the most commonly prescribed diuretic for hypertension , '' Krumholz said .
The findings should prompt patients to discuss treatment options with their doctors , he noted .
`` The evidence is strong , but it is not a clinical trial , so there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` But until stronger evidence is out , this study represents some of the best information we have -- and it favors hydrochlorothiazide . ''
Dr. Gregg Fonarow , a professor of cardiology at the University of California , Los Angeles , said that because this study looked back at data , it ca n't prove that one drug is better or safer than the other .
Fortunately , Fonarow said , a large randomized trial comparing these drugs is underway with a plan to enroll 13,500 people with high blood pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In any case , the most important thing that people with high blood pressure can do is to keep their readings in check , Fonarow said .
`` It is critical for individuals with high blood pressure to achieve and maintain recommended blood pressure goals with a well-tolerated medication regimen together with lifestyle modification , '' he advised .
The report was published online Feb. 17 in JAMA Internal Medicine .
Learn more about high blood pressure from the American Heart Association .

Patients taking a common diuretic to help lower blood pressure may be better off with a similarly effective but safer one, a new study suggests.
Current guidelines recommend the drug chlorthalidone, sold as Thalitone, as the first-line diuretic. But it can have serious side effects that can be avoided with another diuretic, hydrochlorothiazide, sold as Hydrodiuril, researchers say.
Advertisement
"Diuretics are recognized as among the best drugs to treat hypertension, but there are no randomized studies to help decide which diuretic is best," said lead author Dr. George Hripcsak, head of biomedical informatics at Columbia University in New York City.
Hydrochlorothiazide is the world's most-used diuretic, but chlorthalidone is gaining favor because it is longer acting and, therefore, might be more effective, Hripcsak said.
Guidelines from both the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association recommend chlorthalidone for that reason.
But the new study found that patients taking chlorthalidone were three times more likely than those taking hydrochlorothiazide to have dangerously low levels of potassium and other electrolyte imbalances, as well as kidney problems.
Advertisement
Six percent of patients taking chlorthalidone had low potassium, compared with 2 percent of those taking hydrochlorothiazide. The rate remained the same even with lower doses of chlorthalidone, the researchers found.
"If you are taking chlorthalidone, then your physician should be monitoring your electrolytes and kidney function carefully," Hripcsak said.
For the study, his team reviewed 17 years of data on more than 730,000 patients treated for high blood pressure.
While both drugs were equally effective in preventing heart attack and hospitalization for heart failure and stroke, chlorthalidone had a higher risk of side effects, the study found. Those side effects include low potassium, which can trigger abnormal heart rhythms; low salt, which can cause confusion; kidney failure; and type 2 diabetes.
This is not the first study to point out these side effects of chlorthalidone, the study authors said.
"Until stronger evidence comes out to the contrary, I believe this study tips the scales toward hydrochlorothiazide for people taking a diuretic for high blood pressure," said study co-author Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a professor of medicine at Yale University in New Haven, Conn.
Krumholz predicted treatment guidelines might shift from a generic endorsement of chlorthalidone to a more specific statement about the drug that seems safer.
Advertisement
He added that both drugs seem equally effective and are both inexpensive. "The good news is that the better choice is the most commonly prescribed diuretic for hypertension," Krumholz said.
The findings should prompt patients to discuss treatment options with their doctors, he noted.
"The evidence is strong, but it is not a clinical trial, so there remains some uncertainty," Krumholz said. "But until stronger evidence is out, this study represents some of the best information we have -- and it favors hydrochlorothiazide."
Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said that because this study looked back at data, it can't prove that one drug is better or safer than the other.
Fortunately, Fonarow said, a large randomized trial comparing these drugs is underway with a plan to enroll 13,500 people with high blood pressure. Results are expected in 2022.
In any case, the most important thing that people with high blood pressure can do is to keep their readings in check, Fonarow said.
"It is critical for individuals with high blood pressure to achieve and maintain recommended blood pressure goals with a well-tolerated medication regimen together with lifestyle modification," he advised.
The report was published online Feb. 17 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Advertisement
More information
Learn more about high blood pressure from the American Heart Association.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-02-18--Watch: Police officer, kayaker rescue dog from frozen Ohio pond

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- An Ohio police officer rescued a dog that fell through the ice of a @ @ @ @ @ from a kayaker .
The Springfield Township Police Department posted a video to Facebook showing @ @ @ @ @ the frigid water to reach a dog that fell through the ice .
A kayaker @ @ @ @ @ nudging the dog in the right direction to reach Simms .
The department nicknamed the @ @ @ @ @ and reunited the canine with its owners .

Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- An Ohio police officer rescued a dog that fell through the ice of a frozen pond with some assistance from a kayaker.
The Springfield Township Police Department posted a video to Facebook showing Officer Simms wading out into the frigid water to reach a dog that fell through the ice.
Advertisement
A kayaker assists with the rescue by nudging the dog in the right direction to reach Simms.
The department nicknamed the dog Lucky after the rescue and reunited the canine with its owners.


upi--2020-02-18--Trump pardons former 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr., 'junk bond king' Michael Milken

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- President Donald Trump issued pardons to former San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr. , `` junk bond king '' Michael Milken and former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik , the White House announced Tuesday .
The announcement included pardons for a slew of other offenders as well as a commutation for former Illinois Gov .
Rod Blagojevich's DeBartolo , 73 , who owned the 49ers between 1977 and 2000 , was charged in a 1998 case involving former congressman and Louisiana Gov .
Edwin Edwards .
DeBartolo pleaded guilty to one count @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutors said Edwards demanded $ 400,000 from the 49ers owner in exchange for a riverboat casino license .
DeBartolo was also fined $ 1 million and served two years of probation .
After his plea , DeBartolo was fined by the NFL and barred from team operations for a year .
He ultimately turned control over to his sister Denise York , who still owns the team to this day .
Former 49ers stars Jerry Rice , Ronnie Lott and Charles Haley were at the White House for the signing ceremony .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the right reasons , '' Lott said .
`` You think of people who find their ways into your life to help you , deliver a certain compass .
You find yourself realizing that a day like this is great because of the fact that [ DeBartolo ] understands his compass .
`` He 's been an incredible friend .
An incredible owner and we 'll always be indebted to him . ''
Milken , meanwhile , served 22 months of a 10-year prison sentence for violating U.S. securities laws in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from former President George W. Bush and in 2018 , Trump 's personal lawyer , Rudy Giuliani , encouraged him to reverse the conviction .
As U.S. attorney in the late 1980s , Giuliani was the first to question the legality of some big deals on Wall Street , an investigation that led to Milken 's conviction .
Since his release from prison , Milken has turned to philanthropy , forming the Milken Family Foundation and donating to cancer-related charities and research .
Kerik served three years in prison and additional time under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evasion and making false statements .
His downfall began in December 2004 when Bush nominated him as secretary of homeland security .
Kerik withdrew his name days later , saying he had hired an undocumented immigrant as a nanny .
Additional scrutiny turned up other damaging allegations , including that he let a construction company pay for renovations to his apartment in New York .
The company had an interest in gaining his help in obtaining a city license .
In addition to DeBartolo , Milken and Kerik , Trump pardoned Ariel Friedler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Administration official David Safavian ( imprisoned in connection to the Jack Abramoff scandal ) ; and Angela Stanton .
He also commuted the sentences of former Illinois Gov .
Rod Blagojevich , Tynice Nichole Hall , Crystal Munoz and Judith Negron , who was serving a 35-year sentence for Medicare fraud .

1/4
Left to right, NFL greats Jerry Rice, Charles Haley, and Ronnie Lott speak to the media after President Donald Trump pardoned ex-San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr., at the White House on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump issued pardons to former San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr., "junk bond king" Michael Milken and former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, the White House announced Tuesday. The announcement included pardons for a slew of other offenders as well as a commutation for former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's Advertisement
A White House spokesperson told reporters Trump signed an order Monday granting DeBartolo clemency.
DeBartolo, 73, who owned the 49ers between 1977 and 2000, was charged in a 1998 case involving former congressman and Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards. DeBartolo pleaded guilty to one count of failing to report a felony after prosecutors said Edwards demanded $400,000 from the 49ers owner in exchange for a riverboat casino license. DeBartolo was also fined $1 million and served two years of probation.
After his plea, DeBartolo was fined by the NFL and barred from team operations for a year. He ultimately turned control over to his sister Denise York, who still owns the team to this day.
Advertisement
Former 49ers stars Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott and Charles Haley were at the White House for the signing ceremony.
"We are excited to be here for all the right reasons," Lott said. "You think of people who find their ways into your life to help you, deliver a certain compass. You find yourself realizing that a day like this is great because of the fact that [DeBartolo] understands his compass.
"He's been an incredible friend. An incredible owner and we'll always be indebted to him."
Milken, meanwhile, served 22 months of a 10-year prison sentence for violating U.S. securities laws in the 1980s. He previously sought a pardon from former President George W. Bush and in 2018, Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, encouraged him to reverse the conviction.
As U.S. attorney in the late 1980s, Giuliani was the first to question the legality of some big deals on Wall Street, an investigation that led to Milken's conviction.
Since his release from prison, Milken has turned to philanthropy, forming the Milken Family Foundation and donating to cancer-related charities and research.
Advertisement
Kerik served three years in prison and additional time under house arrest for wire fraud, tax evasion and making false statements.
His downfall began in December 2004 when Bush nominated him as secretary of homeland security. Kerik withdrew his name days later, saying he had hired an undocumented immigrant as a nanny.
Additional scrutiny turned up other damaging allegations, including that he let a construction company pay for renovations to his apartment in New York. The company had an interest in gaining his help in obtaining a city license.
In addition to DeBartolo, Milken and Kerik, Trump pardoned Ariel Friedler; Paul Pogue; former General Services Administration official David Safavian (imprisoned in connection to the Jack Abramoff scandal); and Angela Stanton.
He also commuted the sentences of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Tynice Nichole Hall, Crystal Munoz and Judith Negron, who was serving a 35-year sentence for Medicare fraud.


upi--2020-02-18--Queen Elizabeth nephew Earl of Snowden announces divorce

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- David Armstrong-Jones announced Tuesday that he is divorcing his wife Serena .
Armstrong-Jones is Queen Elizabeth II 's nephew and the earl of Snowdon .
A spokesperson for the couple told CNN the split is amicable .
`` The Earl and Countess of Snowden have amicably agreed that their marriage has come to an end and that they shall be divorced , '' the statement read .
`` They ask that the press respect their privacy and that of their family .
This is the second royal divorce announcement of the month .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced plans to divorce his wife , Autumn , after 12 years of marriage .
David and Serena have two children from their 26 year marriage , Charles and Margarita .
Armstrong-Jones founded the furniture store David Linley Furniture in 1985 with partner Matthew Rice .
He also opened the restaurant Deals with Elizabeth 's cousin , Lord Patrick Litchfield .
His mother , Princess Margaret , died in 2002 .
His father Antony was a celebrity photographer and the first earl of Snowdon by marriage .
He died in 2017 .
David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to NBC News .
Elizabeth 's eldest grandson , William , is second in line after his father , Prince Charles .
Elizabeth 's younger grandson Prince Harry announced in January that he and wife Meghan Markle would step away from royal duties .
Prince Andrew , Charles ' brother , also stepped back in November after saying he stayed at the house of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein .

Feb. 18 (UPI) -- David Armstrong-Jones announced Tuesday that he is divorcing his wife Serena. Armstrong-Jones is Queen Elizabeth II's nephew and the earl of Snowdon. A spokesperson for the couple told CNN the split is amicable.
"The Earl and Countess of Snowden have amicably agreed that their marriage has come to an end and that they shall be divorced," the statement read. "They ask that the press respect their privacy and that of their family.
Advertisement
This is the second royal divorce announcement of the month. Last week, Elizabeth's grandson Peter Phillips announced plans to divorce his wife, Autumn, after 12 years of marriage.
David and Serena have two children from their 26 year marriage, Charles and Margarita. Armstrong-Jones founded the furniture store David Linley Furniture in 1985 with partner Matthew Rice. He also opened the restaurant Deals with Elizabeth's cousin, Lord Patrick Litchfield.
His mother, Princess Margaret, died in 2002. His father Antony was a celebrity photographer and the first earl of Snowdon by marriage. He died in 2017.
David is 21st in line to the throne according to NBC News. Elizabeth's eldest grandson, William, is second in line after his father, Prince Charles. Elizabeth's younger grandson Prince Harry announced in January that he and wife Meghan Markle would step away from royal duties.
Advertisement
Prince Andrew, Charles' brother, also stepped back in November after saying he stayed at the house of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.


upi--2020-02-18--Insulin, asthma inhaler costs push some to Craigslist

Maybe you 've gone to Craigslist to find a used car or a secondhand couch , but imagine having to turn to the internet to pay for lifesaving drugs .
It 's already happening : A new study found that hundreds of ads were placed on Craigslist for insulin and asthma inhalers during a 12-day period in June 2019 .
`` This study shines a light on how deeply some patients are struggling to afford lifesaving medications .
Patients should not have to go to Craigslist to try to find affordable insulin and inhalers , '' said study senior author @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with The Value Institute at ChristianaCare , in Newark , Del .
People with type 1 diabetes ca n't survive without a steady supply of insulin , which has to be injected .
Those with type 2 diabetes who need insulin face a higher risk of serious diabetes complications if they ca n't get the insulin they need .
But it 's gotten increasingly harder to afford .
The American Diabetes Association says the average cost of insulin in the United States nearly tripled between 2002 and 2013 .
The cost of asthma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar time period , according to published reports .
People with asthma need `` rescue '' inhalers like albuterol when they 're having symptoms such as wheezing and shortness of breath .
The idea for the study initially came from a news article Goldstein saw detailing how someone purchased medication on Craigslist .
When she did a quick internet search , she was surprised to see quite a few listings for drugs .
`` It is illegal to sell prescription medications without a license and to purchase medication without a prescription , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the researchers looked at Craigslist ads across the country over a 12-day period .
They included all 50 states in their searches .
The investigators found ads for insulin and albuterol inhalers in 240 cities in 31 states .
Insulin was often offered at a very steep discount .
For example , a vial of Humalog insulin retails for nearly $ 300 , but was for sale on Craigslist for $ 37 .
Altruism was one reason that people sold insulin online .
`` I have been blessed with an overabundance of insulin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need it and not have a couple of hundred dollars to pay out of pocket , '' said one seller .
Not everyone had such altruistic motives .
Some were selling older supplies to make money to buy new medications after their doctor switched their prescriptions .
A big concern with insulin is that it needs to be refrigerated .
Once it 's at room temperature , it has to be used within a month .
And you ca n't tell by looking at the insulin if it 's ever been left out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether or not the insulin is sterile .
One seller was offering a three-quarters full vial of insulin that had been used on a pet .
While the seller claimed to have always used new needles on the vial , there 's no way to verify that information .
`` This is just not a safe way to get medication , '' Goldstein said .
Interestingly , asthma inhalers seemed to be more expensive to buy on Craigslist than through a retail outlet .
The retail price for an albuterol inhaler was $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Craigslist was $ 44 .
Goldstein said the researchers do n't know why asthma inhalers were for sale at a higher-than-retail price .
She noted that the researchers could n't verify the sale of any of these products .
They only knew that they were being offered for sale .
Goldstein said it 's likely that Craigslist is n't the only online forum where these sales are taking place .
The researchers attempted to get in touch with Craigslist via their online contact link , but did n't hear back from them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HealthDay 's request for comment .
Dr. Kasia Lipska , an assistant professor in the department of internal medicine at Yale School of Medicine , said , `` This adds to the growing body of literature that suggests that patients are desperate .
They need a lifesaving drug and are forced to do this or ration their insulin . ''
Lipska was n't involved in this study .
But she published research in 2018 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine that found in a group of 200 people with diabetes , more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lipska said that buying drugs from strangers on the internet is risky .
If patients are having trouble affording their medication , she said they should talk to their doctor .
She said it 's also important that doctors try to help by broaching the subject .
`` Patients may not bring this up unless the clinician asks , '' Lipska said .
`` This study 's finding -- that people may be getting drugs in unregulated places -- is a symptom of a failing system .
It 's a symptom of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients .
Insulin and other drugs need to be more affordable for patients , '' Lipska said .
Visit the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to find more resources to help people who ca n't afford diabetes medicines and supplies .

During the study, investigators found ads on Craigslist insulin and albuterol inhalers in 240 cities in 31 states. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Maybe you've gone to Craigslist to find a used car or a secondhand couch, but imagine having to turn to the internet to pay for lifesaving drugs. It's already happening: A new study found that hundreds of ads were placed on Craigslist for insulin and asthma inhalers during a 12-day period in June 2019. Advertisement
"This study shines a light on how deeply some patients are struggling to afford lifesaving medications. Patients should not have to go to Craigslist to try to find affordable insulin and inhalers," said study senior author Dr. Jennifer Goldstein, a research scientist with The Value Institute at ChristianaCare, in Newark, Del.
People with type 1 diabetes can't survive without a steady supply of insulin, which has to be injected. Those with type 2 diabetes who need insulin face a higher risk of serious diabetes complications if they can't get the insulin they need. But it's gotten increasingly harder to afford. The American Diabetes Association says the average cost of insulin in the United States nearly tripled between 2002 and 2013.
Advertisement
The cost of asthma medications has also risen significantly in a similar time period, according to published reports. People with asthma need "rescue" inhalers like albuterol when they're having symptoms such as wheezing and shortness of breath.
The idea for the study initially came from a news article Goldstein saw detailing how someone purchased medication on Craigslist. When she did a quick internet search, she was surprised to see quite a few listings for drugs.
"It is illegal to sell prescription medications without a license and to purchase medication without a prescription," Goldstein explained.
For the study, the researchers looked at Craigslist ads across the country over a 12-day period. They included all 50 states in their searches.
The investigators found ads for insulin and albuterol inhalers in 240 cities in 31 states.
Insulin was often offered at a very steep discount. For example, a vial of Humalog insulin retails for nearly $300, but was for sale on Craigslist for $37.
Altruism was one reason that people sold insulin online. "I have been blessed with an overabundance of insulin and know what it's like to need it and not have a couple of hundred dollars to pay out of pocket," said one seller.
Advertisement
Not everyone had such altruistic motives. Some were selling older supplies to make money to buy new medications after their doctor switched their prescriptions.
A big concern with insulin is that it needs to be refrigerated. Once it's at room temperature, it has to be used within a month. And you can't tell by looking at the insulin if it's ever been left out of the fridge.
Another issue is whether or not the insulin is sterile. One seller was offering a three-quarters full vial of insulin that had been used on a pet. While the seller claimed to have always used new needles on the vial, there's no way to verify that information.
"This is just not a safe way to get medication," Goldstein said.
Interestingly, asthma inhalers seemed to be more expensive to buy on Craigslist than through a retail outlet. The retail price for an albuterol inhaler was $25, but the average sale price on Craigslist was $44.
Goldstein said the researchers don't know why asthma inhalers were for sale at a higher-than-retail price.
She noted that the researchers couldn't verify the sale of any of these products. They only knew that they were being offered for sale.
Advertisement
Goldstein said it's likely that Craigslist isn't the only online forum where these sales are taking place. The researchers attempted to get in touch with Craigslist via their online contact link, but didn't hear back from them.
Craigslist also did not reply to HealthDay's request for comment.
Dr. Kasia Lipska, an assistant professor in the department of internal medicine at Yale School of Medicine, said, "This adds to the growing body of literature that suggests that patients are desperate. They need a lifesaving drug and are forced to do this or ration their insulin."
Lipska wasn't involved in this study. But she published research in 2018 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine that found in a group of 200 people with diabetes, more than one in four had rationed their insulin.
Lipska said that buying drugs from strangers on the internet is risky. If patients are having trouble affording their medication, she said they should talk to their doctor. She said it's also important that doctors try to help by broaching the subject. "Patients may not bring this up unless the clinician asks," Lipska said.
"This study's finding -- that people may be getting drugs in unregulated places -- is a symptom of a failing system. It's a symptom of a system that doesn't work for patients. Insulin and other drugs need to be more affordable for patients," Lipska said.
Advertisement
Goldstein's study was published online Feb. 17 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
More information
Visit the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to find more resources to help people who can't afford diabetes medicines and supplies.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-02-18--NASCAR to study Ryan Newman's car after violent Daytona 500 crash

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- Ryan Newman 's banged-up No .
6 Ford arrived Tuesday at NASCAR 's Research and Development Center , where it will be analyzed to improve car safety standards for all drivers after his Daytona 500 crash .
NASCAR said Monday night it would take the cars of Newman and fellow driver Corey LaJoie to the Concord , N.C. , facility after both were involved in the final-lap collision Monday at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach , Fla. Sources told Fox 46 News and WCCB Charlotte the cars arrived Tuesday afternoon .
On Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NASCAR 's most serious accidents since a 2001 crash took Dale Earnhardt 's life on the same track exactly 19 years ago .
Newman 's gruesome-looking collision had a similar feel to Earnhardt 's crash , which occurred in nearly the same section of the track .
Doctors said Monday that Newman 's injuries were n't life threatening .
He is being treated at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach .
No NASCAR driver has died as a result of a crash since Earnhardt .
Newman , 42 , was leading Monday 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wall by Ryan Blaney near the finish line .
Newman 's No .
6 Ford flipped several times and scraped the asphalt , throwing sparks through the air .
LaJoie , who was blinded by smoke , then slammed into Newman 's car at full speed , sending the Ford over the finish line while on its roof .
Emergency crews rushed to Newman 's car , and he was taken to a hospital by ambulance .
Newman was alert and speaking with family and doctors a day after the crash , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Racing on Tuesday .
Earnhardt 's death prompted NASCAR to make the major safety changes .
Drivers now have a HANS ( head and neck support ) device , which holds their head in place during impact and reduces the likelihood of head or neck injuries , like the skull fracture that killed Earnhardt .
Drivers also started to wear stronger harness seat belts , and their seats were modified with additional braces on each side of the head to prevent rapid , side to side movement .
Drivers ' seats were moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the center is designed to better maintain its structure should a crash occur .
Softer walls also were installed along the sides of race tracks to better absorb force when they are hit by a car .
Every Cup Series car also has a crash data recorder installed each weekend .
The recorder -- situated by the driver 's left knee -- measures acceleration force during a crash .
Experts at the Research and Development Center information will analyze recorder information and use it to make cars safer .
The center opened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denny Hamlin won Monday 's race .
The Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube is the next race on the Cup Series schedule .
That starts at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway .

Ryan Newman is being treated at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Fla., after getting into a wreck during the final lap of the 2020 Daytona 500 Sunday at Daytona International Speedway. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Ryan Newman's banged-up No. 6 Ford arrived Tuesday at NASCAR's Research and Development Center, where it will be analyzed to improve car safety standards for all drivers after his Daytona 500 crash. NASCAR said Monday night it would take the cars of Newman and fellow driver Corey LaJoie to the Concord, N.C., facility after both were involved in the final-lap collision Monday at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Sources told Fox 46 News and WCCB Charlotte the cars arrived Tuesday afternoon. Advertisement
On Monday, Newman was involved in one of NASCAR's most serious accidents since a 2001 crash took Dale Earnhardt's life on the same track exactly 19 years ago. Newman's gruesome-looking collision had a similar feel to Earnhardt's crash, which occurred in nearly the same section of the track.
Advertisement
Doctors said Monday that Newman's injuries weren't life threatening. He is being treated at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach. No NASCAR driver has died as a result of a crash since Earnhardt.
Newman, 42, was leading Monday's race when he was bumped into the wall by Ryan Blaney near the finish line. Newman's No. 6 Ford flipped several times and scraped the asphalt, throwing sparks through the air. LaJoie, who was blinded by smoke, then slammed into Newman's car at full speed, sending the Ford over the finish line while on its roof.
Emergency crews rushed to Newman's car, and he was taken to a hospital by ambulance.
Newman was alert and speaking with family and doctors a day after the crash, according to a statement released by Roush Fenway Racing on Tuesday.
Advertisement
Safety changes
Earnhardt's death prompted NASCAR to make the major safety changes. Drivers now have a HANS (head and neck support) device, which holds their head in place during impact and reduces the likelihood of head or neck injuries, like the skull fracture that killed Earnhardt.
Drivers also started to wear stronger harness seat belts, and their seats were modified with additional braces on each side of the head to prevent rapid, side to side movement. Drivers' seats were moved more toward the center of the car because the center is designed to better maintain its structure should a crash occur.
Softer walls also were installed along the sides of race tracks to better absorb force when they are hit by a car.
Every Cup Series car also has a crash data recorder installed each weekend. The recorder -- situated by the driver's left knee -- measures acceleration force during a crash.
Experts at the Research and Development Center information will analyze recorder information and use it to make cars safer. The center opened two years after Earnhardt's death.
Advertisement
Denny Hamlin won Monday's race. The Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube is the next race on the Cup Series schedule. That starts at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.


upi--2020-02-18--Change collected by vacuum leads man to $250,000 lottery prize

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- A South Carolina man who won a $ 250,000 lottery jackpot said he bought @ @ @ @ @ in quarters he vacuumed out of his car .
The Chapin man told South Carolina @ @ @ @ @ his car and discovered he had picked up $ 5 in quarters , so he @ @ @ @ @ toward a Maximum Money scratch-off ticket at the Publix store in Chapin .
The man @ @ @ @ @ when the clerk scanned his ticket for him and said it was a big winner @ @ @ @ @ ? ''
the man recalled asking .
`` Tell me that again , so I @ @ @ @ @ real .
I ca n't believe this . ''
The man said he plans to @ @ @ @ @ off debt , take care of his family and do something fun .

A South Carolina man bought a $250,000 lottery ticket using change he vacuumed up while cleaning his car. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Feb. 18 (UPI) -- A South Carolina man who won a $250,000 lottery jackpot said he bought his ticket with $5 in quarters he vacuumed out of his car. The Chapin man told South Carolina Education Lottery officials he vacuumed his car and discovered he had picked up $5 in quarters, so he decided to put the money toward a Maximum Money scratch-off ticket at the Publix store in Chapin. Advertisement
The man said he was in disbelief when the clerk scanned his ticket for him and said it was a big winner.
"Are you sure?" the man recalled asking. "Tell me that again, so I can make sure it's real. I can't believe this."
The ticket earned him a $250,000 top prize.
The man said he plans to use his winnings to pay off debt, take care of his family and do something fun.


upi--2020-02-18--Hurricanes benefit mangroves in Florida's Everglades, study finds

ORLANDO , Fla. , Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- Mangrove forests in the Florida Everglades benefit from nutrients and sediment washed up during some major hurricanes , and that helps coastal areas adapt to rising seas , a study concludes .
The study found the effect of hurricanes is so dramatic that two major storms in Florida raised the coastal elevation in parts of Everglades-area mangroves by more than 2 inches each time , said lead author Edward Castañeda-Moya , a research assistant professor at Florida International University in Miami .
The research measured soil levels and phosphorus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that raked Southwest Florida -- Wilma in 2005 and Irma in 2017 , Castañeda-Moya said .
`` Hurricanes are depositing mud and sediment in mangroves , and we found out this provides natural fertilization that helps the mangroves , '' he said .
The findings were published Tuesday online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .
Other institutions that contributed to the study were Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg , Va. Mangroves are swamp trees that thrive in salty or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ square miles of Earth 's surface in tropical coastal regions and over 700 square miles of Florida 's coasts , according to NASA .
Mangroves have been valued for centuries because they prevent erosion , trap runoff from the land and provide a home to aquatic life such as oysters , mussels and small fish , according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission .
The study noted that wind damage to mangroves in Florida was severe during Wilma and Irma , snapping branches or trunks and uprooting trees .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the destructive effect of hurricanes on mangrove forests in tropical and subtropical latitudes , hurricanes are major drivers controlling soil fertility gradients in the Florida Everglades mangroves , and therefore represent a positive influence , '' the study said .
It added : `` Hurricane-induced mineral inputs to near-coast mangroves in the Everglades enhance phosphorus concentrations in soils , increase plant phosphorus uptake , promote soil elevation gains relative to sea level , and facilitate rapid forest recovery following disturbance . ''
Castañeda-Moya said hurricane damage from Irma shocked him .
`` You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down , uprooted .
We also saw a lot of debris and sediment buildup , '' he said .
`` It turns out , it 's not all negative , and the trees can use that sediment . ''
According to the study , Everglades-area mangrove forests were able to recover almost completely five years after Hurricane Wilma .
Castañeda-Moya noted that South Florida sea levels have increased dramatically in the past decade , and the mangrove trees need that sediment buildup from hurricanes `` to keep pace with sea-level rise . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ same effect , said Betty Staugler , a research biologist with Florida Sea Grant , who was not involved in study .
Florida Sea Grant is university-based program that supports research and public education to conserve the state 's coastal resources .
`` We 've seen storms in other areas where mangroves take much longer to recover if they do at all , '' Staugler said .
She is based in Charlotte Harbor , an area that has mangroves but is some 70 miles north of the Everglades mangrove forests .
Staugler noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a source of phosphorus that feeds toxic red tide algae blooms .
`` The benefit to mangroves is something I had not thought of before .
I think this demonstrates in this case that such a natural phenomenon is n't all bad , '' Staugler said .
But Staugler cautioned that too much sediment from a hurricane could bury mangroves .
She said Hurricane Charley damaged them near Charlotte Harbor , and they did n't recover for 10 years -- even with extra planting and restoration work .
`` Some parts of South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are lacking in phosphorus , so a hurricane delivering phosphorus is a pretty cool thing , '' Staugler said .
`` But each hurricane and each region is a little different . ''

Florida's coastal mangrove forests cover 700 square miles. Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Mangrove forests in the Florida Everglades benefit from nutrients and sediment washed up during some major hurricanes, and that helps coastal areas adapt to rising seas, a study concludes. The study found the effect of hurricanes is so dramatic that two major storms in Florida raised the coastal elevation in parts of Everglades-area mangroves by more than 2 inches each time, said lead author Edward Castañeda-Moya, a research assistant professor at Florida International University in Miami. Advertisement
The research measured soil levels and phosphorus, a major nutrient for mangroves following hurricanes that raked Southwest Florida -- Wilma in 2005 and Irma in 2017, Castañeda-Moya said.
"Hurricanes are depositing mud and sediment in mangroves, and we found out this provides natural fertilization that helps the mangroves," he said.
The findings were published Tuesday online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Advertisement
Other institutions that contributed to the study were Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
Mangroves are swamp trees that thrive in salty or brackish water. They cover over 53,190 square miles of Earth's surface in tropical coastal regions and over 700 square miles of Florida's coasts, according to NASA.
Mangroves have been valued for centuries because they prevent erosion, trap runoff from the land and provide a home to aquatic life such as oysters, mussels and small fish, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The study noted that wind damage to mangroves in Florida was severe during Wilma and Irma, snapping branches or trunks and uprooting trees. But the outcome had favorable aspects.
"Despite the destructive effect of hurricanes on mangrove forests in tropical and subtropical latitudes, hurricanes are major drivers controlling soil fertility gradients in the Florida Everglades mangroves, and therefore represent a positive influence," the study said.
It added: "Hurricane-induced mineral inputs to near-coast mangroves in the Everglades enhance phosphorus concentrations in soils, increase plant phosphorus uptake, promote soil elevation gains relative to sea level, and facilitate rapid forest recovery following disturbance."
Castañeda-Moya said hurricane damage from Irma shocked him.
Advertisement
"You see the trees completely defoliated, knocked down, uprooted. We also saw a lot of debris and sediment buildup," he said. "It turns out, it's not all negative, and the trees can use that sediment."
According to the study, Everglades-area mangrove forests were able to recover almost completely five years after Hurricane Wilma.
Castañeda-Moya noted that South Florida sea levels have increased dramatically in the past decade, and the mangrove trees need that sediment buildup from hurricanes "to keep pace with sea-level rise."
But not all hurricanes may have the same effect, said Betty Staugler, a research biologist with Florida Sea Grant, who was not involved in study. Florida Sea Grant is university-based program that supports research and public education to conserve the state's coastal resources.
"We've seen storms in other areas where mangroves take much longer to recover if they do at all," Staugler said. She is based in Charlotte Harbor, an area that has mangroves but is some 70 miles north of the Everglades mangrove forests.
Staugler noted that hurricane-roiled waters also are viewed as a source of phosphorus that feeds toxic red tide algae blooms.
"The benefit to mangroves is something I had not thought of before. I think this demonstrates in this case that such a natural phenomenon isn't all bad," Staugler said.
Advertisement
But Staugler cautioned that too much sediment from a hurricane could bury mangroves. She said Hurricane Charley damaged them near Charlotte Harbor, and they didn't recover for 10 years -- even with extra planting and restoration work.
"Some parts of South Florida along the Everglades and Florida Bay are lacking in phosphorus, so a hurricane delivering phosphorus is a pretty cool thing," Staugler said. "But each hurricane and each region is a little different."


upi--2020-02-18--Judge won't delay Roger Stone sentencing hearing set for Thursday

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- A federal judge Tuesday said Roger Stone 's sentencing hearing would still be Thursday despite defense efforts to delay it .
Defense attorneys had asked U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to delay sentencing while deciding on their motion to grant a new trial .
Jackson said she had not decided on whether to have a hearing on the defense 's motion , but Thursday 's sentencing hearing could move forward as planned and the sentence delayed from going into effect until the motion is decided .
`` I think that delaying this sentence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do under all of the circumstances , '' Jackson said during a teleconference with attorneys on both sides .
Stone , 67 , a former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump , faced a legal maximum penalty of 50 years in prison , although a first offender would face far less time under federal sentencing guidelines , including 20 years for witness tampering and five years for each of the other counts .
He was found guilty in November of seven charges , with obstruction , making false statements and witness tampering , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sixth Trump staffer to be convicted on charges related to former special counsel Robert Mueller 's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election .
Federal prosecutors recommended seven to nine years in a sentencing memorandum as a `` general deterrence '' due to the seriousness of his offenses and that he knew exactly what he was doing when he committed them .
But the Department of Justice intervened last week to undercut their sentencing recommendation .
The lower sentencing request followed the president 's rebukes of the initial one .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ original request `` disgraceful '' and a `` miscarriage of justice . ''
In response to undercutting their request , four federal prosecutors quit the case , with half of them resigning entirely as employees of the U.S. Attorney 's Office in Washington , D.C .
The new prosecution team had argued in favor of moving forward with Thursday 's sentencing hearing .
While the exact reason Stone 's defense team is calling for a new trial remains unclear , Stone 's allies , including Trump , have recently called attention to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreperson in the jury criticizing the president in social media posts .

A federal judge Tuesday decided not to delay Thursday's hearing for sentencing of Roger Stone. File Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- A federal judge Tuesday said Roger Stone's sentencing hearing would still be Thursday despite defense efforts to delay it. Defense attorneys had asked U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to delay sentencing while deciding on their motion to grant a new trial. Advertisement
Jackson said she had not decided on whether to have a hearing on the defense's motion, but Thursday's sentencing hearing could move forward as planned and the sentence delayed from going into effect until the motion is decided.
"I think that delaying this sentence would not be a prudent thing to do under all of the circumstances," Jackson said during a teleconference with attorneys on both sides.
Stone, 67, a former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump, faced a legal maximum penalty of 50 years in prison, although a first offender would face far less time under federal sentencing guidelines, including 20 years for witness tampering and five years for each of the other counts. He was found guilty in November of seven charges, with obstruction, making false statements and witness tampering, being among them.
Advertisement
He is the sixth Trump staffer to be convicted on charges related to former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Federal prosecutors recommended seven to nine years in a sentencing memorandum as a "general deterrence" due to the seriousness of his offenses and that he knew exactly what he was doing when he committed them.
But the Department of Justice intervened last week to undercut their sentencing recommendation. The lower sentencing request followed the president's rebukes of the initial one. In early morning tweets, Trump called the original request "disgraceful" and a "miscarriage of justice."
In response to undercutting their request, four federal prosecutors quit the case, with half of them resigning entirely as employees of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C.
The new prosecution team had argued in favor of moving forward with Thursday's sentencing hearing.
While the exact reason Stone's defense team is calling for a new trial remains unclear, Stone's allies, including Trump, have recently called attention to a woman who has identified herself as a foreperson in the jury criticizing the president in social media posts.


upi--2020-02-18--Watch: Dreamcatcher releases debut album, 'Scream' video

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- South Korean girl group Dreamcatcher is back with new music .
The K-pop stars @ @ @ @ @ , Dystopia : The Tree of Language , and a music video for the single @ @ @ @ @ .
The `` Scream '' video shows Dreamcatcher in a desert landscape that features a @ @ @ @ @ The group is joined by a number of black-clad backup dancers .
`` One day @ @ @ @ @ come , '' an intro for the video reads .
`` People forgot how to @ @ @ @ @ The `` Scream '' video does not feature Dreamcatcher member Handong , who had another @ @ @ @ @ Tree of Language is Dreamcatcher 's first Korean-language studio album .
The group released the @ @ @ @ @ the End in September .
Dreamcatcher consists of Jiu , Sua , Siyeon , Yoohyeon @ @ @ @ @ Handong .
The group is known for the singles `` Chase Me , '' `` @ @ @ @ @ Over the Sky , '' and `` Deja Vu . ''

Feb. 18 (UPI) -- South Korean girl group Dreamcatcher is back with new music.
The K-pop stars released its debut studio album, Dystopia: The Tree of Language, and a music video for the single "Scream" on Tuesday.
Advertisement
The "Scream" video shows Dreamcatcher in a desert landscape that features a mystical, glowing tree. The group is joined by a number of black-clad backup dancers.
"One day suddenly the light did not come," an intro for the video reads. "People forgot how to say good things."
The "Scream" video does not feature Dreamcatcher member Handong, who had another commitment.
Dystopia: The Tree of Language is Dreamcatcher's first Korean-language studio album. The group released the Japanese album The Beginning of the End in September.
Dreamcatcher consists of Jiu, Sua, Siyeon, Yoohyeon, Dami, Gahyeon and Handong. The group is known for the singles "Chase Me," "Full Moon," "Over the Sky," and "Deja Vu."


upi--2020-02-18--President Donald Trump commutes sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- President Donald Trump on Tuesday commuted the sentence of former Illinois Gov .
Rod Blagojevich , eight years into his 14-year sentence for corruption .
Trump announced his decision to reporters as he arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland en route to Los Angeles .
`` Yes , we commuted the sentence of Rod Blagojevich , '' Trump said .
`` He served eight years in jail , a long time .
He seems like a very nice person , do n't know him .
`` He 'll be able to go back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years in jail , that was a tremendously powerful , ridiculous sentence in my opinion . ''
Illinois ' governor from 2003 to 2009 , Blagojevich was impeached from office for various acts of corruption , including the `` auctioning off '' of President Barack Obama 's Illinois Senate seat following his 2008 election and attempting to extort former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel .
An appeals court dismissed five of Blagojevich 's 18 convictions -- wire fraud , conspiracy to commit extortion , attempted extortion and conspiracy to commit bribery -- in 2015 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a federal court handed down the same sentence -- 14 years -- in 2016 .
In addition to Blagojevich , Trump commuted the sentences of Tynice Nichole Hall , Crystal Munoz and Judith Negron , who was serving a 35-year sentence for Medicare fraud .
He also handed down a number of pardons , including for former San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr. , Michael Milken ( imprisoned for securities-related felonies ) ; Ariel Friedler ; former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik ( who served four years for tax evasion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Services Administration official David Safavian ( imprisoned in connection to the Jack Abramoff scandal ) ; and Angela Stanton .

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was imprisoned on several corruption charges. File Photo by Brian Kersey/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Tuesday commuted the sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, eight years into his 14-year sentence for corruption. Trump announced his decision to reporters as he arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland en route to Los Angeles. Advertisement
"Yes, we commuted the sentence of Rod Blagojevich," Trump said. "He served eight years in jail, a long time. He seems like a very nice person, don't know him.
"He'll be able to go back home with his family after serving eight years in jail, that was a tremendously powerful, ridiculous sentence in my opinion."
Illinois' governor from 2003 to 2009, Blagojevich was impeached from office for various acts of corruption, including the "auctioning off" of President Barack Obama's Illinois Senate seat following his 2008 election and attempting to extort former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
An appeals court dismissed five of Blagojevich's 18 convictions -- wire fraud, conspiracy to commit extortion, attempted extortion and conspiracy to commit bribery -- in 2015. Despite the reduction in charges, a federal court handed down the same sentence -- 14 years -- in 2016.
Advertisement
In addition to Blagojevich, Trump commuted the sentences of Tynice Nichole Hall, Crystal Munoz and Judith Negron, who was serving a 35-year sentence for Medicare fraud.
He also handed down a number of pardons, including for former San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr., Michael Milken (imprisoned for securities-related felonies); Ariel Friedler; former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik (who served four years for tax evasion); Paul Pogue; former General Services Administration official David Safavian (imprisoned in connection to the Jack Abramoff scandal); and Angela Stanton.


upi--2020-02-18--Watch: Jet-powered wingsuit takes off from the ground for high-altitude flight

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- The Dubai-based creators of a jet-powered wingsuit said they marked a new milestone for @ @ @ @ @ taking off from the ground for a high-altitude flight .
The Jetman Dubai team has @ @ @ @ @ with flights that involved taking off from elevated platforms , but Friday 's test at @ @ @ @ @ Arab Emirates marked the first time the suit took off from the ground and transitioned @ @ @ @ @ , reaching nearly 6,000 feet .
Vine Reffett , the Jetman pilot who conducted the @ @ @ @ @ suit 's ability to hover , stop , turn and maneuver in the air .
@ @ @ @ @ Reffett fly at an average speed of nearly 150 mph before parachuting to the ground @ @ @ @ @ 5,000 feet .
`` One of the next objectives is to land back on the @ @ @ @ @ altitude , without needing to open a parachute .
It 's being worked on , @ @ @ @ @ statement .

Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- The Dubai-based creators of a jet-powered wingsuit said they marked a new milestone for Iron Man style flight: taking off from the ground for a high-altitude flight.
The Jetman Dubai team has previously demonstrated the jet-powered wingsuit with flights that involved taking off from elevated platforms, but Friday's test at Skydive Dubai in the United Arab Emirates marked the first time the suit took off from the ground and transitioned to a high altitude flight, reaching nearly 6,000 feet.
Advertisement
Vine Reffett, the Jetman pilot who conducted the demonstration, showed off the suit's ability to hover, stop, turn and maneuver in the air.
The approximately three-minute flight saw Reffett fly at an average speed of nearly 150 mph before parachuting to the ground from a height of about 5,000 feet.
"One of the next objectives is to land back on the ground after a flight at altitude, without needing to open a parachute. It's being worked on," Reffett said in a statement.


upi--2020-02-18--Look: Demi Lovato shares renewed struggle with eating disorder

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- Demi Lovato says she was battling an eating disorder as she struggled with addiction issues over the past few years .
The 27-year-old singer and actress appeared on Tuesday 's episode of the Pretty Big Deal with Ashley Graham podcast , where she discussed her renewed eating issues and how they played a role in her 2018 relapse and overdose .
Lovato was treated for bulimia in 2010 and said in 2014 that she nearly returned to rehab for eating issues .
Lovato explained how she thought she was in recovery in recent years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ myself into the ground with workouts and extreme dieting , '' Lovato told host Ashley Graham .
`` I thought the past few years was recovery from an eating disorder when it actually was just completely falling into it.
`` `` I just realized that maybe my symptoms were n't as obvious as before , but it was definitely an eating issue , '' she said .
Lovato said she thought she was helping her recovery from an eating disorder and substance abuse issues by throwing herself into workouts .
`` I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are telling you certain things , that you should look a certain way , it makes it harder , '' the star said .
`` I was just in that situation , and I was just running myself into the ground . ''
`` I honestly think that 's what led to everything happening over the past year , was just me thinking I found recovery when I did n't and then living this lie and trying to tell the world I was happy with myself when I really was n't , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an overdose in July 2018 .
She performed for the first time since the incident at the Grammys in January , and sang the national anthem at Super Bowl LIV this month .
Lovato showed off a new tattoo on Instagram this month that signifies her `` spiritual awakening . ''
She will host a new talk show for Quibi , a short-form streaming service that debuts in April .

Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Demi Lovato says she was battling an eating disorder as she struggled with addiction issues over the past few years.
The 27-year-old singer and actress appeared on Tuesday's episode of the Pretty Big Deal with Ashley Graham podcast, where she discussed her renewed eating issues and how they played a role in her 2018 relapse and overdose.
Advertisement
Lovato was treated for bulimia in 2010 and said in 2014 that she nearly returned to rehab for eating issues. Lovato explained how she thought she was in recovery in recent years.
"I'm tired of running myself into the ground with workouts and extreme dieting," Lovato told host Ashley Graham. "I thought the past few years was recovery from an eating disorder when it actually was just completely falling into it. "
Advertisement
"I just realized that maybe my symptoms weren't as obvious as before, but it was definitely an eating issue," she said.
Lovato said she thought she was helping her recovery from an eating disorder and substance abuse issues by throwing herself into workouts.
"I think when you have certain people around you that are telling you certain things, that you should look a certain way, it makes it harder," the star said. "I was just in that situation, and I was just running myself into the ground."
"I honestly think that's what led to everything happening over the past year, was just me thinking I found recovery when I didn't and then living this lie and trying to tell the world I was happy with myself when I really wasn't," she added.
Lovato was hospitalized for an overdose in July 2018. She performed for the first time since the incident at the Grammys in January, and sang the national anthem at Super Bowl LIV this month.
Lovato showed off a new tattoo on Instagram this month that signifies her "spiritual awakening." She will host a new talk show for Quibi, a short-form streaming service that debuts in April.


upi--2020-02-19--Watch: Justin Bieber sings with James Corden in new 'Carpool Karaoke'

Feb. 19 ( UPI ) -- Justin Bieber joined James Corden on The Late Late Show for a new installment of Carpool Karaoke .
The pair performed a number of Bieber 's songs including his collaboration with Ed Sheeran `` I Do n't Care , '' `` Yummy '' and `` Intentions '' from his latest album Changes and `` Love Myself . ''
Corden , after practicing with Bieber dance moves for `` Yummy , '' asked the pop star about why he challenged actor Tom Cruise to a fight on Twitter in June .
`` I do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be honest , '' Bieber said .
`` But then people were like ' I wan na see this happen . '
And I was like , 'You know what ?
That could actually be funny . ''
'' `` He 's not the guy you see in movies , he 's not .
That 's a character , '' Bieber continued about Cruise .
`` I 'm different .
I 'm the Conner McGregor of entertainment , '' he said .
Bieber also discussed his marriage to Hailey Baldwin and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' at his wedding .
`` Being married is the best thing that 's ever happened to me .
She 's extraordinary , '' Bieber said before detailing how he and Baldwin like to stay in and watch Friends .
Bieber will be a guest on The Late Late Show throughout the week .

Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Justin Bieber joined James Corden on The Late Late Show for a new installment of Carpool Karaoke.
The pair performed a number of Bieber's songs including his collaboration with Ed Sheeran "I Don't Care," "Yummy" and "Intentions" from his latest album Changes and "Love Myself."
Advertisement
Corden, after practicing with Bieber dance moves for "Yummy," asked the pop star about why he challenged actor Tom Cruise to a fight on Twitter in June.
"I don't know. I was just being stupid to be honest," Bieber said. "But then people were like 'I wanna see this happen.' And I was like, 'You know what? That could actually be funny.""
"He's not the guy you see in movies, he's not. That's a character," Bieber continued about Cruise.
"I'm different. I'm the Conner McGregor of entertainment," he said.
Bieber also discussed his marriage to Hailey Baldwin and said he performed "One Less Lonely Girl" at his wedding.
"Being married is the best thing that's ever happened to me. She's extraordinary," Bieber said before detailing how he and Baldwin like to stay in and watch Friends.
Advertisement
Bieber will be a guest on The Late Late Show throughout the week.


upi--2020-02-19--Britain to close borders to unskilled, non-English speakers

Feb. 19 ( UPI ) -- In one of its first major policy steps after leaving the European Union , the British government said Wednesday it will stop admitting non-English speaking , unskilled migrant workers .
The ban is part of a new immigration point system , similar to that used in Australia , and will start in 2021 .
`` For too long , distorted by European free movement rights , the immigration system has been failing to meet the needs of the British people , '' the government said in a statement .
`` Our approach will change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new system that will transform the way in which all migrants come to [ Britain ] to work , study , visit or join their family .
It will also revolutionize the operation of the [ British ] border , tighten security and deliver a better customer experience . ''
Under the new law , migrants must earn 70 points to enter Britain .
Fifty are earned if they have a job offer from an approved sponsor , it 's at an appropriate skill level and they can speak English at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also receive points if they fill STEM jobs , the position is at a doctorate educational level or it fills a job shortage .
The announcement was met swiftly with criticism from industry leaders , the Labor Party and other critics .
`` Jobs the government considers 'low-skilled ' are vital to well-being and business growth , '' Tom Hadley , director of policy at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation , said .
`` We need access to workers that can help us look after the elderly , build homes and keep the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Labor 's shadow home secretary , called the English-speaking requirement `` inhumane and damaging '' and a `` dog whistle '' for those wanting to discriminate against certain immigrant groups .
`` Most people who come here to work can already speak English , '' Abbott said .
`` Ultimately , it will also be very difficult to attract the workers we need at all skill levels . ''

Union flags line Parliament Square behind a statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in London. File Photo by Andy Rain/EPA EFE
Feb. 19 (UPI) -- In one of its first major policy steps after leaving the European Union, the British government said Wednesday it will stop admitting non-English speaking, unskilled migrant workers. The ban is part of a new immigration point system, similar to that used in Australia, and will start in 2021. Advertisement
"For too long, distorted by European free movement rights, the immigration system has been failing to meet the needs of the British people," the government said in a statement.
"Our approach will change all of this. We are implementing a new system that will transform the way in which all migrants come to [Britain] to work, study, visit or join their family. It will also revolutionize the operation of the [British] border, tighten security and deliver a better customer experience."
Under the new law, migrants must earn 70 points to enter Britain. Fifty are earned if they have a job offer from an approved sponsor, it's at an appropriate skill level and they can speak English at a "required level."
Immigrants can also receive points if they fill STEM jobs, the position is at a doctorate educational level or it fills a job shortage.
Advertisement
The announcement was met swiftly with criticism from industry leaders, the Labor Party and other critics.
"Jobs the government considers 'low-skilled' are vital to well-being and business growth," Tom Hadley, director of policy at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, said. "We need access to workers that can help us look after the elderly, build homes and keep the economy strong."
Diane Abbott, Labor's shadow home secretary, called the English-speaking requirement "inhumane and damaging" and a "dog whistle" for those wanting to discriminate against certain immigrant groups.
"Most people who come here to work can already speak English," Abbott said. "Ultimately, it will also be very difficult to attract the workers we need at all skill levels."


upi--2020-02-19--Boeing orders inspections of new 737 Maxes after debris found in fuel tanks

Feb. 19 ( UPI ) -- Boeing has ordered inspections of all its undelivered 737 Max model aircraft after finding debris left over from the manufacturing process inside fuel tanks .
The U.S. aerospace giant said it ordered the inspections following the discovery of `` foreign object debris , '' or FOD , in the tanks of newly-built airplanes now in storage at several sites while awaiting delivery .
The inspections will be made on more than 400 undelivered planes .
A Boeing spokesman said the issue is unrelated to the technical issues which led to the model 's grounding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boeing 's timeline of returning the airliner to service by mid-summer .
The FAA said it 's aware of inspections and has increased surveillance of the 737 Max program .
An internal memo sent to Boeing employees from Mark Jenks , general manager of its 737 program , called the discovery of debris `` absolutely unacceptable '' and instituted a strengthened regime of `` inspections , audits and checks into our tank closure process to ensure there is zero FOD within the fuel tanks . ''
Boeing did not describe what kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If left undiscovered , it could cause serious damage and block fuel lines .
The episode is part of a string of recent quality control issues for the aircraft maker .
Last year it was forced to ground its KC-46 tankers after the U.S. Air Force found loose tools and bits of debris inside the completed airplanes .

Boeing has ordered inspections of undelivered 737 Max aircraft. File photo by Andy Rain/EPA-EFE
Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Boeing has ordered inspections of all its undelivered 737 Max model aircraft after finding debris left over from the manufacturing process inside fuel tanks. The U.S. aerospace giant said it ordered the inspections following the discovery of "foreign object debris," or FOD, in the tanks of newly-built airplanes now in storage at several sites while awaiting delivery. Advertisement
The inspections will be made on more than 400 undelivered planes.
A Boeing spokesman said the issue is unrelated to the technical issues which led to the model's grounding last year and shouldn't add to Boeing's timeline of returning the airliner to service by mid-summer.
The FAA said it's aware of inspections and has increased surveillance of the 737 Max program.
An internal memo sent to Boeing employees from Mark Jenks, general manager of its 737 program, called the discovery of debris "absolutely unacceptable" and instituted a strengthened regime of "inspections, audits and checks into our tank closure process to ensure there is zero FOD within the fuel tanks."
Boeing did not describe what kind of debris was found in the tanks. If left undiscovered, it could cause serious damage and block fuel lines.
Advertisement
The episode is part of a string of recent quality control issues for the aircraft maker. Last year it was forced to ground its KC-46 tankers after the U.S. Air Force found loose tools and bits of debris inside the completed airplanes.


upi--2020-02-19--NBC orders Season 4 of 'Ellen's Game of Games'

Feb. 19 ( UPI ) -- NBC has renewed Ellen DeGeneres ' Ellen 's Game of Games for a fourth @ @ @ @ @ announced on Tuesday 's edition of The Ellen DeGeneres Show , then confirmed by the @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I 'm so excited .
I love this show so much , '' @ @ @ @ @ makes me so happy .
I love games .
It combines all my favorite things @ @ @ @ @ I 'm sure you 've seen it , but if you have n't , you @ @ @ @ @ We ca n't wait to get started on the next round of episodes . ''
@ @ @ @ @ comedic game show that challenges contestants to play different games for a chance at a @ @ @ @ @

Feb. 19 (UPI) -- NBC has renewed Ellen DeGeneres' Ellen's Game of Games for a fourth season.
The news was announced on Tuesday's edition of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, then confirmed by the network in a press release.
Advertisement
"I'm so excited. I love this show so much," DeGeneres said. "It makes me so happy. I love games. It combines all my favorite things: prizes and surprises. I'm sure you've seen it, but if you haven't, you've been missing out. We can't wait to get started on the next round of episodes."
The family program is a comedic game show that challenges contestants to play different games for a chance at a $100,000 cash prize.


upi--2020-02-19--Champions League soccer: Atletico upsets Liverpool

Feb. 19 ( UPI ) -- La Liga club Atletico Madrid scored a fourth-minute goal and held on to upset Premier League leaders Liverpool in the first leg of a round of 16 matchup at the 2019-20 Champions League .
Saul Niguez had the lone score in the 1-0 triumph Tuesday at Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid .
Koke sent in a corner kick from the right side to set up the score .
The in-swinging pass fell into the box , where it hit the boot of Reds center midfielder Fabinho .
The loose ball then rolled right in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was there to poke it past Liverpool keeper Alisson .
`` Hard work , persistence and always believing earned us this win , '' Niguez told reporters .
`` We scored early and then we did a great job .
We earned a very big win . ''
Atletico had several close chances in the first half , while Liverpool could not fire shots on target .
Reds star Mohamed Salah had one of Liverpool 's best chances in the second half , but his header sailed just to the left of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atletico continued to search for a second goal down the stretch , before stuffing the box with defenders to limit Liverpool 's chances for an equalizer .
`` I am not disappointed about how we played .
I 've seen much worse games in my life , '' Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said .
`` It was absolutely OK. How I said we were not good enough in the last third , that 's it .
I did n't expect that we would have around about 70 percent possession .
`` I actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more of the game , but we are not surprised .
1-0 and you are not in the best moment .
You try to defend it with all you have , and that 's what they did . ''
Liverpool had 73 percent of the possession in the loss .
The Reds had eight shots with none on target .
Atletico had seven shots with two on target .
`` We had the ball most of the game but , unfortunately , we could n't create massive opportunities , '' Liverpool star Virgil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But we still have another 90 minutes to set it straight , and we should be full of confidence still . ''
The Reds have several Premier League games before returning for the second leg of their round of 16 matchup against Atletico .
Liverpool -- the defending Champions League winners -- can still advance to the quarterfinals , but need to limit Atletico 's scores on the road when they host the La Liga club in Liverpool , England .
The Reds will most likely need to advance on goal differential or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the quarterfinals if they beat Atletico by at least two scores or score three or more times in a win March 11 at Anfield .
The first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals is April 7 and April 8 .
Liverpool hosts West Ham in Premier League play at 3 p.m. EST Monday at Anfield .
Atletico hosts Villarreal in La Liga at 3 p.m. EST Sunday in Madrid .

Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah had the closest shot for the Reds during their 1-0 loss to Atletico Madrid Tuesday in Madrid. Photo by Rodrigo Jimenez/EPA-EFE
Feb. 19 (UPI) -- La Liga club Atletico Madrid scored a fourth-minute goal and held on to upset Premier League leaders Liverpool in the first leg of a round of 16 matchup at the 2019-20 Champions League. Saul Niguez had the lone score in the 1-0 triumph Tuesday at Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid. Advertisement
Koke sent in a corner kick from the right side to set up the score. The in-swinging pass fell into the box, where it hit the boot of Reds center midfielder Fabinho. The loose ball then rolled right in front of the goal, where Niguez was there to poke it past Liverpool keeper Alisson.
"Hard work, persistence and always believing earned us this win," Niguez told reporters. "We scored early and then we did a great job. We earned a very big win."
Advertisement
Atletico had several close chances in the first half, while Liverpool could not fire shots on target. Reds star Mohamed Salah had one of Liverpool's best chances in the second half, but his header sailed just to the left of the left post in the 53rd minute.
Atletico continued to search for a second goal down the stretch, before stuffing the box with defenders to limit Liverpool's chances for an equalizer.
"I am not disappointed about how we played. I've seen much worse games in my life," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said. "It was absolutely OK. How I said we were not good enough in the last third, that's it. I didn't expect that we would have around about 70 percent possession.
"I actually thought we would have a little bit more of the game, but we are not surprised. 1-0 and you are not in the best moment. You try to defend it with all you have, and that's what they did."
Liverpool had 73 percent of the possession in the loss. The Reds had eight shots with none on target. Atletico had seven shots with two on target.
"We had the ball most of the game but, unfortunately, we couldn't create massive opportunities," Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk told BT Sport. "But we still have another 90 minutes to set it straight, and we should be full of confidence still."
Advertisement
The Reds have several Premier League games before returning for the second leg of their round of 16 matchup against Atletico. Liverpool -- the defending Champions League winners -- can still advance to the quarterfinals, but need to limit Atletico's scores on the road when they host the La Liga club in Liverpool, England. The Reds will most likely need to advance on goal differential or total goals scored. Liverpool can advance to the quarterfinals if they beat Atletico by at least two scores or score three or more times in a win March 11 at Anfield.
The first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals is April 7 and April 8.
Liverpool hosts West Ham in Premier League play at 3 p.m. EST Monday at Anfield. Atletico hosts Villarreal in La Liga at 3 p.m. EST Sunday in Madrid.


upi--2020-02-19--Hulu: What's coming and going in March 2020

Feb. 19 ( UPI ) -- Hulu members can watch Little Fires Everywhere , a miniseries based on the Celeste @ @ @ @ @ a docuseries about former first lady Hillary Clinton , and new seasons of the reality @ @ @ @ @ York and Keeping Up with the Kardashians in March .
The streaming service released a @ @ @ @ @ TV shows , documentaries and specials coming and going next month .
Here 's the @ @ @ @ @ being added to Hulu in March : Standing in the Shadows of Motown Up in @ @ @ @ @ Stare at Goats The Most Dangerous Animal of All Docuseries Premiere Keeping Up with the @ @ @ @ @ Must Be Going Little Fires Everywhere Three Episode Series Premiere ( Hulu Original ) Available @ @ @ @ @ premium add-on : Once Upon a Time in Hollywood ( March 27 ) Available in @ @ @ @ @ add-on : Available in March with the Showtime premium add-on : Here 's the full @ @ @ @ @ Hulu in March :

1/3
Kerry Washington stars in a Hulu adaptation of the Celeste Ng novel "Little Fires Everywhere." File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Hulu members can watch Little Fires Everywhere, a miniseries based on the Celeste Ng novel, Hillary, a docuseries about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and new seasons of the reality series Real Housewives of New York and Keeping Up with the Kardashians in March. The streaming service released a list of the movies, TV shows, documentaries and specials coming and going next month. Advertisement
Here's the full list of what's being added to Hulu in March:
March 1
OK K.O, Let's Be Heroes! Season 3
50/50
Abduction
Blue City
Cantinflas
Charlotte's Web (1973)
Danny Roane: First Time Director
Deck the Halls
Destiny Turn on the Radio
Eyes of an Angel
Foxfire
Free Willy
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
Free Willy 3: The Rescue
Friends with Kids
Furry Vengeance
Good Morning, Killer
Good Will Hunting
Advertisement
Hide
Hornet's Nest
Innocent
The Interview
Lady in a Cage
Leap Year
Major League II
Man on a Ledge
Natural Born Killers
Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection
Richard the Lionheart
Ricochet
Righteous Kill
Silent Tongue
Silent Witness
Standing in the Shadows of Motown
Swingers
Tenderness
The Cooler
The Descent
The Descent: Part 2
The Skull
Up in the Air
Wayne's World
Kinsey
Notes on a Scandal
Waiting to Exhale
March 3
Breeders Series Premiere
Real Housewives of New York City City Season 11
March 4
The Men Who Stare at Goats
March 5
Devs Series Premiere
Dave Series Premiere
March 6
Hillary Docuseries Premiere (Hulu Original)
Into the Dark: Crawlers Episode Premiere (Hulu Original)
Cake Season 2 Premiere
Better Things Season 4 Premiere
Knives and Skin
March 7
The Most Dangerous Animal of All Docuseries Premiere
March 9
Monos
March 11
Fire Force Season 1
March 13
Love Island: Australia Season 2
March 14
Keeping Up with the Kardashians Season 17
March 15
4 Lovers
Always Shine
Hello I Must Be Going
March 17
Attack on Titan Season 3B
March 18
Little Fires Everywhere Three Episode Series Premiere (Hulu Original)
March 19
Motherland
Pet Sematary
March 20
Big Time Adolescence
Advertisement
Real Housewives of Potomac Season 4
March 23
After School Dice Club Season 1 (Dubbed)
Kemonomichi Season 1 (Dubbed)
A Good Old Fashioned Orgy
March 26
Brown Girl Begins
March 27
Baghdad Central Season 1
Fairy Gone Season 1
March 28
Stand My Heroes: Piece of Truth Season 1 (Dubbed)
March 29
Archer Season 10
March 30
iHeartRadio Music Awards 2020
Santee
March 31
Hoshiai no Sora (Stars Align) Season 1 (Dubbed)
Pawparazzi
Available in March with the Stars premium add-on:
21 Jump Street (March 31)
A Simple Plan (March 13)
American Heist (March 1)
Anger Management (March 1)
Beirut (March 13)
Chaos Theory (March 1)
Colors (March 1)
Conan the Barbarian (March 2)
Conan the Destroyer (March 2)
Coraline (March 16)
Daddy Day Care (March 13)
High Noon (March 1)
Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (March 1)
Imperium (March 31)
Into the Grizzly Maze (March 1)
Land of the Lost (March 16)
Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector (March 31)
Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (March 1)
Money Train (March 1)
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (March 27)
Primal Fear (March 13)
Rent (March 1)
Secretary (March 1)
Still Waiting... (March 23)
The Butterfly Effect (March 6)
Advertisement
The Cold Light of Day (March 6)
The Fly (March 1)
The Jackal (March 13)
The Spirit (March 13)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Part 2 (March 1)
Uptown Girls (March 1)
Waiting (March 23)
Wayne's World (March 13)
Wet Hot American Summer (March 1)
Young Frankenstein (March 13)
Available in March with the HBO premium add-on:
Westworld Season 3 Premiere (March 15)
The Plot Against America (March 16)
Available in March with the Showtime premium add-on:
Black Monday Season 2 Premiere (March 15)
Here's the full list of what's leaving Hulu in March:
March 31
Awakening the Zodiac
Bachelor Party
Barbie a Fashion Fairytale
Barbie and the Diamond Castle
Big Fish
Blood Diamond
Bug
Captivity
Dangerous Curves
Dancer
Downfall Racer
Dracula 3000
Drop Dead Sexy
Eyes Wide Shut
Fallen
Fathers and Daughters
The French Connection
The Ghoul
Girl in Progress
Gone
Grace Unplugged
Gridiron Gang
Habit
Jigsaw
Little Richard
Meet Joe Black
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
Mimic
Mud
Music from Another Room
Mystery Team
Pacific Heights
Pi
P2
Precious
Project Eden
Renoir
Some Kind of Wonderful
Suburbicon
Swimming with Sharks
Tangerines
Two Family House
When Harry Met Sally


upi--2020-02-19--Peter Berg to direct Netflix drama about opioid crisis

Feb. 19 ( UPI ) -- Friday Night Lights and Lone Survivor director Peter Berg has signed on to helm all eight episodes of Painkiller , Netflix 's limited series about the origins of the U.S. opioid crisis .
No casting has been announced yet .
Writers Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster -- whose credits include A Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood and Transparent -- will serve as show-runners and executive producers .
`` A tragedy decades in the making , the opioid crisis has become one of the most devastating public health crises of our time , '' executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Unlike other drug epidemics , born from underground manufacturing and covert smuggling , this epidemic began by prescription -- dispensed by doctors , approved by government regulators , and promoted by a family-owned pharmaceutical giant that made billions while betraying the trust of patients and the public . ''
`` I am really charged to be a part of such an in depth exploration of the genesis of the opioid travesty , '' Berg added .
`` Companies that profit off of death and addiction are fair game to me when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how they go about their business . ''

Filmmaker Peter Berg is to direct all eight episodes of "Painkiller" for Netflix. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Friday Night Lights and Lone Survivor director Peter Berg has signed on to helm all eight episodes of Painkiller, Netflix's limited series about the origins of the U.S. opioid crisis. No casting has been announced yet. Advertisement
Writers Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster -- whose credits include A Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood and Transparent -- will serve as show-runners and executive producers.
"A tragedy decades in the making, the opioid crisis has become one of the most devastating public health crises of our time," executive producer Eric Newman said in a statement.
"Unlike other drug epidemics, born from underground manufacturing and covert smuggling, this epidemic began by prescription -- dispensed by doctors, approved by government regulators, and promoted by a family-owned pharmaceutical giant that made billions while betraying the trust of patients and the public."
"I am really charged to be a part of such an in depth exploration of the genesis of the opioid travesty," Berg added. "Companies that profit off of death and addiction are fair game to me when it comes to illuminating the realities of how they go about their business."
Advertisement


upi--2020-02-19--Nintendo to live stream a 'Animal Crossing'-themed Direct

Feb. 19 ( UPI ) -- Nintendo has announced that a new Direct presentation centered around Animal Crossing : New @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday at 9 a.m. EDT .
Fans can view the live stream on Nintendo @ @ @ @ @ .
Nintendo said that the Direct will run roughly 25 minutes and will give an @ @ @ @ @ : New Horizons which will be released for the Switch console on March 20 .
@ @ @ @ @ has a new island setting filled with peaceful beaches and new outdoor building mechanics .
@ @ @ @ @ multiplayer modes up to eight players .
Nintendo will also be releasing a Animal Crossing @ @ @ @ @ on March 13 .
The console will feature pastel green and blue Joy-Con controllers and @ @ @ @ @ Animal Crossing characters Tom Nook , Timmy and Tommy on a small island .

Tune in on February 20 at 6 a.m. PT / 9 a.m ET for a roughly 25-minute livestreamed #AnimalCrossing: New Horizons Direct, featuring an in-depth look at Nook Inc.'s Deserted Island Getaway Package! pic.twitter.com/3j4EaUw8Pl— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 18, 2020
Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Nintendo has announced that a new Direct presentation centered around Animal Crossing: New Horizons will be live streamed on Thursday at 9 a.m. EDT.
Fans can view the live stream on Nintendo's website or YouTube channel.
Advertisement
Nintendo said that the Direct will run roughly 25 minutes and will give an in-depth look at Animal Crossing: New Horizons which will be released for the Switch console on March 20.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has a new island setting filled with peaceful beaches and new outdoor building mechanics. The sequel will also support multiplayer modes up to eight players.
Nintendo will also be releasing a Animal Crossing: New Horizons-themed Switch console on March 13. The console will feature pastel green and blue Joy-Con controllers and a Switch dock that features Animal Crossing characters Tom Nook, Timmy and Tommy on a small island.


upi--2020-02-19--Brit Awards: Lewis Capaldi wins big, Billie Eilish debuts Bond song

Feb. 19 ( UPI ) -- Lewis Capaldi won Best New Artist and Song of the Year for `` Someone @ @ @ @ @ Brit Awards in London on Tuesday .
Billie Eilish was named Best International Female Artist @ @ @ @ @ song from the upcoming James Bond caper , No Time to Die .
Tyler , @ @ @ @ @ for Best International Male Artist and Dave took home the prize for Album of the @ @ @ @ @ Brit Award for Best Female Solo Artist went to to Mabel and the Best Male @ @ @ @ @ to Stormzy .
Foals was voted Group of the Year and Celeste won the Rising @ @ @ @ @ Whitehall hosted the ceremony , which aired on ITV .

1/3
Lewis Capaldi scored two prizes at the Brit Awards in London on Tuesday. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Lewis Capaldi won Best New Artist and Song of the Year for "Someone You Loved" at the Brit Awards in London on Tuesday. Billie Eilish was named Best International Female Artist and debuted live her theme song from the upcoming James Bond caper, No Time to Die. Advertisement
Tyler, the Creator won the trophy for Best International Male Artist and Dave took home the prize for Album of the Year for Psychodrama.
The Brit Award for Best Female Solo Artist went to to Mabel and the Best Male Solo Artist honor was presented to Stormzy.
Foals was voted Group of the Year and Celeste won the Rising Star trophy.
Comedian Jack Whitehall hosted the ceremony, which aired on ITV.